How Can Ultrasounds Help to Reveal your Baby’s Gender?

There was a time when parents waited till birth to know their baby’s gender but this is not the case anymore. Advancement in technology has made it possible for would-be parents to know their baby’s gender before birth. Excitement and liberty to make choices drives parents to go for gender determination. Knowing the gender in advance helps parents better plan things for their baby. Today, the majority of parents want to know their baby’s gender. They have a common motive, but the reason to know their baby’s gender may differ from parent to parent.

A research study performed in 2012 throws more light on these reasons. Four hundred pregnant women undergoing amniocentesis participated in this study. Its findings were published in the journal, Obstetrics and Gynecology. They were given a questionnaire that asked them why they wanted to know fetal gender after amniocentesis or ultrasound investigation. They gave three reasons for this. 77.8% of the women wanted to know “out of curiosity.” 68% “just wanted to know,” while 66.8% wanted “because it was possible.”

Knowing their baby’s gender in advance helps parents make plans accordingly. They can buy gender-specific clothes and toys. Furthermore, they can choose gender-specific nursery decor. If having other children, they can know which things to keep and which ones to deliver to the charity shop. Additionally, gender knowledge helps parents plan a gender reveal party to enjoy with their near and dear ones.

How can parents determine their baby’s gender?

A prenatal ultrasound enables medical experts to identify the gender of a baby growing in the mother’s womb. The ultrasound uses audible sound waves to produce images of a fetus’s shape and position in the uterus. These images display on the monitor. Called fetal anatomy survey, this ultrasound is primarily done to find fetal anomalies. Moreover, it is used for finding the gender of the baby.

Procedure:

You must lie on the examination table in a reclined position for the prenatal ultrasound. Then the ultra-sonographer will apply a gel to your abdomen. Afterward, ultra-sonographer will glide a plastic transducer over the abdomen, emitting high-frequency sound waves. These waves will bounce back after touching your baby’s body and produce an image of the body. The image will display the baby’s soft tissues, organs and other anatomical structures, including reproductive parts. The image will get displayed on the monitor for your viewing.

How do doctors identify your baby’s gender?

The doctors look for certain signs (characteristic features) in the image of the ultrasound to determine the gender of your baby. The signs in boys differ from the signs in girls.

What are these signs?

Girl Ultrasound signs:

Hamburger sign: This sign indicates the appearance of the labia and clitoris in an ultrasound. Looking closely at the image, you will see that the labia lips look similar to a hamburger bun. Furthermore, the clitoris will resemble a hamburger patty.

Sagittal sign: Both genders have a sagittal sign. It is obtained by looking at a profile view of the fetus (known as the midline sagittal plane). There is a nub (a small lump or protuberance) at the spine’s end, called a caudal notch. The fetus is a girl if the nub points downward at a 10-degree angle.

Boy Ultrasound Signs:

Male fetuses are not always easier to identify than female fetuses. Identifying male fetuses is difficult before week 14 as the external genitalia has not appeared externally until about 13 weeks. In weeks 18 to 20, a baby boy’s gender can be determined based on the following signs:

Sagittal sign: The fetus is a boy when the caudal notch is pointing upward at more than a 30-degree angle. It can become harder to make a definitive determination if it is somewhere in between.

The flow of urine: The flow of urine can be spotted in a fetus. If the urine is seen moving upward, the baby is likely a boy.

Male genitalia: The presence of male genitalia, including the penis, scrotum and testicles, is a clear sign of male sex. This is often viewed by weeks 18 to 20.

Is gender reveal ultrasound accurate?

The majority of prenatal ultrasounds performed for gender determination are accurate. But errors may occur in identifying gender. The most common mistake is male fetuses are assigned as female. Various factors can impact the accuracy rate of these ultrasounds.

Gestational Age of the baby

Over 99% of ultrasounds performed between weeks 18 and 20 determine the gender correctly. But their accuracy rate can decrease when ultrasounds are performed before week 14.

Position of the baby

If the ultra-sonographer faces difficulty seeing between your baby’s legs, this will affect the ability to determine the baby’s gender. Some fetuses tend to keep their legs together, which impairs gender determination. If the genitalia of the fetus is not visualized, the ultra-sonographer may not be able to examine it perfectly. As a result, he may make mistakes in guessing baby’s gender.

Mother’s body size

If you are overweight or obese, your larger body size can prevent a clear image of your baby. However, an experienced sonographer should be able to obtain a clear picture of women of all sizes.

Multiple babies

If you are pregnant with more than one baby (twins, triplets or more), your babies could hide their siblings. Due to this reason, the gender determination of one or more babies will become more difficult.

The expertise of an ultrasound technician

How experienced and trained ultrasonographers are in their work will impact the accuracy of the gender determination.

Are prenatal ultrasounds safe?

When conducted by trained technicians for medical purposes, ultrasounds are considered safe. Moreover, they do not use x-rays or radiation. They only use audible and high-frequency sound waves. All ultrasounds, including prenatal ones, are non-invasive and cause no harm to the patients.

