Private scans

[emsie03]

So I'm going to have a private scan to see gender at 16 weeks, have these always lined up with what your nhs scan says the gender is? Just worried I will spend this money and it be wrong.

I've heard quite a few instances of being told different sex! I'd honestly save your money and wait a few weeks.

Hello - I work in a private scan clinic.

At 16 weeks it’s actually easier to see the sex than at 20 weeks. There is usually loads of space for baby to open their legs and for us to see.

A good sonographer will check to see if they can see the testicles on a boy and the labia and clitoris on a girl. They will also be able to use the Doppler to make sure no cord is trailing through the legs.

Ask for a potty shot. Ask them to label it.

Have a slush puppy or something cold, fizzy sweet to drink about 20 mins before you get there to wake baby up so they are moving about.

We find that it’s the sonogrphers at the hospital that get it wrong as they are not looking at the sex of babies all day like we are 😁

You will always get the odd story about the sex being wrong. Sometimes that’s because mum’s lied and baby is too young, cord has trapped a Willy, baby in really bad position, mums high BMI and sonogrsoher struggling to see baby at all.

But generally private scans around 15-17 weeks are much more correct than the 20
week scan.

If you want a private scan and you can afford it, personally I'd do that. Generally if you pay for a private scan they're likely to spend more time checking out the sex than the nhs anomaly scan where they're primarily checking the baby's health but will generally give their opinion on the baby's sex afterwards if they're in the right position.

Although some scans are incorrect, most are right, plus some private clinics may offer a refund in the unlikely event they do get it wrong. I'd look at online reviews beforehand though to make sure they're mainly positive and no wrong results on there so far!

Mine was right - private scan predicted girl at 16 weeks, which matched up to NHS at 20 weeks and she was definitely born a girl!