Does weight affect quality of scan??

[Elja1127]

I wouldn't class myself as very overweight I'm a size 14 usually, starting to fit into a 16 but my body shape isn't overly big although I do have a bit of a tummy. Anyway, I had my 12 week scan last week and the pictures I've got are so blurry I can make out a head and shape of the body but no features like arms or legs, I also couldn't see much at the scan at all it was all very blurry.. Does being larger really affect the quality??

Yes but only if you are very overweight which you aren't.

Yes, I am very overweight and mine said "view restricted due to adiposity" in the notes

Weight doesn't, but amount of fat on stomach will do. So if the weight is concentrated on your tummy it may well affect scan quality. By the time you get to twenty weeks your tummy will be more stretched out so you should get better scan pics.

I was a size 14 when I had 12 week scan, the sonographer said the skin on my stomach was "too thick" to get clearer images... Charming.

I'm a size 16, and carry quite a lot of fat around my middle and have always had very clear scans.

Body fat can, if it did then, like a pp says, your notes will say "view restricted due to adiposity".

It can, mine are a bit grainy. But it could also be blurry due to foetal movement.

I'm size 14-16 (when not pregnant) and have had no problems seeing scans on the screen -although the print outs are always a bit vague to me.
I did find however that for the 20 week scan they pressed fairly hard in (quite uncomfortable) to get a clear picture for the measurements.
Probably depends on where baby is and where the fat is?

I was quite big during my first pregnancy and had 'view restricted due to maternal BMI' in my scan notes, it was quite blurry to be fair but the 20wk one was much better.

For this pregnancy I was 4+ stone lighter and the scans were much better quality.

DSIS is a whippet of a thing and has just had her 12 week scan and the clarity is amazing even compared to my latest one.

It's to do with the depth of tissue the ultrasound has to penetrate before reaching the area of interest. The picture is formed by the 'echoes' of reflected sound bouncing back from various surfaces. They can increase the depth of penetration by turning down the frequency of the waves but this gives you a longer wavelength and less visible detail.
It's the physics of the machine, they are not being rude.

All my notes and letters say "restricted due to bmi"

I was asked to oil my tummy up

I keep getting told to hold my tummy up it's embarrassing but necessary I suppose. I would rather that then have an internal scan

Pull not oil

It is embarrassing

My 12 week scan was very blurry could only just make out the head and body shape

I was a size 10 and just beginning to get my baby bump

By my 20 week scan you could make out everything

My NHS scan was blurry but my private 14 week scan was excellent - same weight, better machine!