20-week Ultrasound Tips Every Mom Should Know:

More than just your new baby’s gender 

The 20-week ultrasound visit is always an exciting moment for new parents. That’s when parents usually find out if they’re having a boy or girl. But parents should know there’s far more to the 20-week ultrasound than helping them decide the color of the gender-reveal cake.

“It’s the time you figure out the sex of the fetus, but it’s the time we are really looking at all of the organs and anatomy to make sure everything looks like it should,” said Erica Smith, Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist with Intermountain Health and St. Vincent Regional Hospital.

                                                                                                           Erica Smith

Moms and dads can ask about the images of their baby’s heart, brain and kidneys and it’s a good idea to ask your prenatal care provider: 

• “Did the sonogram show everything you needed it to?” 
• “Could you rule out problems the baby could be born with?”
• “Did they get images to help make sure my baby’s heart, brain and kidneys are developing normally?”

If the answer is no or inconclusive, ask what next steps to take to ensure the baby’s organs can be viewed appropriately. 

If something is found to be wrong with the baby’s heart, for example, your care team will help you make a plan to ensure the baby gets the best care during pregnancy and right after birth. 

“Knowing about your baby’s heart condition early really helps you plan to provide the best care for your baby right after the birth instead of waiting for your baby to display symptoms,” said Smith.

If parents are told to return for more imaging, it doesn’t necessarily mean something’s wrong. 

“Being told to come back for more imaging can be anxiety-provoking and nerve-wracking, but often it’s because the pictures from the ultrasound weren’t clear enough. Until someone tells you something definitive, try not to worry,” said Smith.

Fetal heart specialists say most of the time when moms need a fetal echocardiogram, there are no problems detected. 

For a referral for a 20-week screening ultrasound during pregnancy contact your doctor or midwife. For more information about fetal ultrasounds visit the pregnancy and baby page at intermountainhealth.org

More from the Experts at St. Vincent Regional Hospital

About St. Vincent Regional Hospital

Founded on our mission of compassionate care 125 years ago, St. Vincent Regional Hospital, part of Intermountain Health, has grown into one of Montana’s largest comprehensive hospitals, serving the healthcare needs of over 400,000 people in our four-state area. Continuing to respond to the needs of our community, we have been recognized as an innovator in trauma, heart, neurological and cancer care. At St. Vincent and Intermountain Health, our 12 primary care clinics, and specialty clinics in and around the Billings area, our goal is to help you live the healthiest lives possible. This also includes caring for the region's youngest patients. We opened the region's first Pediatric Intensive Care Unit staffed 24/7 by Pediatric Intensivists and the only Pediatric Surgery program serving eastern Montana, northern Wyoming, and the western Dakotas.