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Original poster

Anyone been "misled" by scan?

33 replies

lola0109 · 23/11/2009 20:42

I'm just curious...

I am expecting DD2, found out the gender this time and with DD1 at 20 week scans. I know there is a wide debate on whether people should find out but I'm all for it.

Anyway, sonographer said "now we can only be 95% sure so if you buy anything then keep receipts". Luckily we have most things anyway so will only buy a few wee fresh vest/babygros etc.

My question is, has anyone been told the gender and then on the day had a bit of a shock when baby has been missing or has had extra bits? Has anyone been in that 5%? What did you do?

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LadyOfTheFlowers · 23/11/2009 20:52

I have been thinking about this since the sonographer told me on Friday DC4 will be DD1 - our last baby.
She showed us on the screen and even we could see very clearly no sign at all of any boy bits.
I am not excited at getting a DD I have wanted for a long time - always wanted both sexes - and am thinking I am maybe not 'allowing' myself to in case they are wrong.
I am having another scan this Friday so will get a second opinion - Do you think I can accept it then? If I have 2 diff peoples' opinions?

I will be watching this with interest.

Roscat · 23/11/2009 21:08

In my experience of scans, and I have had a few the accuracy often seems to depend on who is operating the scan machine. The sonographers who are doing it day in, day out have always been more accurate for me than consultants and doctors who aren't quite as good either at pinpointing the area they want to look at or interpreting the result.
I think a lot of the time the 5% is just the sonographer keeping themselves right. We were told dc1 was 97% likely to be a boy (correct). This time round I'm expecting a boy (90%) so I'm planning to buy a few blues and a few neutrals, just in case! Will be watching the thread with interest!

sazm · 23/11/2009 21:10

we were told it was def a girl,
bought a gorg pink carseat and lots of pink clothes/bedding
it was a boy. and daddy and dc1&2 had to go carseat shopping!

SoupDragon · 23/11/2009 21:11

There are several MNers with tales of the scan being wrong.

bonkerz · 23/11/2009 21:28

my first DC i was told was a girl and turned out to be a boy but i found out at a late scan but had been calling him jessica for a few weeks! LOL

my sis was told about 4 times she was defo having a girl, we bought all pink stuff and when born SHE was a HE....i didnt believe her and had to take his nappy off to check! LOL Woman in the next bed had been told she was having a HE and had a SHE so they just swapped baby clothes!

Chynah · 23/11/2009 21:48

I had a CVS so know 100% that this is a girl but there is still a part of me that needs to be told at the scan to fully believe it! Mad eh!

MillyMollyMoo · 24/11/2009 09:15

Yes I was told DD was a boy (cord between her legs we think), gave away masses of monsoon, christain dior, DKNY dresses and swapped them for bloody timberland sweatshirts with somebody from playgroup of course she then had her girl so I couldn't have them back sob sob sob

MillyMollyMoo · 24/11/2009 09:16

Sorry meant DD2 - hence the frilly wardrobe

Weegle · 24/11/2009 10:29

I have had approx 15 scans so far this pregnancy and having been told every time since 16 weeks that the twins (identical) are girls... yet I am still paranoid that they have got it wrong. I don't know why... but I'll believe it when I see it!

mama2moo · 24/11/2009 10:46

Funnily enough I have been thinking this since my 20 week scan. We were told its another girl which is fab.

But, then I was stood in a queue in the supermarket and overheard a woman telling the cashier that her friend has just had a boy after being told it was a girl.

I have pink already and have bought a few new outfits. I am now thinking maybe I should get one blue outfit just in case.

I am also not gendering my bump this time IYSWIM. I have read stories about women struggling to bond when they get it wrong.

sheeplikessleep · 24/11/2009 10:55

Our DSs bits on the scan couldn't be mistaken . I would be totally and utterly shocked if it's a girl.
I guess easier for boys than girls to tell.

JollyPirate · 24/11/2009 10:59

I have seen several people who have been told one sex and then had another (used to be a midwife). A friend who had two lovely boys was told that her third was a girl (had a series of scans with different operators who ALL got it wrong)- because she was desperate for a daughter she was over the moon and bought loads of bits only to be told at a late scan "actually it's a boy". She was devastated but also felt guilty for feeling devastated over her healthy boy and says it definitely interfered with the bonding process and contributed to her PND.

