A first-time mom writes in asking for advice about her first ultrasound. She says she just found out she is in Week 9 of her pregnancy, but when she contacted an OBGYN, they told her they would not schedule her first ultrasound until she is 12 weeks. This mom says every other mom she knows had her first ultrasound between 6-8 weeks. Is it normal to have your first ultrasound so “late” at 12 weeks?
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A member of the community asks:
“Is it normal to have an ultrasound so late?
Hey there. I’m a first-time mom (FTM) in week 9 of my pregnancy. I found out the Friday before last and immediately found an OBGYN. They told me my first ultrasound wouldn’t be until 12 weeks. Every woman that I know that I currently pregnant had her first ultrasound between 6-8 weeks. Is it normal to have one so late? Have other ladies experienced this with the first pregnancy? Most of the reading I’ve done suggests the first ultrasound should be between 6-10 weeks.”
– Mamas Uncut Community Member
Community Advice for This First-Time Mom Who Wants to Know if It’s Normal to Have Her First Ultrasound at 12 Weeks and Not Earlier
To see what advice the Mamas Uncut Facebook community has for this mom in need, read the comments of the post embedded below.
Advice Summary
The community offered this mom in need a lot of great advice. Read some of their responses below.
“It’s only a new standard to do ultrasounds so early. When I had my first in 2011, I didn’t have an ultrasound until my 20-week scan. If I was you, I’d be excited to wait longer due to baby looking like a baby. 6-8 weeks they are just a blob.”
“My first appointment was at 6 weeks. They checked for a heartbeat at the 10-week appointment and I had an ultrasound at 12 weeks. My first (9 years ago) I didn’t have an ultrasound till 20 weeks. But they listened to the heartbeat every appointment. It’s always changing.”
“My OBGYN is the best around and doesn’t do them until 18 weeks unless one is needed sooner. She also doesn’t do any additional ultrasounds if everything is normal.”
“I had my first at 3 weeks, then at 6 weeks and a couple days, and again at 7. I had an ultrasound done way too earlier and my baby’s heartbeat had just started. They gave me the worst anxiety of my life having me think I was going to lose my baby, had to have another done at 7 weeks to see if her heartbeat was normal. Honestly, be glad they’re pushing it off a bit. You’ll get better ultrasound pictures too.”
“They will do them early if you have a history of miscarriage or if they’re trying to date the pregnancy. 12 weeks is normal for a first ultrasound.”
“My first pregnancy with my almost 12 year old, I didn’t get an ultrasound until the anatomy scan. That was the only one I got with her. I also didn’t see my ob-gyn until 12 weeks in. My 2nd pregnancy, I again didn’t see my ob-gyn until 12 weeks in but I did get an ultrasound then. A quick one to date the pregnancy.”
“Most ob-gyn (around me anyways) don’t see you till you’re 10-12 weeks for an ultrasound and they don’t let you listen to the heartbeat anymore. I asked the ultrasound tech why that is and he said new studies have shown that it’s unhealthy for the baby when they’re that little. I got to see the heartbeat at my 10-week ultrasound but not hear it till I was about 16 weeks.”
“My first pregnancy, I didn’t have an ultrasound till 12 weeks because I knew my dates and was low-risk, but my current pregnancy I was unsure of dates, so I had one at 6 weeks and now not until 12 weeks.”
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