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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Gender prediction at 20 week scan ever been wrong?

20 replies

Bekki · 19/04/2003 22:06

I've had such a strong feeling that this baby is a girl that I just looked in complete disbelief at the woman when she turned round and said "its a boy!" I still don't entirely beleive it, the rest of the scan seemed so clear, and I know they always say that there is a 5% chance that it could be wrong but I just assumed that they all had to say that. Has anybody got any experience of this going wrong or even better is there a sonographer out there who can give me a more realistic percentage? Would they say anything at all unless they were 100%?

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Tamz77 · 19/04/2003 22:18

There's loads of stories floating around about mistakes being made at scans. However from what I've heard a prediction of a boy is perhaps the more reliable; it's less likely they are seeing something that isn't actually there (ie penis and testicles) than missing something that is there, which is the possibility when predicting a girl. They should all be pretty guarded IMO as it's pretty bad form to be too sure about something like this (when you could be sending he prospective parents out to decorate the nursery and spend hundreds on gender-specific accessories), especially when it's not really a sure thing at all. So if your sonographer turned round and announced "it's a boy!" as confidently as you imply, then it does seem like the indications were clear that you will be having a son.

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Demented · 19/04/2003 22:36

When I was having DS2 we asked the baby's sex at the scan. The sonographer told us that she was not allowed to say he was definately a boy as they can be wrong but then proceeded to show us all his boy bits. I know what you mean about having a feeling which sex the baby is, with DS1 I was convinced he was a boy and of course he was but my pregnancy was different with DS2, he was a quieter, calmer baby which made me think he was a girl. I suppose you will just have to wait and see but I agree with Tamz77 that it is probably easier for them to see a boy than a girl.

pupuce · 19/04/2003 22:55

Well a friend's sister had 3 scans, it was a boy - not an issue... the last was at 34 weeks and the sonographer joked that he could do a print out so that the mum could show (at his wedding) how big his willy was as a baby.... anyway... the mother goes into labour, very difficult... baby not breathing at birth... it's a girl.... the mother was IN SHOCK! It took her at least ten minutes to acknowldge the baby...she evn said.... no it's not mine, I have a boy... all they had bought was blue and quite masculine... so really quite a shock!
Happy to report all is fine now.

mears · 20/04/2003 10:56

The scan is most definately NOT 100% accurate - that is why women are told that there is a chance that the sex of the baby on scan could be wrong. It diesn't happen often that it is wrong but I have seen it happen.

saphire5 · 20/04/2003 16:44

When i was 32 weeks with ds i was told by the sonographer that i was having a boy.She showed me the screen and pointed out two little circles,and yes she was right eight and a half weeks later out popped my son.

cazzybabs · 20/04/2003 19:40

My friend was told she was having a girl and went and bought all things pink..and then it turned out to be a boy. I always thought it was easier to tell you if it was a boy - because there is something to see.

miriamw · 20/04/2003 20:15

First time round I was convinced that I was carrying a boy. We were told at the 20w scan that the shapes on the scan were all consistent with a girl, but that they couldn't be 100% with girls (our hospital quotes 92% with girls, 97% with boys). So when I had another scan at 26 weeks and was asked whether we wanted to know the sex, I said that we were had been told to expect a girl - the sonographer was a bit shocked, as she viewed that there was no mistaking that it was a boy (we even have the scan on video!).

This time round I asked at the 12, 20 and 24 weeks scans, and in each case was told that it was a boy (in fact we were just shown the screen at our 20 weeks scan as DS was in the room). Only at the 12 week scan were they cautious and said that they were 80% sure. So we haven't been out buying pink yet! But another 3 weeks before we know for definite I guess.

EmmaTMG · 20/04/2003 20:30

With both my pregnancies there has been absolutley no mistake that there a boy in there. Even with my un-trained eye I could distinctly make out a little willy.

Linnet · 20/04/2003 20:45

I know of a woman who was told that she was having a girl, and went out and bought everything in pink. She had a boy. But this was a good few years ago before scans are what they are now.
My friend asked what she was having last year and they told her it was a boy and they were right. They say that they can't be 100% sure but I know of people who have had scans and not asked and been able to tell themselves from the scan photo's that they were having boys. I guess the hospital have to say they aren't 100% just to cover themselves. I'd like to find out what my next one is, I don't think I could cope waiting again I don't like suspense, lol

Original poster

Bekki · 20/04/2003 21:35

I wish I hadn't asked the sonographer now. I wanted to know so that I could buy the right colours and prepare myself and my son properly before hand. But buying blue just seems so wrong at the moment. I've decided to ignore the scan and buy white and yellows. This baby does seem a lot calmer and according to the sonographer quite small. This is in stark contrast to my first, who was predicted (at 16 weeks) to be a very large baby at birth. Thankfully he was only 8 14 in the end. But this difference is probably what has put this girly picture in my head. Its not the gender that has bothered me as much as this mental picture of my baby I have conjured up of pink dresses and ringlets that won't budge. I won't believe it till I see it.

