had my 12 week scan, why so many unanswered..

[mum2bean]

questions?
why is it you think you've asked everything then leave and think of more really important ones?
so if anyone can help on these little gems, it would be great!

1. can you really tell the sex that early on? basically bean had 'his' backside up on the screen most of the way through my scan(a whole hour and five mins!) and has nothing there, does that mean it's a girl? 2)bean is kicking about fine, moving around loads and all the usual cute stuff, but my partners aunt had spina bifida. no one else in his family has. what are my baby's chances of getting it or do i really have to wait for my 20-23 week scan? and judging by all the movement bean is doing, is that a good indication that bean probably wont have it?

Question one: Some very experienced radiographers can apparently, but it is more reliable at the 20 week scan, and even then not certain (mostly because some girls turn out to be boys keeping their bits hidden )

Question two: Please go and see your gp or midwife to discuss this. Everyone here will do their best to help but to much info can have the same effect as googling (ie scare you witless ) and you may want to discuss having certain tests. At the 20 weeks scan they will have a good look at lo's spine. With my scan they were able to see that the spine was entirely covered by skin, which was a good sign (I had no other tests for religious reasons).

thanks

at 12 weeks they have a little nubbin that points one way for a boy and the other way for a girl - so even if you can see it it's a very close call! So no obvious penis does not mean it's a girl, sorry!

1. A friend of mine had her twins 'sexed' at about 10 weeks - she was a nurse and got a pal in radiography to have a quick peek.

2. I had a worry about SB too - I had a cousin who died of it and another cousin (same family) with related issues. I thought as a child I too had had a related issue but in my investigations, when pg, it turned out what I had now had a new name and was completed unrelated ! Anyway, I mentioned my concerns to my MW and they took it seriously and gave me a blood test (part of the triple test which I hadn't had as I had a nuchal scan) and an extra scan at 17 weeks. Definitely worth mentioning.

This great link here explains how you can discern the sex from 12 weeks onward. There is an error rate of 50% at 11 weeks (ie not worth doing it before then) but from 12w or thereabouts it does become discernable whether the little nubbin kat mentions is pointing up or down!
But with a bottom up shot you wouldn't see anything that early.
If you are desperate to know, in-gender.com has a great forum where sonographers and others will look at your scan pic and (provided baby was in the right position) will give you an opinion!
Don't know about the SB but agree it would be worth mentioning, although again I think 12w is a bit early.

hello
my mum had a baby who died at birth with spina bifida. so I also have the same concern.

When I had DS (who is perfectly heathy) I had a nuchal scan and the triple blood test and they looked at the spine specifically, They also can tell any major probs with spine etc in the 20 week scan.

If it comes up as a high risk you can then make the choice whether or not you want to have an amniocentisis - they can never tell you for certain whether or not SB is evident but they can really get close to telling your indivicual risk.

I am now pregnant again and doing the same tests.

Try not to worry.

I lost a baby with spina bifida so when I was pg with DS I had an extra scan at 16 weeks. You can't tell at 12 weeks, there was nothing with previous baby showing at that stage although it was pretty severe when it came to 20 weeks.

If you have reason to think you are more at risk than 'normal', have a chat about an earlier scan, to put your mind at rest rather than worrying until your 20 week one.