3rd trimester ultrasound

[Anonymous]

I had one at 35 weeks - my OB said he goes by the "German method" which does one every trimester. The one in the 3rd trimester is to check growth and positioning. I was happy to know that the baby was a normal size (like the poster above, I am relatively small and everyone and their brother likes to tell me this...I know it's a compliment, but it made me paranoid) and it was good to see that the head was down. But honestly, the earlier ultrasounds were more exciting because it's so close up at 34 weeks, it's hard to know what you're looking at on the screen.

[Anonymous]

I had one at 32 weeks to make sure the placenta moved up. Then at 38 weeks to check fluid level, since it was dangerously low with my first.

[Anonymous]

It isn't normal for a routine pregnancy, but it's safe. I am high risk and have an ultrasound every month to make sure the baby is healthy and on track developmentally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on your practice and age. I'm old (40) so they make me have one each week for the last 4 weeks.

I don't think this is just about age. My OB does a development check at 36 weeks and an u/s at each subsequent appointment each week through 40 weeks as a standard practice.

Nope, in this practice it is about age. I delivered with them when I was 36 and there were no ultrasounds the last 4 weeks. They said specifically that they do it for women 40 or older as a precaution.

[Anonymous]

I had several ultrasounds in the third trimester because I had some complications. Honestly, they are not all that much fun because the baby is so smushed up. By the third trimester you can feel the baby moving ALL the time so you don't need an ultrasound to reassure you.

[Anonymous]

I'm 40 weeks now. I had the the big out-of-office ultrasound at 20 weeks with a radiology group. Since then, my Ob has turned on her own machine to check the baby's position two times- once around 30 weeks and then again at 36 weeks.

It was definitely NOT the same kind of ultrasound machine the radiologists used. She turned it on both times for like 30 seconds max, confirmed he was head down, and then shut it off. I'm kind of glad she didn't linger. It was nice to get a glimpse of him, but I'm leery about getting too many.