u/s if you had your time again..would you?

[Indadhanu]

Yeah, but then there are others who do. Different strokes for different folks, as they say

[*LittleMissSummer*]

With my first i think it was important for me to have that scan but i dont think i would bother with other pregnancies.

[Rivlas]

I had a scan with DD1 and I didn't agree with the date. We ended going with my dates as I was 100% certain when I fell pregnant.
With DD2 I didn't have one as the Dr said he would again go with my dates.
Back then you didn't see much and were told even less. I think you were around 20 weeks before you were offered a scan and you didn't have any pictures to take home.

I don't think it made any difference to how I felt being pregnant

[kawazuki]

Not everyone bonds with a baby in utero though. They need to see their little person IRL

im feeling like the odd one out

i wouldnt do it again.
i dont think id even worry about a dating scan..

even though i loved seeing them, i found it stressfull as they are doing so much testing and the results never changed our opinion on the outcome.

so ill join you in being the odd one lol

i also found it expensive and a cost i dont need to worry about next time

[PumpkinZulu]

I've had one u/s at 8 weeks so don't know if it counts but...

I will have them in the future. For the bonding, for sure, but also because if there IS something wrong with bubs (downs or anything) I will want to know and get prepared (much like MD). Wouldn't consider termination but I would just want to prepare myself, my family, df, and our lives for this new development.

[~Kim~]

mmm hard one.
I love to just see them, especially after a loss at 12weeks exactly - just to make sure they're OK. But I also know that the nuchal result wouldn't change anything for me so the actual diagnostic scan is not necessary.....
However, I'm a bit special in that i will have to have regular scans to make sure there's no hole in my uterus like last time, so I guess it's not something I will have lots of control over.

[nickle730]

My DD is 7. Her US's were all straight-forward, no abnormal results.

DS is 4. At the 20 week US we were told that he had massive renal abnormalities and was a 'non-viable pregnancy' We were advised to consider termination. We declined to terminate and had frequent US for the remainder of the pg to check his renal development. Obviously, he survived delivery! His renal system, although grossly abnormal, does function. During his first year of life he suffered numerous UTI's and kidney infections (his renal anatomy makes him more prone to infections). We spent a fair bit of time in hospital. (At 12 months of age we agreed to circumcise DS. A circumcised male infant is far less likely to suffer a UTI than an uncircumcised male infant. He has not had a UTI or kidney infection since the circumcision.)

By the time our DS was born, we already had a lot of information regarding his renal abnormalities. We gained this information from US whilst I was pg. It allowed us to be pro-active regarding DS treatment. He was placed on antibiotic's from birth (he no longer takes them) and I was very aware of any signs of infection. I am certain that we avoided damage to his kidney (he only has one!) because I acted early when I suspected an infection was brewing.

However... I spent the last 20 weeks of my pg with DS quite certain that my son would not survive. Stressed and anxious doesn't even begin to describe my state of mind. After his birth I suffered PND. If we hadn't had the US, I would have skipped along happily and delivered what I thought was a perfectly 'normal', healthy baby. I would have avoided 20 weeks of stress and quite possibly PND.

But I would not have been prepared and pro-active... and my DS would have almost certainly suffered damage to his already struggling renal system. So, at the end of my VERY LONG answer, yes... I would have those scans again and I am having scans in my current pg. I hope that the scans this pg simply allay my fears and quell my anxiety, but if something IS wrong I would rather be prepared.

[~me~]

I had the 12wk neuchal scan and the usual 20wk scan with all of them.
I would do it again too. If I found out that I had a special needs child at the 12wk I would still go on and just research my little heart out. You just never know, they can get it wrong. I knew of someone told they were carrying a downes baby, they continued on to produce a baby with no special needs at all other than the love of Mum and Dad.
I too love seeing the 'little person' on the scan...makes it all the more real, especially if you are not having any pregnancy symptoms.
I also wouldn't judge anyone who chose to terminate for whatever reason after finding 'something wrong'..that is their choice.

[PumpkinZulu]

Like BG, if our baby could not live a good life (I know people with downs and others with intellectual disabilities, one is a very close friend and they live a great life ) then I would consider termination I guess. It would be a hard decision, and I guess we would consider the circumstances and REALLY do our research, because as people have pointed out, you can be advised to terminate, and choose to continue the pg, only to find out that baby was either fine or not as affected as the docs said. But then on the other hand, it might be.

very thought provocing Maz.

[Snacks]

I had just a morph scan with Natty. With Phoebe I had a 'dating' scan and the morph. If I were to have another kid I'd just go with the morph scan.
Even though I'm into natural birth and have aimed for as natural a birth as I could manage both times, I still think a level of medical care is part of responsible parenting. I am not comfortable with free birth, and I don't think I'd be comfortable without the morph scan.
I agree in that I don't think anything can prepare you to look after a kid with special needs. However I would want to have that scan in order to find out if my kid had an issue that'd require surgery. At both my morph scans we have had the heart looked at very closely as our family has a history of congenital heart defects.
So while I personally don't feel the scan is necessary to prepare me for any physical or mental disabilities (as I just don't think I could prepare myself for that eventuality) I would want to know if my baby would require urgent surgical intervention because we have increased likelihood of that and I'd want it without delay.

[black_rose]

I have never had to have a dating scan, with dd1 I was spotting so we avoided scans if possible. Have done the same with the other two. Had to come back a second time for a the heart tests last time as dd2 didn't behave.

