WHEN POSTING AN IMAGE IN THIS FORUM....
It is recommended that you remove all patient information from your picture---ie your name and the facility you had the test done at--for your personal safety.
When Should I get a Gender Scan?
I recommend waiting until after 16 wks if you are a thin mom, and after 18 wks if you are a bigger boned mom. Even then, you may have a stubborn baby. Under 15 wks, both genders can still have a nub...a small penis like protuberance. It can make the genitalia very ambiguous. If you want to start taking tags off the clothes---wait until 16 wks!
What is a Nub?
A nub is a small penis like protuberance seen between the legs at 11 wks to 14 wks. It can be used to assess gender using the angle of the nub. 30 degrees up=Boy, Under that=Girl. Sounds easy in theory, but you need to get the baby in a midsaggital (side) view that show the nub. No curl to the spine either. Right side up also. Some nubs are ambiguous--they are angled in "the grey zone" where it can go either way. See the galleries for many examples. Gender guessing with the nub increases accuracy as you hit 13 wks.
My Nub has a Fork?
A forked nub can be of either gender. I have seen it in both.
Is 3D or 4D better for assessing Gender?
In my opinion, No. I find that the surface rendering program can include things that make it more boyish/girlish. It can also exlude things. A puffy scrotum can look like a labia. Tricky Tricky. I prefer 2D for gender.
Can you get 3 Lines on a Boy?
Absolutely. If the tech takes the picture from too far back (ie behind the scrotum, near the bum), you can get 3 lines. Tricky. The male bits are lying out in front of these lines. Especially if he has an erection (yes, that does happen).
Female?
I like to see between 3-5 lines between both thighs. It orients the picture, and lets me know I am at the right angle.
Male?
Both scrotum and penis, between both thighs.
Toilet Shots for Gender?
If you imagine yourself sitting inside someones toilet (yuck) and looking up. Someone comes and sits on the toilet, whilst you stare upwards. What do you see? Labia and thighs on girls, and scrotum/penis for boys. Toilet shots are used after 15 wks. Never before as the parts are too small, and both genders have nubs (aka mini-penises).
The Placenta Theory?
There is a theory about placental attachments and the gender of the baby. As the theory goes, if the placenta is on the LEFT, then its a girl. If it is on the RIGHT, it is a boy. I find this theory is often correct, but then again, I am scanning the patient at 18+ weeks, and can see the placenta clearly, as well as the gender. The theory that uses the placenta studies the use of colour doppler to identify the placenta at 6-7 wks. Personally, I would not chance exposing a teeny tiny developing embryo to the high levels of sound waves that is used for colour doppler. Just a whole risk vs benefit thing. Without colour, the placenta is tough to identify accurately this early on. 12 wks would be more reasonable.
Posting a picture of the baby and asking where the placenta is not accurate here unfortunately. The tech who took your image, did it from an angle that best shows the baby or nuchal fold or so forth. She has to take the pic with the probe sideways, or up and down, or obliqued to get this "angle". Sadly, if the angle of the probe is not documented on the image, it is impossible to guess where it "actually" is. To be honest, sometimes the tech does not think of this probe angle, she is just interested in getting the best shot possible of your babe!
Should I get a 3D/4D Scan?
Best time is between 28-32 wks for nice shots of the baby's face.
Some concern has been raised about having entertainment ultrasounds in the media. Here is a link to a site that my ultrasound professional society uses for its position statement. Yep, 3D's are nifty, but I will advise anyone to be cautious. http://www.askquestions.org/articles/ultrasound/
That's it for now. I will add to this as I go along!