Other ways of gender determination

Apart from ultrasounds, the gender of the baby can be confirmed with amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS). In the amniocentesis procedure, fluid is extracted from the sac surrounding your baby using a needle and syringe. In CVS, a needle is used to take cells from the placenta.

Both of these procedures carry risks. But they are extremely accurate in making the gender determination. Furthermore, they can return a result as early as week 11 for CVS and week 15 for amniocentesis.

We hope you are well aware of how a prenatal ultrasound can help identify your baby’s gender. So, if you have decided to go for this ultrasound and are looking for a reputed gender reveal ultrasound center then you can opt for DigiBaby. We have specialist medical professionals and ultrasound technicians. Moreover, we have state-of-the-art ultrasound imaging equipment. You will certainly get a safe ultrasound experience and an enjoyable baby viewing experience here. So, get in touch with our experts to seek more information about the ultrasound. Their advice will help you better prepare for your ultrasound and enjoy it fully.

The First Ultrasound Test During Pregnancy

Being pregnant is a beautiful feeling for every woman. For every parent, there is a sense of eagerness to know how your baby will look like and, more importantly, how is your baby developing inside the womb. So, the initial glance of the baby through ultrasound is unforgettable for every parent-to-be.

Your first prenatal ultrasound helps to get an early peek inside the womb and gives the chance to know about the baby’s expected due date, well-being. Other than the visual evidence of the baby, ultrasounds are used as the essential diagnostic tool for helping to get the record of the fetus’s movement, heartbeat, breathing, and the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding your baby.

Read this blog further to know the important information about the baby’s first ultrasound

What is An Ultrasound?

An ultrasound is a painless diagnostic test done for most women during pregnancy. For the ultrasound, a transducer (or wand) is placed in the vagina or on the top of the belly. It produces the sound waves that bounce off the baby’s fluids, tissues, and bones.

After this, the transducer picks up these echoes and decodes them into the black and white pictures on a monitor screen. The images that you get to see on the screen are the baby’s soft tissues and organs.

During early pregnancies, ultrasounds are used to confirm the fetal heartbeat and the baby’s position in your uterus. Moreover, the ultrasounds done in the later pregnancy are for the screening of the fetal growth, placenta location, and baby’s general health and structure.

And towards the end of pregnancy, ultrasounds are done to check the length of the cervix and verify that the baby is in the right head-down position before labor.

When Should You Get Your First Ultrasound Test During Pregnancy?

The doctors suggest scheduling your first ultrasound test when you are around 6 to 8 weeks pregnant. Your first ultrasound is called a baby sonogram, and the main purpose of doing this is to confirm pregnancy date to get the accurate due date.

An early pregnancy ultrasound test is conducted transvaginal for obtaining a clearer picture of your baby. During this ultrasound, you can also see the baby’s heartbeat, due date, track milestones, check whether there is one or more than one fetus, and test whether you have an ectopic pregnancy.

Different Kinds Of Ultrasound Procedures

There are two kinds of ultrasound procedures including –

Transabdominal Ultrasound – During a transabdominal ultrasound, you have to lie down on an examination bed. The gel is applied to your abdomen to form better contact between your skin and the scanner. Then, the sonographer uses the traditional transducer across the abdomen in various positions by applying some gentle pressure to get the image of the baby on the screen. This ultrasound can be used for monitoring the ovaries, cervix, and bladder of a pregnant woman.
2D Transvaginal Ultrasound – If you are going for your first pregnancy ultrasound around the 6th or 7th week, your doctor might perform the transvaginal ultrasound. This procedure gives more accurate measurements and the heartbeats of the baby in the early 1st trimester. You can also use this ultrasound in your later pregnancy to locate your placenta if it’s over the cervix or to measure the length of the cervix. During the transvaginal ultrasound, a wand-shaped transducer covered with a latex sheath (sterile condom-like cover) is inserted into the vagina to get a look at the uterus from a closer angle. The device is being moved in the vagina to form the pictures on the ultrasound screen.
You can consult Digibaby 3D/4D Ultrasound for services for first 2D ultrasound test now.

You can consult Digibaby 3D/4D Ultrasound for services for first 2D ultrasound test now.

How To Prepare For The Pregnancy Ultrasound Tests?

You must go for your ultrasound test with a full bladder. It makes it easier for the doctor or the sonographer to get the results through your bladder. In addition, a full bladder helps elevate the intestines and gives a clearer picture of your pelvic organs. Drink as much water as you can about an hour before the appointment. You can also eat an hour before your appointment, especially the sugary items. It makes the baby move around and helps in getting clearer images.

Trusting The Best For The First Pregnancy Ultrasound Test?
Are you worried and want to consult the best clinic to get your first pregnancy ultrasound?

Here is the solution for all the moms-to-be, consult Digibaby 3D/4D Ultrasound now. They have the best facilities for 2D first ultrasound tests that lets you see the clear image results for your baby. So, you can visit them to get the most excellent prenatal care 2D ultrasound test reports. Digibaby 3D/4D Ultrasound is pleased to offer the patients the latest visual 3D/4D HD live technology that helps to monitor the health and the growth of the baby. Get in touch with their professional team now.

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