Skeptical of Ultrasound at 12 weeks! Any advice??

tvccrn, ASN, RN · Mar 6, 2007

Doug,

I was told that 12 weeks was way too early to determine sex. Now, with that said I know nothing about 3D ultrasounds and the ability of those. Our facility doen'st offer them unless it's for a very specific medical reason. They say that the waves used haven't been approved for use with pregnancy and they don't want to take any risk.

My doctor wouldn't even sign a paper saying that I was under a doctor's care because of the fact that there wasn't a licensed person who would be doing one. She said it was certainly up to us, but that she wouldn't participate in any way.

Maybe they are clear enough, but somehow I doubt it.

Good luck with the little one and best wishes.

tvccrn

KaroSnowQueen, RN · Mar 6, 2007

My question is this:

Did you get still photos from the ultrasound so you could see for yourself?

In any case, if it were me, I would want another ultrsound further along in the pregnancy to confirm the sex - that is if you want to color coordinate the baby's nursery and wardrobe in the appropriate color.

PS My DD had a 3D ultrasound at her MD's office, but they wouldn't do it until she was six to seven months along, saying that is when they get the best pictures.

justme1972 · Mar 6, 2007

I was looking into Sonogram Technology before I started looking at RN programs. I was suprised to find that Sonography is not necessarily a licensed profession in many states....it's not that these people are not trained and not qualified, there just isn't a license to go with it.

I wouldn't go out and buy the blue until a doctor confirms the sex. With my twins, I was told at 20 weeks that we were having fraternal twins, a boy and a girl.

When I asked the doctor, Are you sure???? He said, "Let the walls run bright with pink and blue!"

Congrats on your new one!

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 6, 2007

Too early. Male and female sex organs all appear like tiny memberes at this stage. I would not count on it being accurate at this stage.

And even later, this is room for error. I HAVE seen completely astounded families have a baby they "thought" was a girl or a boy, only to get a big surprise when the baby was born. The only fool-proof way to know true gender is a sample from amniotic fluid/chromosome count. And we all know that is really not worth it unless you have risk conditions that you feel warrant invasive testing like CVS or amniocentesis.

dougRN2BE · Mar 6, 2007

Yeah, I don't think we are going to paint anything yet or buy boy's clothes. I was a bit surprised that sonographers in CA don't have to be licensed, but I guess it is the experience and training that matters.

We will have another US at 20 weeks from our HMO with a licensed sonographer who supposedly has a lot of experience and I'm curious to see what his assessment is. We'll see. But like you said, you never know for sure until the little bundle of joy pops out.

Imagine days without ultrasounds and the internet and all of our fancy gadgets. A lot SIMPLER!!! :)

Cheers to all,

Doug

eden · Mar 7, 2007

Too early. If it's a boy it will be because there was a 50-50 chance not because you had a great US technician . I have see later US (16-22 weeks) be wrong at delivery. Talk about a surprise for mom and dad. I would definately not take their word for it, it's far too early.

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Mar 7, 2007

3D ultrasounds are not meant to be done until at least 32 weeks. Any repuable sonographer would refuse to do it so early. The infant at 12 weeks, on a 3D ultrasound, looks more like a skelton than a baby. Actually scary looking. I was present in the OIC when the 3D machine was delivered to the hospital. We were shown 3D ultrasounds done during various stages of pregnancy. The company using them to emphazise why they shouldn't be done until 32 weeks. At 24 weeks the baby looked all thin and shriveled.

At 32 weeks it was awesome. A nice filled out precious baby.

A very experienced sonographer can determine the sex of the baby at 14 weeks, on black & white scan, at the earliest but normally won't tell the patient what they think until the 20th week.

Having worked OB/GYN for 12 years I've seen more than 1 surprised set of parents. A friend of mine has 3 girls and with her last pregnancy she had 3 ultrasounds after 20 weeks gestation, all 3 confirmed a girl. She delivered a boy!

Congratulations on your new blessing!

jrring1019 · Mar 7, 2007

At 16 weeks a midwife told me I was having a boy. I swear I saw those boy parts also! 4 weeks later my next US said girl. OB at that time told me 16 weeks is too early to determine gender accurately.

BTW it really was a girl!

mommy2boys · Mar 7, 2007

I had to have a series of US with my first pregnancy, the tech (licensed and someone who I had many scans with over they years) said that I was probably having a boy when I was 16 wks, but that I shouldn't get to happy yet (we wanted a boy first). I had to have 2 more scans later and they "showed" I was having a boy. The tech said that they really can't tell before 16 wks.

At 12 wks I wouldn't believe it, I would wait until you get scanned later to start painting the nursery. BTW, Congrats on your newest family member!!!

ERin

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Mar 7, 2007

here's where your baby is at:

http://www.visembryo.com/baby/12_weeks.html

[color=#339966]pelvis

sexual organs distinguishing female or male are now clearly visible.

babynurselsa, RN · Mar 7, 2007

I have seen babies 16 to 20 weeks that the genitalia was difficult to determine directly visualizing it.