A pair of baby socks and a picture of ultrasound

When Do You Get Your First Ultrasound?

Published on August 20th, 2021 and Updated on February 29th, 2024

Check out SneakPeek Gender Test to find out your baby's gender as early as 6 weeks at over 99% accuracy1!

Your pregnancy journey will be filled with firsts—the first time you feel your baby kick, the first time you experience a bizarre food craving, and the first time you get to see an image of your womb’s adorable new tenant. While belly kicks and peanut butter-covered pickle cravings can occur at any point during your pregnancy, seeing the first image of your baby will come with your first ultrasound.

So, when do you get your first ultrasound?

Depending on your pregnancy, your pregnancy care provider may schedule your first ultrasound at 6 weeks. Otherwise, your pregnancy care provider may wait until between 11 to 13 weeks, or 18 and 20 weeks. Keep reading to understand what factors can affect when you’ll receive your first ultrasound, as well as what you can expect during your first ultrasound appointment.

Scheduling Your First Ultrasound

In your journey to become pregnant, you likely peed on quite a few at-home pregnancy test sticks. Despite how strange this process can feel, it’s a common way for women to detect their pregnancies. This is because most at-home pregnancy tests are inexpensive, convenient, and 99% accurate when used as instructed.

Once your at-home test has confirmed your pregnancy, you’ll schedule your first prenatal appointment, which typically occurs around the 8-week mark. Some pregnancy care providers may use this opportunity to perform your first ultrasound—often referred to as an early pregnancy ultrasound or early pregnancy scan.

Early pregnancy ultrasounds can occur anywhere between 6 to 10 weeks and are recommended if you’re experiencing high-risk pregnancy symptoms (such as bleeding or abdominal pain), if you’re over the age of 35, or if you have any history of the following:

  • Miscarriage
  • Birth defects
  • Chromosomal abnormality
  • Pregnancy complications, such an ectopic pregnancy

If your pregnancy care provider doesn’t perform an early pregnancy ultrasound, your first prenatal ultrasound may occur at the end of your first trimester (if you opt for a nuchal translucency screening) or at the anatomy scan which takes place between weeks 18 to 20 of your pregnancy.

If you’re wondering, “how much does an ultrasound cost?”, read our linked blog to learn more!

Why is your first ultrasound important?

Regardless of the timing of your first ultrasound scan, it’s a special moment that will provide your first glimpse of the tiny human growing inside you. By allowing you to literally see inside your womb and hear your baby’s tiny heartbeat, ultrasounds can foster a stronger sense of connection with your little one. For many expectant parents, the first ultrasound marks the moment when the arrival of their new family member feels real.

You might be wondering, is a sonogram the same as an ultrasound? In short, your ultrasound is the live action viewing of your little one, and provides you with a sonogram. A sonogram is the physical image of your baby produced by the ultrasound exam that you can ooh and ahh over, and share with family and friends. Aside from these personal benefits, your ultrasound also provides important medical benefits. That’s because ultrasounds give your pregnancy care provider highly accurate details regarding your baby’s development. Depending on when you receive your first ultrasound exam, your pregnancy care provider will be able to learn valuable information about your little prince or princess.

Ultrasounds By the Numbers

Statistics aren’t everything, but they can be quite useful to use as a starting point. Let’s break down a few interesting facts:

  • The first ultrasound was performed in 1958.
  • 120 to 160 beats per minute is considered a normal fetal heart rate.
  • The average woman in the United states receives two ultrasounds on average during their pregnancies.
  • Approximately 10.1% of the ultrasound examinations are during the first trimester of pregnancy, 57.0% in the second trimester, and 32.9% in the third trimester.
  • An ultrasound in the first trimester is 75% accurate at determining the baby’s sex.
  • An ultrasound in the second trimester is 100% accurate at determining the baby’s sex.
  • Ultrasound screenings are supported by 90% of cardiologists, neurologists, and vascular surgeons.

Early Pregnancy Ultrasounds

What do you learn with an early pregnancy ultrasound?

If you have an early pregnancy ultrasound between 6 and 10 weeks into your pregnancy, your pregnancy care provider will be able to determine:

  • Whether you’re having one baby or multiple babies
  • Your baby’s gestational age within 5 to 7 days of accuracy
  • Your baby’s estimated due date
  • Your baby’s heart rate

Understanding these aspects of your pregnancy are important to track your baby’s growth and ensure the appropriate developmental milestones are being reached.

What happens during an early pregnancy ultrasound?

In the early stages of pregnancy, your uterus and fallopian tubes are still rather small and close to the birth canal, making them harder to see with a traditional transabdominal (or “over the abdomen”) ultrasound exam. For clearer images and more accurate measurements, your pregnancy care provider will likely perform a transvaginal ultrasound early in your pregnancy.

