Prenatal Ultrasounds: Are they safe and accurate?

In some cases prenatal ultrasounds are performed in the first trimester. If a couple wasn’t planning to be pregnant (scientific term = Oops!) or the woman wasn’t sure of the date of her last cycle it may be necessary to perform an ultrasound to determine the approximate date of conception.

Determining the Sex of the Baby

Prenatal ultrasounds to determine the sex of the baby are performed around week 20 of the woman’s pregnancy. This is one of the most exciting pregnancy visits and can be one of the most exciting times of parents’ lives. At this visit parents (if they desire) will learn the sex of their baby!

How Accurate is the Ultrasound at Determining the Sex of the Baby?

The general consensus is that the rate of incorrect identification (identifying the baby as a boy when it is actually a girl and vice versa) is approximately 2-3% at 14 weeks of pregnancy. Most ultrasounds for planned pregnancies occur at week 20, so the rate of incorrect identification is even lower. However, in approximately 1/10 cases the sex of the baby cannot be determined. If this happens to you, do not be alarmed. In these cases the baby is usually so active that the ultrasound technician simply cannot accurately determine the sex of the baby in the available amount of time.

Are Prenatal Ultrasounds Safe?

Ultrasounds have been commonly used in obstetrics for the last 25 years.  Ultrasounds are considered safe because they do not use high energy radiation, such as X-rays. Instead, an ultrasound sends high frequency sound waves through the mother’s stomach via a transducer. The sound creates “echos” which are absorbed and processed into video and photographic images of the baby.

Fun Fact

Approximately 4/5 parents wish to know the sex of their baby ahead of time in order to plan andprepare. The remaining 1/5 prefer to be surprised at birth, and will probably receive a lot of green and yellow baby clothes at their shower.