How many ultrasound during pregnancy???

[Amz26]

I'm 14weeks and have already had 3 scans.. I want to get one done again In 2 weeks time to find out the gender.. Will that be to much and how safe are they? There's very limited info online so it's hard to get the truth on this issue, thanks

I'm 19 weeks and have already had 6 scans - 20 week anomaly scan will be next Thursday.

6 weeks to confirm pregnancy (transvaginal scan)
8 weeks due to bleeding (TVS)
10 weeks checkup (TVS)
12 weeks dating scan + Down's syndrome screening (TVS and belly scan)
16 weeks checkup
18 weeks gender scan (baby kept its legs crossed the whole time though so we still don't know what it is )

I'm in Dubai and it appears that they just normally do a scan at every single appointment - it's all under the gold private healthcare package which DH's company is legally required to provide for us anyway, so I'm just enjoying getting to see baby as often as possible! Was very glad when the TVS scans stopped after 12 weeks though as I found them a bit uncomfortable.

People might not have heard of the Swedish study because it was in the late 1970s.

I was wrong in my previous posts. There has been meta-analyses eg Cochran reviews (most recent 2010, no association found) and this one which was the most recent I could find from 2011

Make that 14 scans. Forgot the 30w 3D

And for many of us it's not having to know the sex of the baby. We didn't find our till 23w

But more for reassurance (private) and as I'm High risk I get scanned every 3w on NHS

This baby by the time is born (3w ish) would have taken 11yrs to concieve and 4 private failed ivf and 5th hit the jackpot

Although the overjoyed to be preg after all these years au haven't enjoyed it as always worries something may happen. ESP in early weeks - so scans seeing the baby reassured df and I

And that lessens the stress we both feel - which surely far outweighs the risk of extra scans

I had around 12 (all medical necessities) with my DD. It could even have been more. No ill effects and she's nearly 16.

Enjoy your pregnancy and if additional scans give you pleasure go for it!

12 week, 19weeks, 25weeks then 3 times a week from 29weeks to birth @38.5. Reduced amniotic fluid though so the hospital was keeping a very close eye on things. Dd is a leftie but so is her father and my mother. I assumed it was genetic though

I had quite a few when pregnant, possibly 10? Due to a combination of anxiety in the early stages and being high risk due to mid tri bleeds and a low lying placenta. I had at least 7 on the NHS as medically indicated. DS is nearly 9 months and shows no ill effects!

If I was pregnant again I probably wouldn't need as many although I would still pay privately to have at least 1 scan before 12 weeks (I had the harmony and would do so again and this requires a scan). I would also have one at 32 weeks to check the blood flow through the cord. Professor nickolaides (THE man in foetal medicine) recommends this and has campaigned for a routine scan at 32 weeks to be brought in on the NHS.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29367001

i had scan at 12 and 20 week and since then fortnightly.

She's very clever little girl, quick learner etc, and so far showing preference for right hand. She's 2.

Two!

I had 5 for various reasons and my 3 yr old is showing definite preference for right hand, quick learner with very advanced speech. I was very anxious and guilty about it having consulted Dr Google too much during pregnancy, but it appears there was no need.

They're a medical procedure. I can't think why you'd want to submit yourself and your baby to one unless it was medically indicated? They're not done so you can get another look at your tiny baby. They're done to check for anomalies, problems in pregnancy, diagnose miscarriage, etc. Loads of reasons to have them, if they're needed.

reallyanotherone is right. If lefthandedness shows a marked increase with frequent scans (I think this is mostly in early pregnancy, as handedness is determined very early on) then we probably don't know what other neurological changes are effected by having frequent scans.

and anecdotal evidence (eg, 'my child had frequent scans and she's ok/is right handed') isn't really very meaningful.

I seem to recall reading somewhere recently that they haven't actually been proved safe. They're certainly safer than the x-rays they replaced though (!). That's why the medical view in the UK is to limit them - one at c. 12 weeks to confirm pregnancy and date the pregnancy, and spot any severe issues; and one at 20w to check for anomalies, unless you have a medical condition that requires further checks.