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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Do sonographers ever get it wrong?

31 replies

BrownB · 01/12/2011 12:11

I'm 33 weeks pregnant, and we were told it's a girl. The sonographer even went to the length of pointing out all the different girl bits when we had our 20 week scan, so we're pretty sure it's a girl and are planning accordingly. Has anyone been told one thing, and then get the other?

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bethenny · 01/12/2011 12:12

I know two people that has happened to but in both cases they were told they were having a girl and ended up with a boy!

Original poster

BrownB · 01/12/2011 12:13

Oh shit. I guess we had best think of alternative names...

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ShowOfHands · 01/12/2011 12:14

It does happen yes but rarely. With the machines now, it's often quite easy to see what it is. With ds, I saw his scrotum, him having a wee through what was obviously a penis etc. But I still had my doubts until the moment he was born.

Kveta · 01/12/2011 12:15

yes, they do. however, I don't know anyone it has happened to yet!

with DS, we were told he was a girl at the 17 week scan (was in the USA, where they scan A LOT), then at the 20 week scan, he was waggling his bits at us, and clearly a boy :o sadly the picture we got was really rubbish (he wouldn't stay still) and my mum (trained sonographer) looked at it and said 'obviously a girl' so we spent many 'happy' months wondering what we would get :o

he's most definitely a boy though...

chrisrobin · 01/12/2011 12:17

My best friend was told she was having a girl but she had a boy, I think this is rare though. Many other friends have asked to know the sex and the sonograper was correct, myself included.

StaceymAloneForver · 01/12/2011 12:17

i know somebody who was told she was having a boy, turned out to be a girl, she had to buy all new baby stuff
good luck with your baby :)

Original poster

BrownB · 01/12/2011 12:18

That's what we thought. I don't know why I have had a sudden rush of anxiety about this, as all I really want is a healthy baby.

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Original poster

BrownB · 01/12/2011 12:20

In fact, my inner imp would be laughing very loudly should 'she' end up being a boy!!

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ImpYCelynAndTheIvy · 01/12/2011 12:25

We were told she "thinks it's probably a boy", but she did sound really unsure, so we're not convinced.

bethenny · 01/12/2011 12:25

I wouldn't worry, a baby doesn't know if it's wearing pink or blue after all - my best friend has a DS after two DDs and he's often wearing fetching pink embroidered things (though she draws the line at dresses I don't see why!)

fhdl34 · 01/12/2011 12:44

I know someone who was told at scan it was a boy and out came a girl. Thankfully she already had a boy before so hadn't bought lots of new boy stuff, she just had to get girl stuff instead.
But TBH my brother had girl/boy twins and my niece from ages 2-3 wore a lot of boys stuff because he knew someone with boy twins who used to pass on their clothes. She has really long hair so just looked a bit tomboyish.

KatAndKit · 01/12/2011 12:44

I know a couple who got told girl and had a boy. But it is quite rare though, usually they are right, and that is just one couple out of all the people I know who have had a baby and found out in advance.

If they tell you it's a boy, it is almost certainly correct. If they say it's a girl just because they haven't seen a penis, they might be wrong. But if they say it's a girl because they have clearly seen the labia, then you can be more confident of that in my opinion.

mrsmamma · 01/12/2011 13:28

My neighbour was told was having a boy and out popped a girl!

perceptionreality · 01/12/2011 13:30

Yes I was told a boy at 21 weeks and it turned out to be a girl.

perceptionreality · 01/12/2011 13:32

If you have a private scan it's unlikely to be wrong (you can go to places who specialise in what sex the baby is). I did this after my NHS scan so I knew then that the NHS had been wrong.

PinkFondantFancy · 01/12/2011 13:33

My friend was told it was definitely a boy and out popped a girl!!

zumm · 01/12/2011 13:36

My girl cousin turned out to be a boy and my friend's son turned out to be a daughter -so, yes, it can happen.
Also some reports claim that 1 in 1200 can be of ambiguous gender - although the ambiguity is often hidden/kept secret...

FurryFox · 01/12/2011 13:37

My SIL was told she was having a girl at her 20 week scan. She then had a scan at about 36 ish weeks I think, (not sure why actually) and they found an adnormaility but wasn't sure what it was and to wait and see after the birth. Turned out the abnormaility were some little boy bits. Baby perfectly healthy.

Camerondiazepam · 01/12/2011 13:38

I know someone who was expecting a girl and had a boy. But as someone else said, that's one out of all the people I've ever known who've had a baby and thought they knew what the sex was.

tilder · 01/12/2011 13:45

I think the only way to be 100% sure is to have a DNA test done before the baby is born, which I guess is a bit risky? Predicting gender in pregnancy from the scan gets more accurate the further along you are but its not 100% - not sure if even a 3D scan is 100% (regardless of who is doing it, NHS or private). Agree with KitandKat though - apparently its more accurate if the scanner has seen the willy and there are a few bright lines or something showing the labia, but a lot depends on the position the baby is in. I always have a good look (am pg with number 3 and due to complications tend to have lots of scans each time) and can never tell- the umbilical cord always gets in the way!

tilder · 01/12/2011 13:47

My madwife has great confidence in her predictions though if that helps? First pg predicted a boy ('because I can see you with boys') second pg also predicted a boy. Both were accurate. But she does readily admit that her success rate at predictions is generally about 50% - she has yet to make a prediction this time around...

CuppaTeaJanice · 01/12/2011 13:53

If you do turn out to have a boy, you must never tell him about the scan.

Imagine the embarrassment - 'Your willy was so small the sonographer thought you were a girl!!'

samwellsbutt · 01/12/2011 14:37

its never 100% but they can be often pretty sure. as mine said with this one i am as sure as i can be that, that is girl bits. for the first time ever i could see it as well it was definitely a vagina.

TimothyClaypoleLover · 01/12/2011 14:57

I know 2 couples who were told they were having a girl, only for both to be boys. One couple even went so far as decorating the nursery completely pink.

Wrigglebum · 01/12/2011 15:42

We didn't find out with DS and won't for this baby either. If I was going to spend a fortune on pink or blue things I think I'd go for one of those fancy 3d private scans first to be really sure .

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