Do they ever get the gender wrong at 20 week scan?

[Tracey]

A family friend had bad bleeding from 11wks iunto her preg & weekly had scan/ultrasounds... It was a boy all the way through the pregnancy & every scan his bits were pointed out even at her 35ishwk scan when they realised baby was distressed with the bleeding & so they rushed them across for an Emergency C/Sect & out popped a girl!
The Dad said had he not been in the room & actually see bubs removed from her tummy, he would not believe it!

The whole house was set up for a son!!!

They have gone on to have 3 more girls!!!!

[Angel Babies 3]

Bellabub,

As the other girls have said, the later scan is probably the more accurate. I know some sonographers say they can tell before 14wks but I have had it on good authority that that is rather early as both male and female genitals can appear practically the same at that stage. I have asked this question in the past and my Ob doing the scan said that anyone would be sticking their neck out if they answered one way or the other before about 14/15 wks.

Anyway, all the best and hope you have a happy, healthy pregnancy.
Hugs,
Debbie

[Aranah]

This has made me think.

We both of my last babies, I was so sure of the sex I had sewed all of their clothes, bought all pink or blue things....for a second I didn't consider that my 'instinct' was wrong. I was right in both places.

This time around, I got such a strong feeling it was a girl, I had bought a few second hand pink blankets, me and DP had settled on our girl's name but I hadn't gone as far to buy clothes yet. I told DP this was a girl for sure, I couldn't think of it any other way.

I got an emergency scan at 16 weeks, and the sonographer showed me the boy bit! You could have knocked me down with a feather!! This wasn't a 4d one, and was quite a young sonographer with an older machine..but she was 80% sure she said, but said there's really no missing that bit.

This has made me think if maybe that quite obvious 'boy bit' was the cord or the developing girl bit. I still feel like this is a girl, but in my head I'm thinking it's a boy.

I'm getting my morph scan in very early Jan, a 4d one at an experienced place (I think....Dr O'Callaghan, anyone heard of him?) so we will see if this is still a little boy then...I'll let you know Bellabub.

I'll definately be trusting the later scan more than the 16 week one if the sex turns out different.

[Mother Goose]

Tara, I had my morphology scan at 18 weeks and the sonographer told me he was 80% sure we were having a .... When I saw my obstetrician she told us that at 80% odds she wouldn't recommend going out and buying anything gender specific. I was pretty annoyed in the beginning because I really wanted to know! But now I've warmed to the idea of a surprise!!!

HTH

MG

[Aranah]

I apologize for my last post, I was very tired and had pg brain and rereading it now I've got all the wrong words in.

MG, I'm sorry I wasn't clear, I haven't bought anything since I got the 16 week scan and I'm waiting to see what the 20 week one says I'm getting done in Janurary before purchasing anything.

What I meant was that with my previous two babies, I bought gender specific things because I was convinced they were a boy and a girl and I did this before any scan showed me...lucky I was right, but looking back now it was a silly thing to do. I did a bit of that this time, but only a few pink blankets which don't really matter anyway. I've now learnt I can't rely on my instinct.

But no, on 80% we agreed not to be buying anything until we get the 20 week scan done and see what it says, who knows, we might not be any closer to knowing lol.

[Mother Goose]

LOL Tara, I just meant to trust your gut instinct! Especially, if you were right both times previously! And considering 80% aren't great odds. I wasn't buying gender specific stuff either, I just really wanted to know!!! LOL. It will be interesting to see who is right though, you or the sonographer! I'm going to have to stalk you to make sure I don't miss it when the big day arrives!!!
On a side note, I don't feel like I'm having the gender the sonographer said either

[MrsBump]

I had my 13 week scan and was told i was having a girl, (thats what my instincts were telling me) and then i went for my 18 week scan and i was told a Boy! I am having another scan in less than 2 weeks time so i will let you know if i am definately having a boy.

[Janie]

I know a few people that this has happened to! And my mum is friends with a midwife who said that they see it all the time, parents confused because they've just a delivered a boy and thought it was a girl or vice versa!

That's partly why I'm not finding out. Everyone thinks we're crazy for not knowing, but I just couldn't bear to go out and buy everything and then for it all to be wrong. I just don't trust them, the sonographers, or the machines LOL!

It is tempting to ask.......but I know I would then be questioning whether they were right or not!

[Tracey]

With Indah we asked & the Sonographer said they could not see properly & there was no way of knowing for certain, but at a 60% guess it looked like a girl???

But added, 60% isnt really great odds, so dont hold me to it, it could be 60% a boy!! LOL, so we didnt actually know, although she is a girl...

[Tobily]

I'd also be going with your most recent scan.
My OB told me Toby was a girl when he scanned me at 14 weeks. He looked again at 18 weeks and said he wasn't so sure, he could see something between baby's legs but wasn't sure if it was doodle or cord. Went for my 20 week scan at a specialist ultrasound clinic and they got much clearer pictures and we could finally see clearly enough to satisfy ourselves that we definitely had a boy.
Often the machines OB's use in their office aren't that great so that makes it even harder for them to tell.

Ultrasound scans are only as good as the machine and the skills of the operator. One may have a wonderful Ob but they are not necessarily trained specifically in performing ultrasounds. Anyone can buy a machine and put it in their office.

This is very true.

[Inanna]

Flea,
What you have said is so true I believe.
Most obs rooms haven't got the wizz bang machines. The fetal med obs I worked is a leader in his field and he always gets annoyed with obs who tell women that they have a 60, 70, 80% chance of a particular sex. Simply becasue if you can't definitely see then you should say you don't know! As I said on physical examination it can still be difficult to ascertain sex prior to 18-20 weeks so to definitively or percentage wise give indication of sex is really going out on a limb.

It can lead to all sorts of ethical problems also which is what concerns me most of all.
It is still not unheard of for couples to terminate because the sex isn't what they want (YES it does happen) - these guys need to know the power of their words. Also, what of the mother that has an emergency c/s and awakes to be told her baby is a boy when she was told it was a girl? What confusion and emotions must that provoke?:eek:

[Tracey]

Deb, as I said above the family friends wife woke up to meet her son & it was a daughter & her hubby saqw a girl removed from her stomach so he had to convince her it was true!!

I know of 2 couples from work that left the sonographer's in tears as they were not getting the gender they desperately hoped for... (made me upset as it is/was 1st babies for each couple)...

[bellabub]

I have my next Ob appt on Jan 18th and I will be 25 weeks then. He has a small u's machine in his rooms (which he uses evry visit to check bub's growth and herat beat etc), so I will ask him to check the sex then. Do you think it will be accurate or should I ask for another formal scan at the imaging centre with a specialist sonographer?