Is it possible to get an idea of the sex of a baby from a 13 week scan?

Gillyx

I don't think it's common place in this country to be told at 13 weeks, but my friend had most of her maternity care in Germany and was told the sex around that time

Gillyx

Also I think the sex is decided by around 10 weeks, IIRC.

pinkclouds

sazz1006 wrote: »

I find the whole need to know the sex of a baby really,really disappointing. Unless there is a medical reason to know, why take away one of the few wonderful surprises left in life?

Lugging a baby around for 9 months kinda takes the edge off the "surprise" factor... unless it turns out to be a toaster or an aardvark.

Look, it IS a surprise because you can't guarantee whether you'll get a boy or a girl or multiples (unless you've gone down the IVF/screening route and have deliberately pre-selected embryos for hereditary health or "balancing" reasons). Why should it matter that some people choose to reveal their surprises earlier than others?

sassyblue

Gillyx wrote: »

Also I think the sex is decided by around 10 weeks, IIRC.

What do you mean? The sex is decided from fertilisation but being able to see it is another matter. 10 weeks is too early.

Will have to check out the nub theory and go back to look at DS's scan photos....

lollipopsarah

My daughter is having her first scan tomorrow, she doesn't care what it is, just that it's ok. bless her.
(I don't care either, just want them both to be ok)
xx

coolcait

dizziblonde wrote: »

Oh gosh sorry - I'll make sure not to find out just because someone on the internet's offended by me making the choice that I want to know (mainly so I know if I need to fish the girls' clothes we've got down from the in-laws' loft - or buy new).

How utterly arrogant to think you've got the right to tell people what they can/can't do concerning their future children.

I didn't take that meaning from the post you quoted. Then again, I'm one of those people who didn't want to know my babies' gender before they were born.

Personally, my view is that it is necessary to know the baby's gender if boys/girls in your family are at risk of a medical condition. That's where it becomes important in a scan.

Wanting to know, so that you can buy colour-coded knick knacks or clothes in advance, or decorate a nursery is a want, a preference. IMO.

I'm also the superstitious type. Your signature gives a very clear example of the ways in which pregnancy is not always straightforward. My family has had similar experiences.

As a result, my preparations for a new baby have generally been limited to having a car seat, a moses basket, the offer of a second hand pram if I needed it, and basic clothes.

I don't think it's arrogant of others to take a different view to mine. So it surprises me when I see others taking that approach.

As far as scans go, my son was not my first child. But he was my first son. At the 14 week scan, you could clearly see two white dots, with a faint line running between them. I hadn't seen that before.

Google suggests that the white dots are bones - hip bones? Funny that the female children in my family didn't seem to have 'hip bones' on scans, yet have 'hips' as they grow up. :rotfl:

In the 14 week scan when I was expecting my son, I didn't see his penis. I did see two white dots and a faint line. This looked very like two testicles, with a urethra running between them. To this layperson.

Coincidentally no doubt, I gave birth to a son 28 weeks later.

RuthnJasper

I cannot have children so I have to make do with the dog (poor dog!!). But my lovely sister-in-law and brother have two fabulous children - the first, Ewan, is now 7 and a complete delight. When he was 3½ I found out I was to be an Auntie for a second time!

Ewan hoped for a little brother. My Sis-in-Law's maternal instincts CONVINCED her that she was expecting another boy. And the scan in question on this thread quite clearly depicted what we ALL (including the maternity nurse) saw as a healthy and starkly-defined winkle (aka 'The Pirate of Menzpance'). Hmmnnnn....

Ewan's sister, Carys, was subsequently delivered as a large, feisty, but VERY feminine girl! Don't know what it was on the scan - but it certainly wasn't a little winkle!

Best wishes for the new baby, OP! xx

P.S. Ewan was - and is - utterly delighted with his baby sister (who is now almost 4 - G*d, I feel old!). But a baby of any gender is a wonderful, fantastic gift. I'd happily swap any and all of my single-gal nights out in exchange for many months'-worth of sleepless nights over my very own squalling and teething infant.

dizsiebubba

pinkclouds wrote: »

Lugging a baby around for 9 months kinda takes the edge off the "surprise" factor... unless it turns out to be a toaster or an aardvark.

this is my favourite ever quote!!!

raven83

Gillyx wrote: »

Also I think the sex is decided by around 10 weeks, IIRC.

Sex is decided at conception but up until 8 weeks the embryo is "female" (this is why men have nipples) at 8 weeks though that is when the embryo becomes a fetus and this is when the sex is established, it is a delicate time in pregnancy.

Gillyx wrote: »

I don't think it's common place in this country to be told at 13 weeks, but my friend had most of her maternity care in Germany and was told the sex around that time

I don't this it is a good idea to find out the sex so early on (unless you are having amnio or cvs) as this could possibly influence whether someone continues with the pregnancy if the fetus turns out to be the "wrong" sex.

Saying that I don't see why some people give people who find out at 20 odd weeks stick for finding out, it really annoys me! I know people who say they are doing the right thing and not finding out, it makes me really :mad:. If you want to find out, then find out! It is good in terms of practicalities and means you can get things in the appropriate colours etc. But it is also nice to not know and have a surprise.

I guess I am lucky, when I was pregnant with my first DD ten years ago, we wasn't aloud to know so it was nice to have that "surprise" and I am glad the hospital didn't tell you because I know I would of wanted to know, same with DD2 16 months later, it was only just after I had her that they started to tell people. When I had my DD3 I was offered to know and of course I chose to find out (was gobsmacked and lost for words when it was revealed she had girl bits) and it was nice to refer to her as a her and she, and I did go made on pink stuff in Next straight after But I know if I was offered it with the first 2 I wouldn't of been able to resist, so I glad I wasn't, and have experienced both the knowing and the "surprise"

Gillyx

raven83 wrote: »

Sex is decided at conception but up until 8 weeks the embryo is "female" (this is why men have nipples) at 8 weeks though that is when the embryo becomes a fetus and this is when the sex is established, it is a delicate time in pregnancy.



I don't this it is a good idea to find out the sex so early on (unless you are having amnio or cvs) as this could possibly influence whether someone continues with the pregnancy if the fetus turns out to be the "wrong" sex.

Saying that I don't see why some people give people who find out at 20 odd weeks stick for finding out, it really annoys me! I know people who say they are doing the right thing and not finding out, it makes me really :mad:. If you want to find out, then find out! It is good in terms of practicalities and means you can get things in the appropriate colours etc. But it is also nice to not know and have a surprise.

I guess I am lucky, when I was pregnant with my first DD ten years ago, we wasn't aloud to know so it was nice to have that "surprise" and I am glad the hospital didn't tell you because I know I would of wanted to know, same with DD2 16 months later, it was only just after I had her that they started to tell people. When I had my DD3 I was offered to know and of course I chose to find out (was gobsmacked and lost for words when it was revealed she had girl bits) and it was nice to refer to her as a her and she, and I did go made on pink stuff in Next straight after But I know if I was offered it with the first 2 I wouldn't of been able to resist, so I glad I wasn't, and have experienced both the knowing and the "surprise"

8 weeks, I knew it was around that time baby brain and I remember nothing

I found out at the 21 week scan but tbh it was as clear as day to me and my OH when she scanned that area