Your care during pregnancy
Ultrasounds during pregnancy
Antenatal ultrasound scans are recommended at certain points during pregnancy to check the:
- number of babies you’re expecting—single, twins or more
- age of your pregnancy (in a dating scan)
- your baby's growth and physical development
- position of the placenta
- length of the cervix (neck of the womb).
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 diabetes in pregnancy.
Learn more about routine tests and your care during pregnancy.
When you need an ultrasound
Your doctor or midwife will advise you when an ultrasound may be recommended. The following ultrasounds are common in pregnancy.
8–9 weeks dating scan
An early ultrasound at around 8 to 9 weeks is considered to be the best time to confirm the due date, ensure the pregnancy is in the uterus (womb) or for reassurance.
11–13 weeks first trimester screen
An ultrasound (also known as a nuchal translucency scan or early structural assessment) is recommended for all pregnant women. If combined with a blood test (free Beta-HCG and PAPP-A), it can be used to generate a risk for chromosomal abnormalities called a combined first trimester screen.
This is a screening test that will calculate your estimated risk of having a baby with Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities. This ultrasound scan also helps to exclude any major structural abnormalities of your baby early in pregnancy and can be used to screen for preterm preeclampsia if this is offered.
If you decide to use a blood test for genetic screening such as NIPT, it’s also very important to check for physical abnormalities of your baby by having this ultrasound.
18–20 weeks morphology scan
This is an important ultrasound used to rule out major physical abnormalities in your baby and check the location of the placenta.
It is also important to check the length of your cervix at this scan as a short cervix predicts preterm birth. Most parents know this scan as 'the one where we may find out the baby’s sex'.
Where to go for your 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. Use service 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.