While amniocentesis and CVS are incredibly effective at confirming developmental abnormalities, they also carry tiny risks that can cause complications in the pregnancy such as miscarriage. Or they could recommend further noninvasive prenatal testing. If those blood tests come back with results that indicate there may be an issue, your OB may then discuss more invasive diagnostic tests such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS). This screening usually takes place between the 15th and 20th week, but screens conducted between 16 and 18 weeks are said to be the most accurate. While the 16-week appointment is noninvasive, your physician may also recommend that blood to be drawn to run a triple or quadruple screen for potential abnormalities like neural tube problems, Down syndrome, or additional chromosomal issues that can be screened by checking your blood.
They do this by checking movement and measurements, as we mentioned. The 16-week ultrasound, if you have one, is also a critical period where your doctor will want to check for any potential developmental abnormalities. What else the doctor may want to check for If you had an ultrasound early in your pregnancy to estimate your due date, it will be more accurate.īut all this to say: Don’t panic if baby is measuring a week or so off in either direction. Your due date is an imprecise measurement its own margin of error. It’s not uncommon for the numbers not to be a perfect match between your fundal height and your gestational week, especially before the 24th week - and this also has to do with the accuracy of your due date. However, there’s a margin of error in the measuring. So, if you’re 27 weeks along, it’s assumed that you would have a 27-centimeter fundal height measurement. Usually, by the time you’re in your 24th week, your fundal height is the same number as your gestational week in your pregnancy. This confirms that your baby is growing properly. This noninvasive measurement checks the distance in centimeters from the top of your baby bump to the top of your pubic bone. So, don’t be surprised if your sonographer gently pokes your abdomen to encourage your baby to move if they’re not especially active during the appointment.Īt 16 weeks, your baby is usually between 4 and 5 inches long and weighs around 5 ounces.ĭuring your 16-week appointment, your physician may measure your fundal height, though this is typically done starting at 20 weeks. This is all to ensure that everything is developing on track.ĭepending on baby’s position, you might also be asked to move or turn so the technician can get a better look at different angles. During the procedure, your doctor or ultrasound technician - known as a sonographer - will:
It’s noninvasive and won’t hurt you or your baby, though it may cause you some discomfort if the technician needs to press down a little harder at times.Įxpect the ultrasound to take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. This transabdominal scan relies on a transducer that moves over your abdomen to display 2D images of your developing baby. There’s nothing you need to do to prepare for the 16-week ultrasound. address any complications you may be having, such as bleeding.look for fetal conditions such as heart abnormalities, Down syndrome, or spina bifida.check for multiples if they suspect you might be carrying twins, triplets, or more.more closely monitor your pregnancy if you’re at high risk of certain conditions.do an initial check if you missed the earlier viability ultrasound.This ultrasound checks for overall fetal development and is sometimes called the “anatomy scan.”īut aside from the two standard ultrasounds, your doctor may schedule additional screenings to: Then the next ultrasound is typically between 18 and 20 weeks. Your first ultrasound will usually occur between 8 and 14 weeks to listen for a heartbeat to confirm that you’re pregnant and to estimate a due date. While it’s typical to have two ultrasounds during a standard pregnancy, you may have more - whether due to your own risk factors or your doctor’s desire to more closely monitor the baby’s progress.Ī 16-week ultrasound isn’t standard - but don’t let it worry you! Look at it as an opportunity to get more glimpses of baby.
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