20 week scan - what happens?

[ejclementine]

Hi, I've had a look on here but the posts I can find are quite old. I've got my 20 week scan tomorrow (at 22+4) and just wondered what to expect? Thanks

I just had mine last week. Was much the same as the 12 week tbh. Sonographer doing her data collecting on the computer, occasionally showing us what the baby was doing. At the end we asked to know the sex and she said we had a pretty clear view of it being a girl. We were told everything looked fine. Got our photos, and a report for my pregnancy folder.

I think I remember the 20wk scan being a tad longer so they can check everything. It's better this time round as you can properly see that it looks like a person, see what babies doing. My son looked like he was sucking his thumb in the scan picture. But yeah pretty much the same as the first scan.

I had mine today.. Just as mmmuffins says.. Lots of measurements taken, checking all the organs etc.. Don't panic if there's lots of silent moments from the sonographer (I did at first until she told me it's totally normal , they are just concerntrating)
Hope it all goes well! It's lovely to see

Thank you all, that's good to know. Looking forward to it! :)

I had mine yesterday (at 20+0). The sonographer showed me baby and pointed out the beating heart, then explained she would be very quiet for a while as she had to check various parts of the body and take a series of measurements. I looked away at this point as I didn't want to see her face if something was wrong. Think this but took about 15 mins. I then had to go to the loo and walk around a bit to get baby into a position to finish all the checks, the sonographer said she has to get pretty much everyone to do this. We then found out the sex (we already knew but this makes it definite!) and she then gave us a very detailed tour of baby, zooming in on the heart, hands, feet, spine and face. That was amazing, she could even show us the individual fingers and the lenses on his eyes. I do count myself lucky though as I think a lot of ladies end up coming back to finish the measurements off due to baby not being in the right position. Enjoy it!

Do you get your matb1 form from the Sonographer?

Not in my experience, you get it from your midwife at the next appt. For me (second pregnancy) that's at 28 weeks.
Never heard of sonographers giving out MATB1s, but they might in some areas I guess?

Don't panic if you get called back. There were a couple of things the sonographer couldn't see with DD. I think it was her bladder and one angle of her heart. So I had to go back the next week. Everything was fine and apparently it is very common to have to go back.

Yep, I've had to go back in both my pregnancies. Very, very common!

Oh I think my work need it before 28 weeks so will ask the Sonographer. I thought it might just be a firm they keep in the departments and just dish them out when needed.

jmac - if you are in the UK, you will need to have your mat1b form with your employer by 25 weeks. You can pick them up from your GP. However, if you are in the UK, you get it at your 24 week midwife appointment.

Fairy - just for clarity, 24 week appointments are only in first pregnancies. You don't have a midwife appt between 16 and 28 weeks in subsequent pregnancies.

So people like me, on second pregnancies, will need to check if our employers can wait til 28 weeks and, if not, make arrangements to get the form from the GP earlier.