19w1d Ultrasound - What am I looking at?

[2blue1pink]

We can be wrong though. REmember we only see what the tech captures on the screen and they can zoom in on some parts and obscure others, especially if they think you didn't want to know gender.

Still, I'll be pretty shocked if that's a boy.

What atomic said. Unless you told them you don't want to know gender, though, they should at least have gender included in the report. Gender is included as standard part of our anatomy scans unless patient doesn't want to know (then we still take a picture but don't put it in the report unless there is an issue.)

[JJ66]

What atomic said. Unless you told them you don't want to know gender, though, they should at least have gender included in the report. Gender is included as standard part of our anatomy scans unless patient doesn't want to know (then we still take a picture but don't put it in the report unless there is an issue.)

Yeah, so I told her that technically we're not finding out, but I wouldn't mind having photos/potty shots. When she took these photos, she said, "Here's a good shot" and printed it out. Then we moved on. So, I know we shouldn't assume and I won't fully believe anything until this baby is in my arms.

[2blue1pink]

Yeah, so I told her that technically we're not finding out, but I wouldn't mind having photos/potty shots. When she took these photos, she said, "Here's a good shot" and printed it out. Then we moved on. So, I know we shouldn't assume and I won't fully believe anything until this baby is in my arms.

There's no way she would have said that and/or given you that picture if she thought it was a boy. If she hadn't been sure, I doubt she would have given you a picture either way (I don't when we are unable to determine gender.)

[atomic sagebrush]

Interesting! Can you elaborate on why that might be?? I would think they'd deliberately give misleading pictures if the person said they didn't want to find out.

[JJ66]

For what it's worth, the tech and I had a cheerful conversation about how I have three boys and "we're not finding out, but I wouldn't mind getting some hints/photos/wink-wink". She was kind of like, "Ah okay, I gotcha", and that's when she took those photos and said, "here are some good ones". I suppose it's all speculation at this point!

[2blue1pink]

Interesting! Can you elaborate on why that might be?? I would think they'd deliberately give misleading pictures if the person said they didn't want to find out.

First, it's not that easy, typically, to get girl-looking pictures on a boy at this stage. Second, any pictures taken are almost always still saved in the machine/PACS/ and the patient's medical record. If for some reason the doctor wants/needs to know gender (ie. kidneys are dilated, which is pretty common, and more common/"normal" in boys, our doctors find it slightly more concerning if baby is a girl, but 100% of the time with kidneys dilated, the doctors I work with will ask if baby is a boy or girl. Having pictures, intentionally, that make it look like the opposite gender on the patient's images would not go over well.) And last but not least, most of the sonographers I know 100% do not care about baby gender and find it one of the worst parts of working in OB. (I personally don't mind it but I think that's because I get it more after having 3 boys and losing a daughter- but I also haven't had patients that refuse to leave until we tell gender, or bring me a teddy bear to dress, etc. etc. which are some stories I've heard...) anyway, I don't think most sonographers *care* enough to go to the trouble of trying to get misleading pictures of gender. The vast majority of my patients' have absolutely no clue what they are looking at until I tell them (9 of 10 times I will have a patient say "so this is the baby's head?" as I'm taking a picture of kidneys, etc.), so it's also kinda pointless. I guess it's always possible but I really can't fathom a sonographer purposely taking misleading pictures of baby's gender for the sake of tricking a patient who is somewhat ambivalent about wanting to know. (Saying don't tell me/we don't want to know, but you can take pictures, comes off as more ambivalent to me than resolutely NOT wanting to know.)

[atomic sagebrush]

Excellent explanation, this will really help me to explain in the future. Thank you so very much!

[JJ66]

Also, God Bless sonographers.

[JJ66]

Y'all, I caved. I started worrying about a few other issues, long story, but IT'S A GIRL, confirmed NIPT results. I can't believe it! It doesn't seem real, but

Thank you thank you thank you thank you Atomic and everyone who has ever offered an iota of support.

I updated my sway results - I hope I did it right, but let me know if not.

[ksmom]

Congrats!!!