It's been reassuring to have the scans this time as bubs isn't very active but I wouldn't seek extra scans.

[LionsandBears]

For me, u/s are about comparing different types of fear. On the one hand, I am not convinced they are safe and research has shown changes to brain function from u/s use. So I'd really like to avoid u/s if I can. I'm not even a fan of doppler checking and once I started feeling bub move, then I told the midwife I don't want it.

On the other hand, I weigh up the anxiety of losing another baby or having a definate problem with bub. This time, we had a scan at 6wks due to spotting, which I was 2 minds of (having been through that before and bub dying later on anyway). I didn't look at the screen and just wanted assurance this bub had a heartbeat and was in the uterus.

Due to my age, I agreed to the 12wk screening scan, though I'm not sure whether I'd do that again or just go straight to an amnio, which gives an actual diagnosis. I found the process very stressful and still don't get a 100% assurance everything is OK.

With the 20wk scan, that's also fear based for me. 1) to check bub is still alive, 2) to check bub is developing properly and 3) to check the position of the placenta & check cervix. I think it's too early to check for vasa praevia, but i asked the OB to do it anyway.

So would I do it again? Due to my age, the 12 wk screen or amnio, yes and probably the 20wk check as well. I don't see the point of earlier scans and from what I understand, later scans are highly inaccurate. I'm hoping not to have another one this pregnancy.

[aussienic]

With Ds1 I had 3 US's Ds2 I had 6 DS3 I had 6 and DD I had 7

Reasoin for so many was I had GD and after Ds1 I has losses so for me it was peace of mind to know baby was ok,..

I wouldn't change how many I had as I know how much better I felt after each scan knowing thinkgs were going along just fine

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I had 5 u/s scans with DS. First was to "date" me (but they ignored everything I said and the scan), second was a 12w scan that DH wanted, 3rd and 4th were the 20w scans as the first was too early (well d'oh, I have 6w cycles not 4w ones, wonder why you want me back in a fortnight) and 5th was at about 30w because bump was "too small".

Next time, I'm not having any scans. Because I'm not telling anyone I'm pg, so I won't have the chance. I would like scans for no reason and people not knowing I am pg! I loved seeing my baby and knew he was fine, so the scans had no medical meaning for me. Although the amount of rude medical people who saw me whilst pg meant that the scans were the only medical things I looked forward to - that and seeing my GP. I booked in with her more than the midwives because I get on with her! But even she is against me actually giving birth so she isn't going to know I'm pg until I tell her I've had a baby. (Going to be fun as I see her and a midwife socially at least once a month.)

[Razzberry]

I would have as many ultrasounds as I feel I (and the docs) need next time. After loss and an extremely stressful pregnancy, I can honestly say it was only the week- fortnightly scans that kept me from falling off the cliff! My Hubby and I had decided we were not going to have the 12 week nuchal scan ( well we wanted a scan but not to check for anything we just wanted to see the baby) but at 9 weeks - at my Obs office where I was having an early scan after being stressed as I'd had a miscarriage a few months before it was discovered my DD had high nuchal fluid as well as possible fluid throughout her whole body. We had a follow up high resolution scan the following day which confirmed their and our fears of trisomy 13 and 18.
It wasn't like the Ob could just ignore it, even though we had said we had decided not to have the 12 week nuchal scan. So then we had to decide whether to have the cvs or not.
If you haven't had a child with a high risk preg and been faced with a possible medical termination then it is easy to say you wouldn't have a scan to decide whether to terminate or not. We were SURE we would keep out baby no matter what but faced with a possible non viable baby, you just have no idea what you will think and how you will react in those circumstances.
DD was monitored closely the whole pregnancy ( we also had the CVS as I could not face the whole pregnancy "not knowing" though still did not fully relax) and I felt like it was the only control I had over the pregnancy and if we were going to lose her at least I got to get to know her through the scans.) She was born healthy and happy last year!

So I know I went a bit off track but my final answer is YES, I would have ultrasounds next time ( but obviously not as many as it hopefully won't be high risk like last time). They were hat carried me through my pregnancy and gave me (some) reassurance.

[*EJ*]

I absolutely would. I've never had a dating scan as i've known dates of my cycles but i've had 12 week (with DS2 had a 10 week scan as i was really sick and had slight bleeding that freaked me out) and 20 week scans with both my boys and intend to with this bubba.

The 12 week scan especially is a huge hurdle that i feel much relief to make it to and past. With the MS and the hormone mix in me i need that scan for reasurance as my mind is all over the place. It's a very nervous time for me which i do not enjoy.

By the 20 week scan things have been better, no MS and i have movement as reasurance but i'd still have that scan to have all things checked. Good or not so good news i'd want to know.

That's just my feelings

[Tegam]

Nope i wouldnt do it again. I think the minimal the better. ALL of my scans have left me worried, for some reason or another. I agree with the 20week scan cause its nice to see bubs. And i guess i agree with early ones if needed, eg i have had an ectopic so had to have an early one this time.... Its a hard question but i can see why you thought that your SIL had a lot of strength!

[Sagres]

Yes. I am a person who works better when I can base my thoughts and plans on information and fore warning, and obviously ultrasounds give you that. Also I am not a nervy kind of person, I don't get spooked easily so I would say I am less concerned about the stress it may cause.