Ways to keep your family living costs down, and kids of all ages happy Get our Family newsletter – it's free monthly When you go for a pregnancy scan, the sonographer (a specialist trained in ultrasound scans) puts ultrasound gel on your tummy and then moves a handheld probe across your skin. While the gel might be a bit cold, the scans are completely painless. Kearin M, Pollard K, Garbett I. Accuracy of sonographic fetal gender determination: predictions made by sonographers during routine obstetric ultrasound scans. Australas J Ultrasound Med. 2014;17(3):125-30. doi:10.1002/j.2205-0140.2014.tb00028.x These scans can be digitally stored, allowing a medical team to reload the files and examine them further after the appointment is over. But, silly as it sounds, they’re not always the easiest things to decipher. Anyone remember that moment in Friends where Rachel can’t work out what part of Emma she’s looking at? Exactly. So, try this break down to help you make sense of yours. The text details

Nemec SF, Nemec U, Weber M, et al. Male sexual development in utero: testicular descent on prenatal magnetic resonance imaging. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2011;38(6):688-94. doi:10.1002/uog.8964 Many private institutions have relationships with NHS hospitals and should be able to pass on information and make further appointment arrangements if necessary (with your permission). Are pregnancy scans safe?You will also be offered screening for 2 rarer conditions called Edwards' syndrome and Patau's syndrome. Marren AJ, Mogra R, Pedersen LH, Walter M, Ogle RF, Hyett JA. Ultrasound assessment of cervical length at 18–21 weeks' gestation in an A ustralian obstetric population: Comparison of transabdominal and transvaginal approaches. Aus NZ J Obstet Gynaecol. 2014;54(3):250-5. doi:10.1111/ajo.12204 The sonographer passes a probe over your tummy and a picture of the baby will appear on the ultrasound screen. Sajjad Y. Development of the genital ducts and external genitalia in the early human embryo. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2010;36(5):929-937. doi:10.1111/j.1447-0756.2010.01272.x Kooper AJ, Pieters JJ, Eggink AJ, et al. Why do parents prefer to know the fetal sex as part of invasive prenatal testing?. ISRN Obstet Gynecol. 2012;2012:524537. doi:10.5402/2012/524537

Scans are available on the NHS, or you can pay to have them done privately. While routine scans are largely the same whether you go private or not, there are certain extras you will typically only be able to get by paying.

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If you’re considering a private 3D or 4D scan, it’s worth considering that these scans often last longer, meaning your baby will be exposed to more ultrasound than they are during routine scans. The sonographer will be able to tell you the results of the scan at the time. Do I have to have ultrasound scans? All pregnant women in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be offered at least two ultrasound scans on the NHS as part of their antenatal appointments schedule, known as a fetal anomaly screening programme (FASP). Unless you're having entirely private antenatal and maternity care – in which case your two FASP scans are likely to be carried out by your private team rather than the NHS – these private scans are nice-to-haves rather than must-haves. Viability scan

Bethune M, Alibrahim E, Davies B, Yong E. A pictorial guide for the second trimester ultrasound. Australas J Ultrasound Med. 2013;16(3):98-113. doi:10.1002/j.2205-0140.2013.tb00106.x

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You might be offered more than two scans – for example, if there are concerns about your health or your baby’s growth – but for most women having straightforward, healthy pregnancies, the early pregnancy scan and the anomaly scan are all that are recommended. If it's difficult to get a good image, the scan may take longer or have to be repeated at another time. Can an ultrasound scan harm me or my baby?

Pettker CM. Ambiguous genitalia. In: Obstetric Imaging: Fetal Diagnosis and Care. Elsevier, 2018. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-44548-1.00018-8 There are numerous myths and facts about pregnancy scans, including queries about pregnancy ultrasounds and radiation, so it's worth reading up before you get booked in so you have all the information you need. Most scan images have notes at the top, and they basically relate to you, your baby and the hospital. Although the report that comes with it tends to hold more information. Most scan images have notes at the top, and they basically relate to you, your baby and the hospital You may be offered more than 2 scans, depending on your health and the pregnancy. When will I get the results?

how many weeks pregnant you are and work out your due date (the estimated date of delivery, or EDD) This depends on whether you have agreed to have the screening and when the scan takes place. Screening for Down's syndrome will happen at the dating scan if: