Welcome back to episode 47 of Your Birth Bestie Podcast. This week we are talking about the anatomy ultrasound, what it is, when it’s done, what to expect at your appointment, how to prepare, what the results mean, and other things as well. I am officially 19 weeks as of yesterday with my third baby and have my ultrasound coming up this week that I am so excited to see baby girl again, but also kinda nervous because it’s a big deal and a lot is assessed at this appointment and if anything doesn’t seem right, there are additional steps and thoughts that come with it. So I don’t want to get ahead of myself and unnecessarily worry, but I just want to be transparent with you that it’s normal to feel a little uneasy or uncertain when having a test like this done, because you don’t know what’s going to come from the test. But you also can prepare going into it, to limit your nerves and instead feel comfortable and prepared for what’s going to happen. That’s the goal with this information for sure!
And if you are planning for your birth coming up soon and navigating pregnancy with any questions or concerns, or just would love to have continuous support with some mom friends and myself, a midwife and birth educator. I’d love to invite you to join our small virtual pregnancy support group starting next week. Included is 12 weeks of Zoom coaching calls with me, access to my birth course Fearless Birth Academy, as well as additional evidence-based resources and online community access. It’s so much great information and personalized support from myself, to be sure you are 100% confident and feel prepared throughout the rest of your pregnancy and going into birth. For more information and to save your seat, head on over to bethconnors.com/groupsupport or click the link in the show notes.
So let’s talk about exactly what the anatomy scan is, when it is typically done, and why it can be an important test to monitor baby’s development, if you choose to schedule one. It is not something that is required, most moms do go ahead and schedule the ultrasound, but it’s okay if you’re not interested in this test as well for any reason.
This anatomy ultrasound is a test to look at your baby’s development around 20 weeks and assess the growth and well-being of baby, and also can detect any potential abnormalities or concerns. The person doing the exam won’t be your OB, it will be a trained sonographer who will look at your baby head to toe. You'll be asked to lie on an exam table while an ultrasound machine is used to take pictures of your baby. A special ultrasound gel will be used on your belly to help the ultrasound probe glide smoothly and capture clear images. They'll then move the probe gently over your belly to obtain different views of your baby's anatomy.
Throughout the scan, they will take various measurements including the head circumference, abdominal circumference, femur length, measure fluid levels, baby’s estimated weight, position of the placenta, the gender if you want, and many other things. They'll also examine the baby's organs, limbs, spine, and brain to ensure everything is developing as expected.
I want to mention that you will be seeing the sonographer at this appointment, sometimes you will meet with a provider afterwards to go over your results, but this isn’t always the case and we’ll talk about this more in a bit. You may have questions during your ultrasound, but the sonographer is unable to answer questions about what they are finding, because they are not trained to diagnose or inform patients of anything, they are taking the measurements and pictures on the ultrasound for the doctor to interpret and go over those results with you. So it may be disappointing in that way, but legally they can’t share information, other than this is a picture of your baby’s heart or your placenta is over here, or comment on baby’s movements, things like that.
The information that they are looking for helps identify any issues early on, giving you and your healthcare team the opportunity to address them and plan for any necessary interventions or treatment to talk about now, or at the time of delivery. Basically information to help you make informed decisions about your care moving forward. Some people are okay not knowing, others want to feel reassured or plan ahead in the case of an unexpected finding that would change how they would progress through their pregnancy and plan for birth. That is for you to decide!
If you do decide to schedule an ultrasound, which I recommend you do when you establish care in the first trimester, just because it can be hard to get an appointment sometimes if you have a busy schedule and the clinic is busy. This is a time sensitive test, done between 18 and 22 weeks, so there is a bit of a window, but depending on your flexibility, something to schedule ahead of time if you can.
But once it’s scheduled and your appointment is approaching, there are ways to plan for your anatomy scan to help you have a good experience. One thing that I hope you’re already doing, is staying hydrated! This actually can improve the clarity of ultrasound images, so can be important to getting a good view of baby. You may also be asked to drink a few glasses of water before your appointment and have a full bladder to help position the baby for better visualization.
