Ultrasound Scans

  Most pregnant women who are being treated on the NHS will be offered 2 ultrasound scans to check on the progress of the pregnancy and baby's development, but the exact number and times of scans will vary from hospital to hospital depending on their policies, and also on whether things are going smoothly.

Early scans, 6 to 8 weeks

  Scans at this early stage are less common than they used to be, as at this early stage little can be done except to confirm pregnancy, and as tests these days are so accurate, a scan for confirmation is unneccessary.

  However, some early problems can be detected at this stage, such as an ectopic pregnancy where the foetus attaches not in the womb but in the fallopian tubes. A heartbeat will also be visible by this stage.

Usual first scan at around 12 weeks

  Most mothers-to-be will have their first scan at somewhere between 10 and 14 weeks, and it is at this stage that you'll find out if you're carrying just one baby, or twins or more. This scan can also check for basic development such as heartbeat, eyes, basic skeleton and other essentials. Some abnormalities can also be detected at this stage, such as Down's Syndrome, although the results will be far from conclusive this early in the pregnancy.

  It is at this scan that the provisional due-date will be calculated, a date to mark in your diary!

Second scan, around 20-22 weeks

  This scan is the most important one in terms of checking everything is progressing smoothly. Development has gone far enough to spot major 'structural anomalies' such as spina bifida, and Down's can often be suggested at this point.

  If this anomaly scan shows a possible problem, further tests such as an amniocentesis will normally be conducted. Your midwife and doctor will guide you trough the options and implications.

  More happily, it is at this scan that the gender of your baby can usually be determined, if this is something you want to know in advance. Bear in mind though that a scan can't accurately predict the sex of your baby, and shouldn't be relied on. For this reason some hospitals have a policy against predicting gender, in case of legal consequences if they get it wrong.