What Weeks Do You Get Ultrasounds During Pregnancy?

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!

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 work. 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 three 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.

• 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

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.

• 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 the tissue at the base of the neck is still translucent at this point. After 13 weeks, however, this tissue thickens and is no longer transparent enough to be accurately measured.

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, y our 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!

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1as early as 7 weeks into your pregnancy—even before your first ultrasound.

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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.

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At SneakPeek, our commitment is to provide accurate, up-to-date, and reliable information to empower our readers. Our content is thoroughly researched, reviewed by medical experts, and fact-checked to ensure its credibility. We prioritize the well-being and education of our readers, and our editorial policy adheres to the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in all our articles.

This post has been reviewed for accuracy by:

Priscilla Jeng

Priscilla Jeng is an accomplished digital marketing expert, currently leading as the Associate Director of Digital Marketing at Gateway Genomics, the parent company of SneakPeek. With over four years at Gateway Genomics, Priscilla has played a pivotal role in amplifying the company's mission to develop innovative genetic tests. Her proficiency in digital marketing and her comprehensive understanding of the genomics industry position her as a key contributor to SneakPeek's marketing endeavors.

Sources:

1. Mayo Clinic. Home pregnancy tests: Can you trust the results? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/home-pregnancy-tests/art-20047940
2. Parents. What to Expect at Your First Ultrasound. https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-baby/your-babys-first-ultrasound/
3. Healthline. What Is a Transvaginal Ultrasound? https://www.healthline.com/health/transvaginal-ultrasound#preparation
4. Very Well Family. Transvaginal Ultrasound During Pregnancy. https://www.verywellfamily.com/ultrasound-in-early-pregnancy-2760113