How many ultrasounds are "normal"?

I think 2 ultrasounds is quite normal. They can follow your baby's growth by measuring the growth of your uterus.
I have to admit that I'm lucky that I'm now at a midwife practice that does an ultrasound at every appointment up to the 20th week and then alternates. I actually find it nice that ultrasounds are done so often.
With my oldest 2 kids, I only had one ultrasound at 12 weeks, yet the midwife knew my daughter was quite a sturdy little lady, despite the pregnancy-induced hypertension I had.
So I wouldn't worry! The midwives and gynecologists know very well how your baby is developing.

If you're medically indicated, you'll get 3 ultrasounds, but the chance that something will happen after the 20-week scan when there are no signs is very, very small.

I hear your concern, Katie. I'd feel the same way.

It's weird how different things are between the Netherlands and Belgium in this regard. Here (in Belgium), I go to the gynecologist at the hospital about once a month or every 1.5 months for check-ups, and I always get an ultrasound and a status update (estimation of weight, measuring the baby's belly circumference again, head circumference, etc.).

Normally, only 3 ultrasounds are reimbursed by the health insurance here, but more are given anyway. I pay a standard fee per gynecological visit. Some gynecologists here charge 3 times as much, supposedly for the ultrasound, but they give more than 3 ultrasounds.

@Katie,
I've had like 5 or maybe even 6.. I was originally just going to look at the gynecology dept, but at 6 weeks I had an ultrasound, and at 8 weeks my partner came along for the first time. There was an assistant gynecologist who suddenly said out of nowhere "I see nothing, no heartbeat, it's dead" right in your face. I was in shock and so was my partner. In the meantime, I went back because I was worried because of what that lady had said.

After that, I went for the nuchal translucency scan, then a regular check-up, and once more in between because I was getting crazy from all those stories that you could feel the baby/fetus at 8 weeks, which I couldn't. Then the 20-week ultrasound, and this morning the final check-up... Btw, I don't mind it. As long as things are going well with our little troublemaker, I'm fine with everything.. Besides, I can still see it again for a bit hehehe. I'm glad it's possible.

Love Ju
ps sorry for my long story...

I've already had quite a few, just like Ju.
Exactly 7.
And that worries me!
After all, they (I think) don't give 2 standard ultrasounds for nothing.
But I've even had 2 on 1 day!!!
To check if everything was okay due to a urinary tract infection and I just protested!
I was supposed to get one in the afternoon anyway...

I read here in "Pregnancy and childbirth"
"The midwife refers you 2 times during pregnancy for an ultrasound examination....
Every unnecessary examination of the unborn child should be considered disturbing, so it's better not to do extra ultrasounds "because it's so fun" (pre-ultrasounds)
Only when there is a good medical reason for the examination do the benefits outweigh the possible disadvantages. This is the official position of the government and the European Society for Echocardiography."

That's what it says literally, so I wouldn't worry too much, Katie!!
Take care XXX

I had 3 ultrasounds during my previous pregnancy. The dating scan at 11 weeks to check how far along I was and whether the baby was in the uterus. We skipped the 20-week scan because I don't want to know whether my child is healthy or not, since they're welcome anyway. Then at 30 weeks we had an ultrasound to check growth and amniotic fluid amount, and at 36 weeks to see if the baby was in a good position for birth and that the placenta wasn't blocking the exit.

I'm pregnant again now and have had my dating scan. We're skipping the 20-week scan again, and I'm curious whether they'll do the 30-week and 36-week scans this time too, since last time they were kind of "trial" scans at the midwife's practice.

They do keep track of growth perfectly by measuring your uterus... And they listen to the heartbeat every time, right? I wouldn't worry too much! And yeah, too many ultrasounds isn't good either, I think... Well, I haven't studied this, so I don't really know what I'm talking about haha

Wishing everyone a happy pregnancy!

hey
gosh, so few ultrasounds? I wouldn't feel at ease about that either. I already had 7 ultrasounds at 21 weeks. I had 2 big ultrasounds because they couldn't see something properly at the heart during the first big ultrasound, the 3 blood vessels I think. After that, I had 4 regular ultrasounds until the last month of the pregnancy when I had to make do with the monitor and could listen to the heartbeat for half an hour each time and check if I had hard bellies.
greetings Liena

Hey Ollivia-Anna and the rest! I get that it sounds a bit weird haha, nowadays the 20wk ultrasound has become so normal that I think most people don't even know you can just refuse it. The reason I don't want a 20wk ultrasound is because halfway through the process they check if everything is progressing well. So much can still change after the 20wk ultrasound!! I also know several stories of women who heard at the 20wk ultrasound that something was wrong with their baby, then spent 20 weeks worrying about how things would be after birth, and when the baby was finally born, it turned out to be hardly anything at all...
There's also a story of a woman who was told at the ultrasound that everything was fine, and when the baby was born, it turned out to have a major heart defect. They always say: a 20wk ultrasound is no guarantee for a healthy baby!!
So my opinion is that I'd be fooling myself if I went to check halfway through the growth process whether everything is growing normally. Because even when you look at kids:
One learns to walk faster, another learns to talk faster... Every development is so different

Besides, I'm also a bit old-fashioned In the past, most of the time things went well too, and back then they didn't even have ultrasounds! And nowadays you're so quick to get to the hospital if something goes wrong! I have faith in that!
So conclusion: (hahaha what a long story ) I'd rather be 40wk pregnant without worries, than worry about a baby that might have a defect at 20wk and be perfectly healthy at 40wk!

Furthermore, I believe everyone should do what feels right for them!

Have a nice pregnancy everyone!

Hi Tineke.
I read your long story and I completely understand!!!
And old-fashioned, I totally get that!!!
Actually, I think an ultrasound is an invasion of the little one's privacy.

I'm going to be very tough on myself during my delivery too! Let everything happen as naturally as possible and only intervene if it's really necessary..

Women are way too spoiled these days, I think!!

I’ve had 6 so far and I’m not even 20 weeks yet. The upside is that I’m at the hospital and with the midwife. But yeah, they want to keep a close eye on me because I barely made it through my first birth. So I hope this one goes well, but the chance is very slim.

I'm just going for the 20-week ultrasound to see our little one again
I think it's super nice to document the growth in a photo book from the start.
We got pregnant through IUI, and even those things are going in the book

Two ultrasounds is normal; they monitor growth by feeling. And if there's any doubt, you'll get an extra ultrasound. Of course, you can always have an extra ultrasound done, but you'd have to pay for that yourself.

Here in Belgium I can go every 4 weeks... And it's something to look forward to... I would think it's too long to wait if I were you... Although that's the custom here and we're kind of spoiled...

It varies from one OB-GYN to another, and from situation to situation. With my daughter I had 3 ultrasounds, with my son 5, and now I'm 16 weeks pregnant and already had 4. Next week I'm getting another one. With this OB-GYN I'll definitely get an ultrasound each time because the placenta is very low and they want to monitor it closely anyway.