Your second trimester scan is usually scheduled between 18 to 22 weeks. This is another important screening, which helps in assessing the necessary details pertaining to your pregnancy and the baby.
An ultrasound scan is considered safe for pregnant women, as this procedure involves the use of sound waves to capture the movements of your baby. This scan may take a bit longer and you may feel uncomfortable to lie down on your back, but you will get to see your baby’s movements on the monitor!
20 Week Ultrasound Evaluation
Your doctor takes into account a number of details to ascertain the smooth progression of pregnancy and baby’s health till delivery. During 20 week ultrasound scan, your doctor takes the following evaluations.
- Measurements of baby’s brain, heart, face, bladder, hands, feet, spine, genitals, stomach and chest.
- Measurement of fetal size
- Measurement of fetal heart rate
- The length of the umbilical cord
- The amount of amniotic fluid
- The length of your cervix
- The location of placenta
What anomalies can be found at 20 weeks ultrasound?
Anomalies and genetic disorders can be found very rarely, but the doctor looks for any signs that could indicate a possible risk.
- The scan shows if the baby has any heart defects and the proper functioning of the heart muscle.
- The scan checks whether the kidneys are functioning properly or not, by looking at the amount of fluid present in the bladder.
- The scan detects genetic abnormalities such as Down syndrome or trisomy 18. In this case, your doctor may ask you to go for further tests to confirm or rule out these disorders.
Most parents look forward to knowing the gender of their baby at this scan. But, this depends on the positioning of the baby and sometimes it can be hard to tell at this stage. In some rare cases, you may be surprised when the baby arrives, to find out the gender, which is opposite of what the scan said! Know more about you and your baby’s progress at 20 weeks here.
