If they tell you the gender at 16 weeks, what is the chance they are right?

[Weegle]

Because I'm 16 wks with identical twins and the sonographer today said what she thinks they are but said to confirm at 20 weeks (also having a scan at 18) - do you think it's accurate enough that we can tell our son and families? Or do you think we should wait?

[potplant]

If the sonographer isn't sure then wait to confirm - they do it every day so you've got to assume they know what they are talking about.

I was told at 16 and 20 weeks that they couldn't tell accurately for both of them (mine aren't id). With non ID DTs its harder because there's more chance, they are getting in each others way. Obvioulsy tou don't have that issue with IDs though.

I do know of someone who was told they were having girls and then one was a boy.

[Weegle]

I'm so crap at keeping secrets . My concern is that if we tell people then they will say "oh thank god you're not having 3 boys, that would've been a nightmare" (the sonographer thinks they are girls, and we have a DS) when that would be the last thing I would want to hear if it did turn out to be boys! She also switched to the 4D scanner for a while too - so I'm guessing that would have been more accurate?

She did tell me we can never be sure which is Twin 1 and which is Twin 2 as they will always be flipping unless they develop a size difference...

[longwayaway]

I've heard it's 95% accurate at 20 weeks but I don't know where those numbers come from. I've also heard it's far less common for girls to be mistaken for boys than the other way round - ie if they see boy parts you can be better than 95% sure it's a boy. The later scans will be more accurate.

I know we told everyone we're having a girl after the 20w scan and have subsequently gotten lots of girly clothes as gifts... will be a good joke if she turns out to be a boy!

[arolf]

I was told 'girl' at 17 weeks, then 'definitely a boy' at 20 weeks - different people doing the ultrasounds, but has made us very wary! we've told everyone it's probably a boy, but we're getting most stuff in gender 'neutral' colours just in case! (that said, if it's a girl, the baby bouncer we've got is blue with cars over it, so tough!)

[potplant]

You'll never be 100% sure on the Twin 1/2 issue (and with IDs possibly not even after they are born )

Mine stopped moving around at about 30 weeks, when they settled into position. There were still plenty of kicks but I didn't get that 'lurching' feeling that they were turning or on the move.