Also known as Anatomy Scan, Morphology Scan, Mid-Trimester Ultrasound
The Anatomy scan is a key milestone in your pregnancy and offers the most detailed check of your baby’s development. At this stage, your baby is large enough for a thorough examination and developed enough to show clear signs of growth and movement, providing valuable insights. The scan is also clear enough to capture detailed images, as your baby’s bones (which can block the ultrasound waves and therefore the picture) haven’t fully developed yet.
This scan is also known as the 19–21 week ultrasound, anatomy scan, morphology scan, or mid-trimester ultrasound.
Generally performed between 19-21 week gestation, the scan ensures a comprehensive review of your baby’s development, including the skull, brain, face, chest, heart, stomach, kidneys, spine, limbs, and more. If you’d like, we can usually determine the baby’s sex at this stage. Additionally, we’ll check the amniotic fluid level and overall fetal proportions.
We’ll also assess the position of the placenta, check your cervix, and identify any maternal conditions that could be relevant to your pregnancy.
For many parents, the 19-21-week scan is an exciting milestone that offers reassurance about the healthy progress of the pregnancy. It’s also a rewarding moment, especially as the challenging early stages of pregnancy start to ease.
Seeing your baby move during the scan can be a comforting experience, particularly since you may not yet feel those movements, even though you might be asked about it frequently. By this stage, you might not have the same obvious symptoms to reassure you, so seeing your baby active on the screen can be a welcome reminder that everything is going well.
The Anatomy ultrasound provides valuable insights into your baby’s development, helping ensure everything is on track. Early detection allows for any necessary steps to be taken, ensuring the best care for both you and your baby.
A well-timed ultrasound is highly effective in detecting any structural developments. However, it’s important to understand that not all conditions can be detected, even with advanced ultrasound technology and experienced sonographers.
Some conditions, like autism, may not show any structural changes in the fetus, and other issues may only become apparent later in the pregnancy.
While no test can guarantee a completely risk-free pregnancy, the information provided by ultrasounds helps ensure that both you and your baby receive the best care and attention at every stage.
We approach the examination as a systematic check to make sure development is normal. We then consider what it will mean if the findings don’t align with expectations. The order of checks may vary due to fetal position and other factors, but consists of a series of working systems in the fetus. For instance, a normal amniotic fluid volume, reassures us that the fetus has a working urinary tract (even before we look at the kidneys and bladder). A normal-looking brain greatly reduces the chance of open spina bifida (even before we check the spine). If you have any particular concerns that we have not spoken of, please mention them.
Receive professional, compassionate care from our experienced team. Book an ultrasound appointment at a time that works best for you and take the next step in your pregnancy journey.
QDOS Ultrasound provides specialist obstetric and gynaecology ultrasound performed by highly experienced and motivated doctors and sonographers. The rooms are purpose-built, located on the ground floor at 12 Connolly Street, West Leederville, at the rear of Connolly House, which is on the corner of Connolly and Cambridge Streets, opposite SJOG Hospital Subiaco.
Pregnancy
Gynaecology
Contact
Address
12 Connolly St, West Leederville
PERTH – Western Australia 6007
Monday – Friday
8:00 am – 4:45 pm
(strictly by appointment only)
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