My Detailed Scan

I had my detailed scan today and the sonographer (he didn't say who/what he was!) said everything was, "excellent" and that he'd put my dates at 21-22 weeks. I noticed on quite a few of the measurements that it read '21 wks+6' (6 days ahead of now).

I'm so glad the man told us at the start that he would just stare at the screen and not speak for 15 mins, otherwise, I'd have been extremely worried!!! He said he needed to concentrate for a while. Unfortunately, he also stood in front of the screen the whole time and so I didn't get to see much of the baby either, so I was just lying there, in silence, staring at the walls/trying to see past this man and failing

He asked if I wanted a photo at the end too. I did of course, but the photo is absolutely rubbish! He took great delight in telling me that is was a great photo of the baby's ribs, but that's not very exciting to look at

BUT WHO CARES ABOUT ANY OF THAT? By all accounts so far, I've got a healthy baby in there!!!! I'm so happy and so relieved.

I was dying to ask the guy if the sexing scan was correct (a "free second opinion", if you will), but I'd read on the posters in the waiting room that you shouldn't ask as it's the hospital's policy not to tell. So I didn't ask.

Now, it's the long wait till the baby's born. all the "excitement" is over for now. No more scans, no more "firsts" (like kicking), just months of waiting for labour to begin...oh, well, there are the 24 and 28 week milestones to look forward to...

 

[laetitia85]

waouh im well happy for you!!! but i don't understand the sexing bit. why can't he give u a second opinion? why is it hospital policy?

 

[LinsG]

hats great, I'm glad all went well for you. I have mine tommrrow, can't wait!!

I know that in some hospitals they worry about people of some cultures not wanting the baby if it isn't the desired sex.

 

Hi Laetitia,

Some hospitals have a policy not to reveal the baby's sex during a scan performed on the NHS. This is why so many people pay for a separate gender scan privately nowadays.

A health professional once told me that this policy - not to reveal the sex on the NHS - was because people were aborting their babies if the scan showed the firstborn baby was a girl. This was supposedly because in some cultures it is considered "better" if a boy is the firstborn (or "bad" if a girl is born first). I don't know if this is true or some sort of racist myth. Although it is lawful to terminate till 24 weeks, aborting so late in pregnancy would be physically and emotionally very traumatic for any woman.

A more likely explanation is that once people know the sex, they start to buy things! They might complain that the hospital cost them money if the "diagnosis" of gender was wrong. However, a simple disclaimer that parents sign circumvents this problem, so perhaps the first explanation has a ring of truth to it (or that the hospital perceives it as something that's possible anyway): they don't want to be responsible for people aborting the "wrong" gender.

 

[laetitia85]

Hi Laetitia,

Some hospitals have a policy not to reveal the baby's sex during a scan performed on the NHS. This is why so many people pay for a separate gender scan privately nowadays.

A health professional once told me that this policy - not to reveal the sex on the NHS - was because people were aborting their babies if the scan showed the firstborn baby was a girl. This was supposedly because in some cultures it is considered "better" if a boy is the firstborn (or "bad" if a girl is born first). I don't know if this is true or some sort of racist myth. Although it is lawful to terminate till 24 weeks, aborting so late in pregnancy would be physically and emotionally very traumatic for any woman.

A more likely explanation is that once people know the sex, they start to buy things! They might complain that the hospital cost them money if the "diagnosis" of gender was wrong. However, a simple disclaimer that parents sign circumvents this problem, so perhaps the first explanation has a ring of truth to it (or that the hospital perceives it as something that's possible anyway): they don't want to be responsible for people aborting the "wrong" gender.

OMG I had never heard of this policy. I think my hospital do tell the sex of the baby, i think i remember reading it in one of their leaflets. well i hope they do

 

[evemarie8]

OMG I had never heard of this policy. I think my hospital do tell the sex of the baby, i think i remember reading it in one of their leaflets. well i hope they do

Its our local hospitals policy to give you a hint if you ask but under no circumstances will they confirm.

I think they think some people might abort if the baby isn't the desired sex or that the parents may sue if they get it wrong!

 

[s]

My God isn't that terrible. I just assumed they would tell you.
Glad your scan went so well. You must be over the moon.
S

 

[Nicola]

My midwife said that hospitals that have a policy of not telling you the gender is because the area is generally of higher religious or ethnic backgrounds that love first born sons and don't appreciate first born girls and thus the women are under mass pressure and tend to abort and try again if it's the "wrong" gender. I thought it was strange when I first heard it but seemingly it's quite common across the UK. I've heard it more and more lately.

 

[NIE]

Glad everything went well babes. xx

 

[fynemum]

I am so glad all went well for you at the detailed scan....

Bit of a bugger that he stood infront of the screen though!

So now your forward 6 days... when is your due date????

Maybe we WILL be having our babies on the same day?

Once again , i am very happy all looks healthy, Lv Yvonne xx

 

[LaineyG]

My midwife said that hospitals that have a policy of not telling you the gender is because the area is generally of higher religious or ethnic backgrounds that love first born sons and don't appreciate first born girls and thus the women are under mass pressure and tend to abort and try again if it's the "wrong" gender. I thought it was strange when I first heard it but seemingly it's quite common across the UK. I've heard it more and more lately.

That makes sense for my hospital too. Never thought of that....how awful!