In my experience, both my previous pregnancies my babies did not want to cooperate at all for the ultrasound. For whatever reason, they lie very low in my pelvis and give the ultrasound tech a hard time with finding all the structures. I actually had to redo my anatomy with my second baby because we couldn’t get what we needed too and they had reminded me to come back the next time with a full bladder because that would hopefully help. So, full bladder can be good and they may also ask you to empty your bladder if they are having trouble seeing things or baby needs to be in a different position. They also may have you get up and walk around and move a little to see if baby will reposition and uncover whatever they were trying to assess in the ultrasound. This is why the appointments are scheduled typically for 45 minutes or so, but can be done in 20 minutes for a cooperative babe as well. You just never know!
Also, emotional preparation for the anatomy scan can be really helpful. Like I mentioned before, it’s exciting to see your baby and it’s a bonding experience to peek in on them in your belly, but also can be nerve-wracking. Taking some time to address what you’re feeling and manage those emotions beforehand with your partner or someone you can talk to can help you feel more relaxed leading up to the appointment. It’s so common to feel anxious while you anticipate what’s going on with baby, but focusing on getting to see your baby and having the ability and opportunity to address any concerns early on if needed can be best for baby and for you, and is probably why you scheduled the test in the first place. I like to look at it as we’re getting more information to make the best decisions possible moving forward for mom and for baby.
Once you have your ultrasound, your healthcare provider will review the images and measurements taken, looking for any concerns. Like I mentioned before, this is sometimes done at the time of your visit; however, many times the doctor doesn’t look at them until later and you receive your results maybe a day or two later. It really depends on the clinic, but can be so so hard to wait if this is the case. I have moms all the time too who get the MyChart notification that the results are in and can view the report online, but the doctor doesn’t put their message in with the findings and summary of what it all means, or calls them back for a bit and that can create stress too. Try to wait if you can for their message or call, rather than google every single value and freak yourself out! Most anatomy scans come back with normal results and are very reassuring, so try not to stress yourself out if there is no reason to worry.
One side note, that I’m thinking of too is if you don’t want to find out baby’s gender, make sure you tell them at your appointment so they don’t put it on their report, otherwise those results you will see in your MyChart if you use it. I’ve had many moms have that happen to them and that’s such a bummer if they really wanted it to be a surprise. So just so you’re aware there!
When you do get your results, they may recommend a follow-up appointment for further evaluation or diagnostic tests, such as more ultrasounds, genetic testing, or meeting with a specialist. These are always recommendations, you can do what you feel comfortable with in terms of follow-up and use the information found as a guide to navigate the remainder of your pregnancy. Be sure to communicate openly with your provider and ask questions too about the results and what they mean for you specifically. I always advise clients to ask about their own individual risks and situation, rather than what is “typically” done or “standard”. Healthcare isn’t meant to be standard in my opinion.
You have to remember too that the anatomy scan can detect many potential issues, but it's not a guarantee of a problem-free pregnancy or birth and the results are not 100% accurate. Some conditions may not be detectable on ultrasound, while others may develop later in pregnancy. But regardless of the results, I hope you have chosen a supportive healthcare team to help you every step of the way and provide the necessary care and guidance.
Thank you so much for tuning in today and I hope you have a great anatomy scan experience if you opt to schedule an appointment. Staying informed about what each test is in pregnancy, what to expect, and having someone to ask questions to every step of the way is so helpful in having the best experience possible. I know a lot of times moms don’t feel comfortable asking questions or feel rushed at appointments, or maybe don’t know what they want to ask or should be thinking about. All of those things are completely normal and what I see so often, and why I created my online pregnancy support group!
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d love to learn more about how to have a smooth pregnancy and birth experience, reduce any worries or concerns, and prepare for upcoming appointments, create a birth plan, learn how to breastfeed or feel good postpartum with a new little baby to care for. There are so many changes that pregnancy and birth bring physically and emotionally and mentally, and I’d love to be a resource for you as a mom who has done it twice before, has helped hundreds of moms through their own journeys, and am also doing it again alongside of you planning for my third birth this July! I am actually so excited about giving birth this time around and I would love to share my confidence and tips to enjoying this experience if maybe you’re freaking out a little. Please remember you are not alone and it’s okay to ask for help when you need it. If you’d like to learn more about my support group, you can go to bethconnors.com/groupsupport or send me a message and we can connect. Thank you again for being here and I will see you again next week! Bye everyone.