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tallulah · 21/04/2003 11:51

Am I the only person here who really really doesn't like this pink for girls, blue for boys habit we have? Like the "having a little girl to dress her up" mentality? Then we wonder why there's such a huge male/female divide. Did no-one see those experiments they did where people treated the same baby completely differently depending on what it was wearing- calling it pretty & rocking it quietly in pink, but bouncing it in blue? Which century are we in? (rant over)

pie · 21/04/2003 16:14

I asked at my 12 weeks scan and at the one I had at 14 weeks, both times they have told me they couldn't tell...Gonna ask again at 16 weeks, but the amnio I have then will tell me with all certainty.

GillW · 21/04/2003 18:42

tallulah - no you're not alone. I have to confess that I don't make a habit of dressing ds in pink, but I do actively try to dress him in non-sterotypical colours. And when friends are having new babies, I always try to avoid the obvious colours too when choosing presents (if for no better reason than they'll probably have loads of it anyway). It's often surprisingly difficult though to find things, especially for small babies which aren't at least partly pink, pastel blue or white.

Linnet · 21/04/2003 20:42

I always remember my mother being horrified when I told her I was taking dd home from hospital in a blue dress that we had been given as a gift. It was a gorgeous little dress and coupled with the fact that nobody had actually given us a pink dress it was the only dress I had to take her home in. She said you can't take her home in blue she's a girl... and?
I don't like the colour pink that much and never buy dd anything pink, she usually wears purple/lilac/blue. although if she is choosing her own clothes with her own money she'll buy herself pink

tallulah · 22/04/2003 10:51

MIL, despite knowing my very strong feelings on the subject, kept buying dresses & pink outfits for DD. It actually became a family joke because she was particularly fond of those lacy frilly dresses from the lower end of the market... DD was born in February, in the snow (not literally...) & didn't wear a dress until she was 5 months old. As she was then crawling, that didn't last long either.

I can remember taking DS2 out while we were at Butlins, in his PJs (a pink stretchsuit handed down from DD- not bought by me) & someone commenting on what a "pretty little girl" he was. His hair was bright orange & he was quite a bruiser at 9 months old- no way was he remotely pretty.. We did laugh.

In Belgium, when my friend had hers, she found that boys wear pink & girls blue, just to complicate matters further...

Moomin · 22/04/2003 10:59

When we were told dd was a girl at 20week scan I was determined not to buy pink stuff for her. A couple of months after she was born though, and we saw her colouring, it became apparent that pale pink really suits her. A lot of her stuff is lilac but I do have to admit she looks lovely in pink. I hasten to add that she doesn't do frilly. She's very cute but not a girly looking girl and in a fairy dress someone gave her at Christmas she looks like a transvestite.

Meanmum · 22/04/2003 11:38

A friend of a friend had a girl predicted. Everything was geared towards a girl and then she had a boy. I believe they say 3 out of every 100 they say have the potential for being wrong.

Marina · 22/04/2003 12:56

No, Tallulah, you're not the only one...we were recently told that the baby I'm expecting is a girl and the whole clothing thing is already filling me with dread. Baby stuff I can manage as a lot of ds' stuff is either primary colours or neutral pastels, and I fully intend to recycle as many of his toddler trews and stripy tops as possible. But I have a sinking feeling the grandmothers are planning a frill-fest...urgh.
Naturally all we want is a healthy baby at the end of my pregnancy but I have to say I will not be gutted if our sonographer got it wrong. However, she was very good at explaining, and there are three lines that you see for a girl (labia and vaginal opening I guess), if the baby is in the right position. So there are some "positive markers" for little girls too, but I suppose they are harder to see if the baby is not cooperating.

NQWWW · 22/04/2003 15:54

I'm with you too Tallulah. Have just been told this morning at my 20 week scan that she was "99% sure" that I'm having a girl. The main reason I want to know is so that I can talk to my ds about his "new baby sister" who'll be arriving soon. I won't be buying anything pink and will be using plenty of ds's old clothes.

HelenC · 22/04/2003 22:06

Well I was told at my 12 week scan that the sonographer thought it was a boy. I will be having my 20 wk scan soon so that should confirm it. Not quite sure how much they can see at 12 weeks - wasn't even sure whether genitals would even be visible. She seemed to be basing her decision on a couple of lines which I couldn't really make out.

With our first child we were told at 20wks they were 95% sure it was a girl - and she was !!

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