3 min read · A simple guide to your early pregnancy ultrasound
For many parents, the 12-week scan is the first time pregnancy changes from something you know into something you can actually see.
A tiny profile. A moving hand. A little body on the screen.
The appointment is often called a dating scan and commonly takes place somewhere around 10 to 14 weeks, depending on your healthcare system and individual pregnancy.
What is the 12-week scan for?
The scan can help your healthcare team:
- estimate how many weeks pregnant you are;
- calculate or refine your estimated due date;
- check whether you are expecting one baby or more;
- look at your baby's early development;
- take measurements appropriate for this stage of pregnancy.
Depending on where you live and the screening choices available to you, this appointment may also form part of first-trimester chromosomal screening.
What might you see?
At around 12 weeks, your baby has a recognisable head and body, while arms and legs are clearly developing.
You may see small movements on the screen even though you cannot feel them yet.
The exact image depends on your baby's position, gestational age, the equipment being used and many other factors, so try not to compare your scan photograph with someone else's.
Will you hear the heartbeat?
The scan can show cardiac activity, but whether sound is used during the appointment depends on the clinical setting and local practice.
The purpose of the scan is medical assessment, even though seeing your baby for the first time can make it an unforgettable emotional milestone too.
Can you find out the baby's sex?
Usually, this is too early for a reliable answer during a routine 12-week scan.
External sex characteristics are developing, but sex is generally assessed later in pregnancy if parents wish to know and if local healthcare practice allows it.
Before your appointment
Follow the instructions provided by your clinic. Preparation can differ between healthcare providers, including whether you are asked to arrive with a full bladder.
Write down anything you want to ask before you go. Scan appointments can feel emotional and it is surprisingly easy to forget a question once the image appears on the screen.
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Frequently asked questions
When is the 12-week scan usually done?
It commonly takes place around 10 to 14 weeks, although timing varies between healthcare systems and individual pregnancies.
Why is it called a dating scan?
Measurements taken during the ultrasound help estimate gestational age and refine your estimated due date.
Can the scan show twins?
Yes. One purpose of an early ultrasound can be to determine whether there is more than one baby.
Can you tell the baby's sex at the 12-week scan?
Usually not reliably. This is generally easier later in pregnancy.
The Owloo approach
You may leave the appointment with only a small black-and-white image.
But for many families, it becomes the first photograph that truly feels like them.
One little picture. A very big moment.
Written by Tina Krapez, Owloo Co-founder & COO
Tina Krapez is the Co-founder and COO of Owloo, where she helps create thoughtful products and educational resources for families from pregnancy through their baby's earliest development.
Sources and further reading
