to scan or not to scan

[witt]

Hi there
I am 10 weeks now and I think in New Zealand it's a little different scan wise. Many of you seem to have had a heart beat scan already, sounds like it's routine in the States???

We have the option of a 12 week nucal fold scan (which I am not doing because if the baby had Down's I wouldn't terminate the pregnancy anyway so I'd rather be blissfully ignorant and deal with things as they happen). And then we have a 20 wk scan.

With my first I had an easy pregnancy and had no scans. With my second, I had 7!!! Five weeks of bleeding non stop and it POURED out every time I stood out. I also had a miscarriage between no1 and no 2.

So here I am on my fourth pregnancy and I am still holding out...... no scan, I don't think until 20 weeks and it's HARD waiting..................

Anyone else not scanning......................??? We could stop each other from going crazy!!! :thumb

:bouncy

[Miss Juice]

I know I won't have an ultrasound until about 20 weeks. I'm happy with that because I'm cautious about ultrasound. Generally they start looking for a heartbeat with the doppler thing, and I think you can hear the heartbeat between 8-12 weeks depending on the position of the baby.

I'm dying to have an ultrasound, though, because SO MANY people have asked if I could be having twins. There's no reason to think I would be, but it has been so many people (starting with my DD who said "I'm going to have TWO new baby sisters") that I really just want to find out. But 20 weeks it will be, so I am glad to have others in the same boat keeping me sane...or trying to :mischief

[PancakeGoddess]

It was a little strange not having any ultrasounds at all with my third, but it was just fine of course. We'll do the same this time.

Just to be clear, I think most of the people here who are getting a heartbeat are just hearing it, not seeing it on any kind of scan.

[midwestmom]

It is not routine to have early scans here (midwest) unless there is a specific reason. We don't do them until 20 weeks. I plan for that to be my only ultrasound. The only reason I had one early with #2 is b/c I had not had a period between #1 and #2 and needed an approx due date. I think some providers do them just because....not sure how they get them paid for by insuance. I have only heard the heartbeat via doppler at 10 weeks. We do that at every appt.

Don't worry....I am holding out with ya.

Mytwogals-everyone keeps asking me about twins too.

[bugnbean]

It must be a twins month...people are asking if I'm having twins as well LOL

As for the scan. I will have one at 19-20 weeks to rule out major physiological abnormalities. And no more unless my midwife is concerned enough to want one. And I trust her judgement.

[PrettyBird]

My midwife did one to date the pregnancy. I charted and ovulated on day 28, and my cycle before that was 70 days so we couldn't use the "start on the first day of your LMP" rule with me. I knew how far along I was because I charted, but they wouldn't take my word for it. At least now they won't try to induce me before little bird is done cooking!

But, it is not routine to do an early US here.

[beautyful]

It wasn't routine to do an u/s until 20 weeks at my OB with my daughter unless one was needed for dating purposes.

My midwife left the u/s question up to me this time -- were I not VBAC'ing, I may have opted not to have one at all. :)

[~pi]

Scans are not routine at this stage in Canada, either. I had one yesterday, but that's because I have pre-existing medical issues so there are reasons to try to make sure that I am dated accurately. My charts were always crazy, so I had a hard time figuring out when I ovulated.

I do understand why people might have preferences about ultrasounds. In many cases, they are unnecessary. For me, it's one of the least invasive tests they suggest for me, so I'm fine with it. I'm trying to pick my battles.

All the best to all of you who are holding out, though! I think it's really, really nice to just wait and go on the assumption that all is fine and normal.

[sewaneecook]

I don't plan on having one. I'll hear the heart beat at my m/w appt in January, but that's using the doppler. I feel that unless there's a concern, there's no real reason to have an u/s. BTW, I think it's more common than most think to have an early scan. I'm on another board where it's very common to have an u/s regularly!

[Max'sMama]

I won't be having any ultrsounds, unless there is an emergency. With ds I had an ultrasound at 20 weeks and had to fight to get the insurance to pay for it, even after the doc ordered it to date the baby since I was measuring off by one week. I was right on for the date I said I was due, but apparently with my doc (then) She knew more and I was just a dumb patient. With the midwife I have now it's very low-tech. Just doppler to hear the heartbeat at every appt.

[witt]

nice to hear from you all!

Good to know there are others not scanning and waiting................ <sigh>

I am trying to do as few as possible, my first I didn't scan at all, but I'm a bit more anxious these days, (I guess I know more bad stuff) so I think we will do the 20 week scan............. we'll see

Until then, batten down the hatches mumas! Waiting, waiting :thumb