kaimui22

Usually the first ultrasound isn't until the 20th week or so unless they are worried about the viability of your fetus...

Usually it's Dopper at  the OB office around 10-11weeks, then ultrasound at 20-21st week. I guess if they cannot hear your baby during the 13th week or so they will send you for an ultrasound. But usually doctors wouldn't send you for an ultrasound that early. They wouldn't be able to see anything until the 8th week or so.

They don't need to do an ultrasound that early to check for the heartbeat...they can use the doppler at the OB office to listen to your baby. It is only if they are worried will they make an ultrasound appointment for you. Also, an ultrasound does not promise that they will be able to see your baby at that early of a stage. They then might request to do an internal vaginal ultrasound (stick the ultrasound reader INTO you, internally) to do a clearer scan.

I've done at least 20+ ultrasounds in the past 2 years..so I'm pretty sure about these processes...

kaimui22

23# Yui

Hmm..that's weird cause I've been to a maternity clinic and also had 2 different specialists and it's the same procedure (Doppler to detect heartbeat in office, ultrasound at 18-20th week) for both my pregnancies BUT...if your doctor is worried about your health and/or you have an underlying health issue, they might require to do an ultrasound beforehand. But even so...at weeks 7 it's very hard to detect the fetus by ultrasound, unless they do a vaginal ultrasound.

But like you said, every doctor is different. Maybe your doctor was worried about you and that's why she ordered so many tests...

Also they usually do a lot of blood tests in the early weeks to detect if you have any problems or chemical imbalance (not enough iron..etc...). Then if they need to, they will do the chromosome test and also amniocentesis...

anyways, hope all moms have a healthy bb!

And for lizzie : I meant Doppler.