Is it ok to rely on 20 week scan saying baby is girl ?

[izzymom]

This is 3rd baby, have wanted to know sex at 20 week scan with all 3 but both prev were keeping legs firmly xd. With DD (no.2) had 3D scan, which was 100 percent it was girl.

This time, had scan at 22 wks, sonographer said was a girl, no bits seen from front or side. As this pg was bit of a surprise, and have sold/given away all our baby stuff, am starting shoppin for baby from scratch.

Having bought loads of pink bits in last 4 wks, have just had a minor panic about poss.of bein a boy!! Has anyone been told wrong? Am thinking may be worth having 3D scan, as would still be cheaper than having to replace all stuff in 3 months time! Any thoughts?

[newmumkarenc]

I was the same. Found out it was a girl at 20 weeks. Wanted to refer to bump as a 'she' not 'it', but found myself doubting sonographer and within a few more weeks was back to saying 'it' when I refered to baby. DD is 4 months old now. Wish I had never doubted the scan.
I don't think they often get it wrong. 1% or less. Especially if they can clearly see the three little white lines on screen. I asked the sonographer if boy's bits would look like that and she said 'no', but I still doubted her.

Had to buy more vests etc after the birth as all 0-3 were too big. Chose to buy white as next baby could be a boy.
I'd suggest not buying too much till after the birth, but am pretty sure you can trust the sonographer. She wouldn't have told you if she wasn't sure it was a girl.

[Beauregard]

Been right both times for me.

[izzymom]

Sonographer told DH he could come and collect a fiver from him if baby boy arrived, so guess he was pretty sure. This is def.last baby, (my 3rd + 2 stepsons = v.crowded 3 bed house), so dont want to get too much neutral stuff.

Plan to get most clothes etc from NCT nearly new sale in April. It's only early clothes which will be a prob as DD is v.small nearly 2, who is only just growin out of 9-12 mnths clothes.

Have been told a couple of 'urban myth' type stories, of nurseries painted blue and girl arrives etc. Just hopin to get an idea of how often this really happens.

[firstontheway]

I've been told on three seperate scans that this little baby is a girl-am due in 2 weeks so will get back to you (but be very pissed off if it's not!)

Having said that, I work on a neonatal unit and do very occassionally have gorg baby boys come up for antibiotics dressed in pink clothes/ blankets etc who's parents have been told he was a girl! So it does happen, but we see it maybe once or twice a year... not sure about labour ward staff though! Have never known a girl to come up in for this reason though....

[firstontheway]

sorry.. for a girl to come up in blue

[SalBySea]

on the letter that came with my scan apt they printed in bold that the sex based on the anomoly scan is wrong in about 1 in 20 cases

I hope I'm one of the other 19 - I really do! have bought so much stuff and been calling it by a name for the last 13 weeks!!

[SheWillBeLoved]

We're having a private sexing scan done tomorrow evening after our sonographer telling us it looked like a girl, but that girls bits can often look like boys bits on scans as they're quite swollen until after the birth, hence her not being able to be 100% sure.

My sister was told she was having a girl, and found out it was a boy when she pushed him out. Cue the last minute dash to the shops by my mum so that she didn't have to take him home in a pink cardigan and shawl

[bunnymother]

Oh God, I am counting on the scan to be right!! We were told we are having a girl ad our baby now has a suitcase FULL of clothes and they are not all unisex! Will be v interested to see if there are any more stories like SheWillBeLoved. Certainly, its just sent me towards the lemon, white, cream baby clothes section that's for sure!

[BONKERZ]

when i was pregnant with DS i was told he was a girl at 20 week scan, i went back 3 weeks later for an extra scan due to an issue with babies bladder and was told it was a girl!

My sister was told all the way through her last pregnancy that she was having a girl, we bought everything in pink. When she was in labour we went out and bought balloons etc. I turned up at hospital after she had given birth to see my new neice. My sister instructed me to take off the pink babygro and to change my neices nappy! You guessed it SHE was a HE!!!!!! My sister only had pink stuff with her so it was a mad dash to buy boys clothes! Luckily when she got on the ward there was a lady who had been told she was having a boy but had had a girl so they did a mutual swap of clothes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PfftTheMagicDragon]

The sonographer told me that she was 95% sure DD was a girl, only because they would never say 100% (she saw right between the legs) and even then I panicked for the remaining 20 weeks that they might have got it wrong!

[MrsMattie]

This is the problem with scans. Although they are usually fairly accurate, the aren't always.

If you wanted to be more sure you could pay for further, private scans? Or just wait until she (he?) arrives

[purpleflower]

MIL had to have 2 weekly scans when pregnant with her youngest. All through she was told she was having a DD. The day before she went into labour she was scanned by another doctor and he asked her if she was excited about having a 3rd boy BIL is now 12

[MrsMattie]

I know two people who thought they were having a girl and had boys. Does it ever happen the other way round, though?

[duchesse]

I think at any stage the scan is at best only 95% sure in determining sex. I wouldn't decorate the nursery juuust yet. Get your midwife to tell you your baby's heart rate at every visit. Consistently over 140 means more likely to be a girl, consistently under, more likely to be a boy- it might be an extra indication.

[electra]

I wouldn't trust the scan - I was told at my 20 week scan that it's a boy. Since then have had two more which said girl. I have bought some girl stuff but it's in the packaging until the baby comes out!

[laweaselmys]

Hmm. Now you are making me nervous about hopefully-DDs nursery. At least it's not all pink (it's mostly green with a pink stripe) but will have to do some speedy redecorating if it's wrong!!

[susiey]

we have 2 DC both times we've found out they were right

with dd they said she was a girl and i never believed them till she was born and didn't buy any pink but accepted friend used girls clothes

with ds I had 2 scans one at 20 weeks and they said proably a boy one at 34 weeks where they showed me clear as the day boys bits - even to the untrained eye! after 34 weeks we bought boys clothes

I think its easier to tell with a boy so they make less mistakes

[izzymom]

I think I may have a 3D scan just to be sure. We've got to swap other kids rooms round as DD is in cot in our room, so be easier to get it right the first time than have to change everything again in summer hols...think may have enough else to do then!
Glad I asked though, I think I would find it rreally hard if the little girl I'm expecting had some extra bits!!

[MoshiMoshi]

I think it more likely to be wrong (if it is going to be wrong at all) in saying it is a girl when it is a boy rather than the other way round, as a boy' willy is more distinct. With DC1 we were told a boy which we never doubted and they were right. With DCs 2 and 3, we kept it a surprise, but found out this time. We have been told it is a girl but I must admit to there being a slight doubt in my mind as it could be wrong (but I also think it might be because I would love another boy to balance out our family, as would my DS and DH!)