What Weeks Do You Get Ultrasounds During Pregnancy?

Aside from being pampered by your partner and picking out adorable nursery decor, one of the most exciting parts of pregnancy is catching the first glimpse of your baby during a pregnancy ultrasound. Ultrasounds also provide specific information about the health and development of your little one during different weeks of your pregnancy.

What weeks do you get ultrasounds during pregnancy? That’ll depend on your specific health needs. Typically, women receive two ultrasounds during pregnancy—one in the first trimester (either between weeks 6 and 8 or weeks 11 to 14) and one during the second trimester (between weeks 18 to 21). 

In this guide, we’ll look at when you’ll have your ultrasounds and what you can expect during each for a smooth, comfortable experience. 

How does an ultrasound work? 

Do you know what to expect during your pregnancy ultrasounds? Whether you do or not, it helps to understand how ultrasound technology works. Ultrasounds use aural frequencies (aka sound waves) to survey the premises of your uterus in a non-invasive way. 

Here’s the background:

• Your sonographer uses an apparatus called a transducer to emit the aural frequencies or sound waves. These are sound waves that bounce off your internal structures (for instance, your tissues, fluids, future tiny humans—you get the idea). 
• The transducer then deduces the distance of these bounce-backs and converts them into electrical signals.
• A computer receives these frequencies and calculates the speed of their return. From there, the computer can use these measurements of distance to create an image—the black and white (if slightly fuzzy) picture of your baby, known as a sonogram.

Now that you’re basically an ultrasound technician let’s talk about when you’ll receive your first ultrasound and what to expect. 

First Pregnancy Ultrasound: What to Expect 

Whether or not you’ve fully wrapped your head around the many changes on the horizon, your first ultrasound is a special one because it will confirm the reality of your baby-to-be. 

Your first ultrasound may be administered in one of two ways depending on when it occurs:

• Transvaginal Ultrasound – This type of ultrasound is performed as an early pregnancy ultrasound, which typically occur between weeks 6 and 8. These early ultrasounds are recommended for women whose pregnancies are considered “high-risk.” This may be due to certain symptoms (for instance, abdominal pain or bleeding), age (any age over 35 is considered high-risk), or because of a history of miscarriage, birth defects, or pregnancy complications. However, you shouldn’t be worried if your doctor recommends an early pregnancy ultrasound—this is to support you and your baby are receiving the best care possible. 

Because your baby and uterus will still be situated deep inside your pelvis during these early weeks, your practitioner will look inside your uterus by inserting a small wand into your vagina. By performing the ultrasound transvaginally, the sound waves don’t have to travel through as much to reach your uterus, so they can create a clearer image. 

• Transabdominal Ultrasound – After about 8 weeks, your uterus will have expanded to make room for your growing baby, moving away from your pelvis and closer to your abdominal wall. This allows ultrasounds after 8 weeks to be performed transabdominally (in other words, over the abdomen). The practitioner will glide the transducer across your lower belly to observe the goings-on in utero.

Ultrasound Scan #1: What It’s For 

Whether you have your ultrasound between 6 to 8 weeks (aka an early pregnancy ultrasound) or between 11 to 13 weeks (aka a dating ultrasound), ultrasound #1 is crucial for determining a few key factors in your pregnancy.

With your first ultrasound during pregnancy, your doctor will observe the following:

• Single or multiples – First things first: confirming the pregnancy. At this stage, your doctor will use an ultrasound to confirm you’ve got a new womb tenant. In fact, your doctor will be able to determine whether you’ve got a single or double (or…triple?) occupancy in your womb.
• Your baby’s heart rate – Your baby’s heart is one of the first organs to develop, and it starts to beat at just 5 weeks inside your uterus. In the early weeks, a healthy embryo’s heart rate will match mom’s, but it should speed up significantly by the time your first ultrasound rolls around. Confirming a healthy fetal heart rate, averaging 175 bpm, is one of the main indicators of a stable pregnancy.
• Location of implantation – Determining the coordinates of where your baby is growing is vital for ensuring a successful pregnancy and safeguarding your prenatal health. The goal of this measurement is to rule out an ectopic pregnancy: when implantation has occurred outside the uterus (typically in the fallopian tube).
• Your gestational sac – Finally, your doctor will measure your gestational sac, which can be visualized between the third and fifth week of a healthy pregnancy. The gestational sac (the bubble that cushions your baby as it grows) should also contain a yolk sac—a small membrane that provides nourishment to your developing baby. 

We know—“gestational sac” and “yolk sac” don’t conjure visions of your budding bundle of joy. At this stage, the sonogram doesn’t quite resemble the baby you’ll eventually get to meet in the delivery room. Instead, your little human will resemble… well, a tiny gray kidney bean. 

Nevertheless, your first ultrasound is crucial for confirming your pregnancy has started on the right foot—even if you can’t quite make out the tiny toes just yet!

Ultrasound Scan #1: How to Prepare 

Whether your pregnancy symptoms have already kicked into high gear (hello morning sickness!) or you’re coasting along (lucky you!), the early weeks of pregnancy are a time of serious change. Before your first scan (most likely a 12-week ultrasound), it’s helpful to take note of your pregnancy symptoms and write down any questions you may have for your doctor. 