I always used to say to women to proceed with caution and don't take anything for granted.

annamama · 24/11/2009 11:48

Hmm interesting... yes I guess never take for granted what you've been told. Surely if it turns out to be the wrong sex, being dressed in pink/blue for a few days won't do any damage to the little one's gender identity...?

bumpsoon · 24/11/2009 11:53

My best friend was told she was having a boy all the way through her pregnancy ,even while in labour ,as the heartbeat was slower ,but she ended up with a very laid back girl

memorylapse · 24/11/2009 12:02

I know quite a few people who were given incorrect information..With all of mine..they were right but I always errd on the side of caution and didnt buy anything gender specific until baby was born.

RubiMama · 24/11/2009 12:28

The first time round I was told at 18 weeks that baby was a girl then only 2 weeks later at 20 weeks that it was a boy. I experienced what Jolly Pirate mentioned, slight disappointment, had been getting excited at propsect of a dd, and also immediate guilt that I'd been wrongly imagining DS for those weeks. This time we vowed not to find out, but sonographer told us at nuchal scan that it was more likely to be a girl . We didn't even ask and I feel really peeved, because now I can't get the thought out of my head that this time it it might be a girl,was hitherto convincing myself I would be boy mum forever. Now thinking of finding out at 20 weeks to end the matter. Hope it does end the matter, but over here in Greece most people find out and doctors expect you want to know, I suppose that's why he mentioned it as a possibility. At least I'll be having a scan every four weeks so we can keep reconfirming the diagnosis.

threeplusone · 24/11/2009 13:36

With DD I didnt find out.. with both boys I found out at 24weeks and they were correct.. TBH didnt need to be told.
With this DC4 I was told at 21wks that if she had to bet she would say a girl but dont go buying anything.. as the cord was between the legs but from what she could see there was no sign of scrotum.. Foolishly I let myself believe that I was going to have a girl.. luckily didnt buy anything.. other than whites.. Then at 25+weeks had another scan, and this tie the sonographer was oh yes baby is big.. long, weighs roughly 2lbs and oh it is a big boy.. I was slighlty dissapointed as would have liked another girl, but at the end of the day aslong as he is healthy that is all that matters. TBH I showed my MW the piccies of the scan without telling her the sex and straight away she said oh yes defo a boy.. classic breech position..

I have no gone and bought blue stuff.. but will still get them to have another look at my 30weeks scan..just to be on the safe side....

Fibilou · 24/11/2009 14:31

My colleague's friend was told her baby was definitely a girl, 100%. The girl had a willy when "she" came out last week...

FabIsNotFab · 24/11/2009 14:33

I really don't think it is about being "misled." They can't always be 100% confident about the sex.

We only asked once and were told we were having a boy. They were right .

sheeplikessleep · 24/11/2009 14:35

I don't think they should say 100% though.
Even with ours, when the sonographer brought up the picture and you could see the willy, she said she couldn't say for definite, but it was fairly conclusive, 95% certain.

SasD · 24/11/2009 14:54

We were told at 20 wk scan that we were having a girl. She even got another sonographer in for a 2nd opinion and they both agreed. In fairness, they did say that they are never 100%. We stupidly took it as gospel and Zac is now 3 and a half years old. It was a huge shock and I think it hit husband worse than me as he really set his heart on a little girl but we wouldn't change him for the world now. I'm 32 wks pregnant with baby No. 2 and I always said that we would never ask the sex again but i ended up having am amnio so we know that we are having another little boy and that this time should be 100% accurate. I still have that niggling feeling though!

Original poster
lola0109 · 24/11/2009 17:08

I've never heard it happen to anyone I know, so was just curious. I was convinced DC2 was a boy, got quite a shock at scan when they said DD2 but very pleased, as we would have been if had been DS. But as we have quite a lot from DD1 we'll just TRY keep shopping to a minimum.

I'd have thought it was more common that they would say boy when it was a girl due to the cord being in the wrong place at the wrong time but that doesn't seem to be the case.

OP posts:
LibrasBiscuitsOfFortune · 24/11/2009 17:10

Send it back.

naomi83 · 24/11/2009 17:14

just out of interest, if they got the sex wrong on a scan, how long ago was it? i ws told that since the last 2 years they are at least 99 percent accurate

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 24/11/2009 17:21

Was told ds was a boy and obviously they were right.
I did pay privately though and the option of switching over to the 4d scan was always there if they couldn't get a clear picture in the normal scan.