Unlike a transabdominal ultrasound which takes fetal images from outside of the body, a transvaginal ultrasound takes images from inside of the body. This procedure involves inserting a thin probe about 2 to 3 inches into the vaginal canal. This probe releases sound waves which bounce off of your baby, fallopian tubes, and cervix to create visual images you’ll be able to view on a video monitor. Your ultrasound technician can take still photos of your ultrasound to provide you with a sonogram image you can take home, or record the ultrasound images to provide you with a video.

Although this type of ultrasound is not painful, some women do experience slight pressure. Typically, a transvaginal first trimester ultrasound procedure will last between 10-20 minutes.

Nuchal Translucency Ultrasounds

What do you learn with a nuchal translucency ultrasound?

An optional nuchal translucency ultrasound test can be performed between weeks 11 and 13 of your pregnancy to determine the likelihood of certain birth defects, such as Down syndrome, Edward’s syndrome, Patau syndrome, and other chromosomal abnormalities. During this ultrasound, your pregnancy care provider will measure the thickness of the translucent tissue at the base of your baby’s neck, as babies with chromosomal abnormalities tend to accumulate more fluid here during the first trimester.

This type of ultrasound must be performed between 11 and 13 weeks of pregnancy because at this point, the tissue at the base of the neck is still translucent. After 13 weeks, this tissue thickens and is no longer transparent enough to be accurately measured.

Your pregnancy care provider might advise you to have this type of early ultrasound if:

  • You are 35 years old or older
  • Your family has a history of birth defects

What happens during a nuchal translucency ultrasound?

To perform a nuchal translucency ultrasound, an ultrasound technician will put gel on an ultrasound wand (also known as a transducer) to allow for easier movement, then glide the wand over your belly. Like the transvaginal probe, this ultrasound wand releases sound waves which bounce off your baby’s bones, fluids, and tissues to create visual images on a video monitor. Your ultrasound technician will use these images to locate the nuchal fold and measure its thickness. Although this ultrasound procedure is painless, it can be challenging for those who are ticklish!

Anatomy Ultrasounds

If you don’t have an early pregnancy ultrasound or a nuchal translucency ultrasound, you’ll likely receive your first ultrasound between weeks 20-22 of your pregnancy. This ultrasound is often referred to as the anatomy scan as it provides your pregnancy care provider with detailed information about your baby’s anatomy.

What do you learn with an anatomy ultrasound?

During this ultrasound, your pregnancy care provider will:

  • Examine your baby’s face, heart, brain, kidneys, and liver – Your pregnancy care provider will check for signs of abnormalities, which may indicate a birth defect.
  • Check your baby’s heart rate – A normal fetal heart rate is between 110 and 160 beats per minute.
  • Measure your levels of amniotic fluid – To keep your baby safe, your pregnancy care provider will ensure there’s not too much or too little amniotic fluid in your amniotic sac.
  • Examine the placenta – To confirm your baby is receiving an adequate amount of nutrients and blood, your pregnancy care provider will study your placenta.
  • Determine your baby’s gender – During the second trimester, an abdominal ultrasound can determine whether you’re carrying a little boy or a little girl with over 99% accuracy1.

What happens during an anatomy scan?

Like nuchal translucency ultrasounds, anatomy scan ultrasounds can be performed transabdominally—in other words, over the belly. This is because as your pregnancy progresses, your baby, uterus, and fallopian tubes grow, making them easier to detect from outside of the body. Still, your pregnancy care provider may advise that you come to your transabdominal ultrasound appointment with a full bladder.

Don’t worry—it’s not because you have to pee on anything.

Rather, having a full bladder during your ultrasound can provide your pregnancy care provider with more accurate results. This is because:

  • Ultrasound waves travel better through liquid, providing clearer images
  • A full bladder tilts your uterus upward, which makes for easier viewing

To start the procedure, an ultrasound technician will run an ultrasound wand across your belly to create visual images on a video monitor. Again, your ultrasound technician can take still photos or video of the images produced so that you can have a physical copy of your own to take home with you.

For a single pregnancy, the entire ultrasound procedure can take between 45 minutes to 1 hour. If you’re carrying more than one baby, your ultrasound will last slightly longer.

How do you prepare for your first ultrasound?

Regardless of when you have your first ultrasound appointment, your pregnancy care provider will provide you with information on the best way to prepare, including if you should arrive with a full bladder. If you’re further along in your pregnancy, your pregnancy care provider may advise only a partially full bladder.

Aside from confirming the ideal level of bladder fullness, you may also want to consider the following tips for your first ultrasound appointment:

  • Contact your health insurance provider beforehand to clarify what (if any) expenses you’ll need to cover out of pocket
  • Check with your pregnancy care provider about the number of guests you can bring
  • Arrive early to give yourself plenty of time to fill out any necessary paperwork
  • Bring your insurance card
  • Wear comfortable clothing that’s easy to remove (for a transvaginal ultrasound) or clothing that allows easy access to your belly (for a transabdominal ultrasound)

How is your first ultrasound different from other pregnancy ultrasounds?

