You’re almost at the end of your first trimester and it’s time for your next ultrasound. You might have been feeling a plethora of not just physical changes but also emotional highs and lows too.
That is understandable, what with all the female hormones increasing in your body. But the good news is that after the first trimester, the morning sickness usually fades. With that said however, you can easily see and feel the changes that are happening in your body. Did you ever wonder about the growth that your baby is going through in the first trimester?
Your 12-week scan is important, as this is the time to see the health of your baby. It should not be a time that you feel anxious, especially if this is the first time you will be having any ultrasound.
1. It can be abdominal or transvaginal – most ultrasound before the end of the first trimester is usually transvaginal, but the 12-week ultrasound can now be done in the abdomen unless the fetus is still too deep in the womb. For those who have never had an abdominal ultrasound, the sonographer will be putting a gel on your abdomen which can feel cold. From there you will just feel a slight pressure, but you will forget that once you see your baby on the monitor.
2. Most health care providers use this to determine if the baby has Down’s syndrome – if you’ve never had an ultrasound until now, your doctor would probably suggest you get one at this time. That’s because in the 12th-week ultrasound, the fluid which is at the back of your baby’s neck will be measured and this will tell you if your baby may be at risk or may likely have Down’s syndrome.
3. Gender cannot be determined at this stage – most parents would be excited to know the gender of their baby, but it’s important to know that although you will be able to see your baby, it’s still too early to tell whether you’re having a boy or a girl. While there are gender prediction theories, there is still no scientific evidence to do support them. An ultrasound is still the best thing to do if you want to know your child’s gender, but it’s usually on the 20th-week scan that it can be done most accurately.
4. The ultrasound can give an estimate of your due date – it’s not easy to give the due date of your birth. Most people just think of the pregnancy as around 9 months, although it would be more accurate to say that conception takes 40 weeks. When you are on your 12th week, the sonographer would be able to give a more accurate due date so that you can prepare for it.
5. You’ll be able to see some distinct parts of your baby – it might not look clear, but you will be able to see your baby’s limbs, and arms, and even see their movements. Your baby will also have a fully-formed nose at this time, although it would be hard to see it.
You may have some more questions about the 12th-week scan, so you can check this website to get info on a 12-week ultrasound so that you can be more informed when you go to your appointment.
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Photo Credit: Check Pregnancy