For instance, if you’re dealing with frequent bouts of nausea, you might want to ask your doctor to recommend certain foods or supplements that can provide some relief. Similarly, if constipation has been the name of your pregnancy symptom game, your doctor can provide tips and advice (like adding more fiber to your diet) to help move things along.   

We also recommend preparing everything you need to discuss the following: 

• Pre-existing conditions – Be sure to bring up any genetic predispositions you or your family members are at risk for. If there’s any cause for concern, ask what screenings are recommended and what the timeline for them looks like so you can schedule a follow-up appointment.
• Diet and exercise – Changes in your appetite and digestion will inevitably arise during pregnancy (did someone say salt & vinegar chips dipped in ice cream?). Ultrasound #1 is a good time to get your doctor’s recommendations on anti-inflammatory, non-irritating foods and a healthy rate of weight gain for your specific body type and starting weight.

Second Pregnancy Ultrasound: What to Expect 

The continued physical development of your baby means that your second ultrasound will provide more information than your first one. 

Ultrasound Scan #2: What It’s For 

The main purpose of your second pregnancy ultrasound, which typically takes place between weeks 18 and 21 of pregnancy, is to ensure your baby is developing healthily, screen for any morphological or chromosomal abnormalities, and identify the gender. 

Specifically, your doctor will look at:

• Fetal development – The successful formation of organs like the brain, spine, and kidneys (yes—your body is building all of these things!), as well as your baby’s genitalia.
• Fetal position – The position of your baby in-utero, which can predict the type of delivery you should prepare for.
• Chromosomal health and birth defects – Such as Down syndrome or a cleft palate.
• Amniotic fluid levels – To confirm your baby is properly cushioned and nourished.
• Uterine health – To ensure your reproductive organs are clear of any growths or tumors.

Your doctor will also examine your placenta, including how it’s positioned in your uterus. A refresher: your placenta is a miraculous temporary organ that establishes a healthy rapport between your body and your baby. This is because your placenta:

• Produces estrogen and progesterone—hormones that support the growth and maintenance of your womb.
• Acts as your baby’s main line of nourishment and oxygen.
• Removes food waste from your baby’s body. 

Placenta previa is an irregularity where the placenta is positioned over the cervix, inhibiting a baby’s smooth exit in the delivery room. If your doctor detects a placenta previa during your second ultrasound, don’t worry—ninety percent of placenta previa cases discovered between weeks 10 and 20 of pregnancy resolve on their own before birth. Your doctor will likely schedule another ultrasound closer to the delivery date to see whether your placenta has adjusted. 

If your placenta previa does not resolve on its own, your doctor will perform a cesarean delivery to ensure your baby’s safety.  

Ultrasound Scan #2: How to Prepare

While your first ultrasound may be administered transvaginally (if you have an early pregnancy, you will most likely have a 6-week ultrasound), the one during the second trimester will be given transabdominally. Because sound waves travel better through liquid, your doctor will recommend arriving at your ultrasound appointment with a full bladder. This helps increase womb visibility because it allows for better transmission of the sound waves through your abdominal cavity. 

Luckily, having to hold in a full bladder may be something you already have a lot of experience with at this point in your pregnancy. Don’t worry—your ultrasound will only take about 30 minutes, and you can hit the bathroom right after!

Beat Your Ultrasound Exams to the Punch with SneakPeek 

Counting the days until your second trimester to find out whether it’s a boy or girl ultrasound? There’s no need to play the waiting game! With the SneakPeek At-Home Early Gender Prediction test, you can learn the sex of your baby-to-be with clinically-proven over 99% accuracy¹ as early as 6 weeks into your pregnancy—even before your first ultrasound. 

Plus, you don’t have to leave the house or sit in a crowded waiting room—you can take the test from home. It’s part of why SneakPeek is the #1 OBGYN-recommended at-home gender test on the market today.

Discovering your baby’s gender in the tender early weeks of pregnancy can help you get to know your little prince or princess even before you get to see him or her in that fuzzy black-and-white sonogram photo. So don’t wait for your second trimester ultrasound. As a pregnant woman, get a glimpse into your pregnancy even sooner with SneakPeek.

Sources:

1. VeryWell Family. Early Pregnancy Ultrasound Results.  https://www.verywellfamily.com/understand-early-pregnancy-ultrasound-results-2371367
2. Insider. How many ultrasounds during pregnancy are normal and what they’re for. https://www.insider.com/how-many-ultrasounds-during-pregnancy
3. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Ultrasound Exams. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/ultrasound-exams
4. National Institute of Health. Ultrasound. https://www.nibib.nih.gov/science-education/science-topics/ultrasound
5. Healthline. What to Expect at Your 8-Week Ultrasound. ​​https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/8-week-ultrasound#about-the-8th-week 
6. Healthline. Your 6-Week Ultrasound: What to Expect.  https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/6-week-ultrasound 
7. NCBI. Pregnancy Dating. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK442018/ 
8. Family Doctor. Pelvic Ultrasound. https://familydoctor.org/pelvic-ultrasound/
9. MedicineNet. Placenta Previa Symptoms, Types, Causes, Treatment, Management, and Complications. https://www.medicinenet.com/pregnancy_placenta_previa/article.htm