Ultrasounds are essential to monitor your developing pregnancy and provide critical information for your healthcare providers. However, if you just learned you’re pregnant and are starting to plan prenatal care visits, it’s crucial to understand how many ultrasounds you’ll likely have.
Your healthcare provider will help you schedule ultrasounds and explain what to expect. We’ll outline how often you’ll have ultrasounds and help you plan your next step.
How Many Ultrasounds Will I Have?
Typically, pregnant women will have one to two ultrasounds. If you have an uncomplicated or low-risk pregnancy, you likely won’t have more. Your insurance company usually will not pay for additional ultrasounds if they are not medically necessary.
However, your provider may recommend more ultrasounds if you have certain medical conditions or a high-risk pregnancy. That way, you’ll receive further monitoring.
You’ll schedule your first ultrasound during your first trimester. Your provider may want to do an ultrasound around seven or eight weeks gestation or closer to 12 weeks gestation.
This “dating ultrasound” will confirm your pregnancy by looking for a heartbeat, determining how far along you are, and identifying where the pregnancy is located. It will also measure the size of the fetus and see if you are carrying multiples.
Later on, you will schedule another ultrasound around 18-20 weeks gestation. This ultrasound, also called an “anatomy scan,” can determine the baby’s sex, detect certain medical conditions, and review the baby’s brain, kidneys, lungs, and more.
If your pregnancy is developing normally and the anatomy scan does not notice any concerns, this will likely be your last ultrasound before the baby is born. However, you’ll continue to have regular prenatal visits that become more frequent as your due date approaches.
Your healthcare provider should answer your questions and guide you every step of the way. However, if you suspect you’re pregnant and need an ultrasound referral, we can help.
No-Cost, Confidential Referrals
Life Light Pregnancy Help Center offers no-cost ultrasound referrals. Confirming your pregnancy with an ultrasound can offer peace of mind because you’ll have answers you can trust. Before offering this referral, we’ll ask you to take one of our self-administered pregnancy tests.
We can also help you find the prenatal care you’re looking for. These appointments will help monitor your health as you progress through your pregnancy.
Schedule an appointment today. We can help.