Whether you’re confirming your pregnancy, testing for abnormalities, or determining the gender of your baby, your first ultrasound marks an unforgettable moment in your 9-month pregnancy journey. Ultrasounds provide your pregnancy care provider with important medical information, as well as provide you with photographic keepsakes. In addition to having scheduled ultrasounds, if you want to monitor your baby’s heart more often, you can look into purchasing a baby heart monitor.

Additional ultrasound options your pregnancy care provider may recommend or you might request include:

Third Trimester Ultrasound

Although most women don’t receive an ultrasound during their third trimester, your pregnancy care provider may recommend one if your pregnancy is considered high-risk.

A high-risk pregnancy could be due to:

  • Age (pregnancies in women 35 and older are considered high risk)
  • High blood pressure
  • Low levels of amniotic fluid
  • Preterm contractions
  • Bleeding
  • Diabetes
  • Abnormal growth of baby (larger or smaller than expected)

Doppler Ultrasound

A Doppler ultrasound is a type of ultrasound that’s recommended during the third trimester for those experiencing high-risk pregnancies or those concerned about their baby’s rate of growth. By using sound waves, Doppler ultrasounds can measure the rate of blood flow and pressure to your baby, ensuring she’s receiving enough oxygen-rich blood in the womb.

3-D and 4-D Ultrasounds

3-D ultrasounds work similarly to traditional ultrasounds, but can produce sharper, clearer images. A pregnancy care provider may perform a 3-D ultrasound to detect facial or anatomical abnormalities more accurately, such as cleft lips or cleft palates. However, parents may also request a 3-D ultrasound to receive a clearer, more life-like ultrasound image of their baby’s face.

Want your ultrasound picture to go a step further?

4-D ultrasounds use multiple internal images to create a moving video of your baby. That means you can watch your little one wiggle, kick, and yawn as he enjoys the comforts of his favorite place—Mom’s womb.

Reasons You May Need an Additional Ultrasound

Sometimes, a pregnant woman may be asked by their OBGYN for additional ultrasounds. These are to screen against abnormalities, involving:

Cervical length: if your cervix is shorter than expected, you may need to have it checked regularly. This is to ensure that the cervix can stay closed for your pregnancy. If the cervix continues to shorten or thin, a cerclage may be needed until it’s time to deliver your baby.

Placental location and size: if your placenta is too small, in an abnormal location or an abnormal shape, then frequent monitoring with regular ultrasounds is needed. Your placenta passes blood and nutrients to the fetus, so it’s crucial that it is growing correctly for the health of your baby.

Health conditions, such as diabetes or a high BMI, may require you to receive “growth ultrasounds” in your third trimester. The purpose of these ultrasounds is to check if your baby is growing as expected. By measuring your fundal height (the distance between your pubic bone and to the top of your uterus), your OBGYN can deduce if your uterus is growing appropriately.

Growth ultrasounds are less intensive than anatomy ultrasounds because there are less measurements involved. Essentially, what is being looked at is if your baby is following a natural growth curve.

Sneak a Peek at Your Baby’s Gender Before Your Ultrasound with SneakPeek

Pregnancy ultrasounds are exhilarating, life-changing experiences where you get to learn about your future baby. While you won’t get to discover whether she’ll have your eyes or if he’ll share his dad’s night owl tendencies, you will get to find out whether your baby will be a little she or a little he… if you’re far enough along.

Want to find out your baby’s gender before your 20-22 week ultrasound?

SneakPeek’s At-Home Early Gender Prediction test can be the first to tell you the gender of your little one as early as 7 weeks into your pregnancy, with clinically-proven over 99% accuracy1. Plus, you can take the test in the comfort of your own home (without having to pee on anything). Simply collect a DNA blood sample with our easy-to-use Lancet or Snap device, then mail your sample back to SneakPeek Labs in our pre-paid packaging. With the FastTrack option, you can receive results as soon as 72 hours after we receive your sample.

For another unforgettable first, choose SneakPeek.

 

This post has been reviewed for accuracy by the following medical professional:

Dr. Heather Soper, Certified Nurse Midwife

Dr. Heather Soper brings over 15 years of experience in women's health and obstetrics to her role as the owner of The Genesis Resort for Birth. Complementing her clinical practice, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Nursing at James Madison University, where she educates nursing students with a focus on compassionate, patient-centered care. Her advanced training and dedication to midwifery are evident in her contribution to both academia and the wellness of expectant mothers

Sources:

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SneakPeek aims to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information to help our readers make informed decisions regarding their health before, during, and after pregnancy. This article was written based upon trusted scientific research studies and/or articles. Credible information sources for this article are cited and hyperlinked.

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