Why antenatal scans are important for you and your baby

Antenatal ultrasound scans are recommended at certain points during pregnancy to check the:

• number of babies you’re expecting - single, twins, triplets
• age of your baby - in a dating scan
• your baby's growth and physical development
• position of the placenta

We also use scans to monitor:

• the amount of amniotic fluid around the baby
• the health and function of the placenta which supports your baby’s growth
• any complications, such as bleeding, fluid loss, high blood pressure (hypertension) and gestational diabetes.

When do I need an ultrasound?

In a normal, low risk pregnancy, you’ll usually only need the following scans. If you have a high risk pregnancy, or your health professional wants to check your baby’s growth and wellbeing, they may recommend extra ultrasounds.

The following ultrasounds are common in pregnancy.

8 to 9 weeks dating scan

Some women choose to have an early ultrasound at around 8 to 9 weeks to confirm the due date or for reassurance.

11 to 13 weeks first trimester screen

An ultrasound (also known as a nuchal translucency scan) combined with a blood test (PAPP-A) is recommended for all pregnant women.

This screening test will calculate your estimated risk of having a baby with Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities.

Even if you decide to use a blood test for genetic screening, it’s important to check for physical abnormalities by also having the ultrasound.

18 to 20 weeks morphology scan

This is an important ultrasound used to check for major physical abnormalities in your baby. Most parents know this scan as 'the one where we may find out the baby’s gender'.

Where do I go for my ultrasounds?

You’ll need a referral from a health professional.

You can have your ultrasounds done at a radiology clinic. In some cases, you may be referred to a hospital. Useservice finder on the Health Direct website to find your nearest a radiology service.

There may be a charge for your ultrasound depending on where you have it. Some will bulk bill through Medicare. Please talk to a health professional if you can’t pay out of pocket expenses for an ultrasound.

Using fetal dopplers at home

Fetal dopplers are handheld devices you can use to listen to your baby’s heartbeat at home.

These are different from the ones used by health professionals. Unless you’re trained to use them, you won't know if your baby has any health issues. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) recently reviewed home dopplers. They did this after reports that expectant parents were falsely reassured by using them, causing delays in getting medical care.

Make sure your baby’s heartbeat is still monitored during your pregnancy by your health professional.

Read more about the Post-market review of home-use foetal dopplers on the TGA website.