Urban Legend Ultrasound: It's a Girl! Oops! No, It's a Boy!

The issue here is that the performance of ultrasound (sonography) is largely unregulated and, unfortunately, there are far too many people out there doing scans that have inadequate training and experience.

As an ultrasound professional with 25+ years of experience my recommendation to all people who are scheduling their ultrasound exams (both OB as well as all other types of scans) is to inquire as to whether the laboratory is ACCREDITED and/or if the person who will be doing the scan is CREDENTIALLED by the AMERICAN REGISTRY FOR DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY (ARDMS). If the answer is "no" seek another service provider!

How crazy! Well, hey, as long as baby is healthy, who cares, right? We bought gender neutral clothing and toys and only a blanket and dress for a girl. Just in case.

I have one better! I was told I was having one baby and now have 4 month old identical twin girls! Even the doppler only picked up 1 heartbeat and i gained 20 pounds total. We found out may 26 and I had them June 1st. Happy perfect healthy little girls weighing almost 6lbs each at birth.

I had FIVE different techs tell me I was having a girl in 1991. My friends threw me a 'girl clothes' shower...had to return everything! I know ultrasound technology has come a long way from then though!

My best friend went through that! They told her it was a boy at the ultrasound. They already had a boy, so they were excited---they already had all the stuff! Then in the delivery room, a girl popped out. She and her husband looked at each other, mouths gaping, for a solid two minutes. Then my friend burst into tears and said, "I don't have anything for her to wear!" lol She's pregnant again, and this one is supposed to be a boy. I guess we'll see about that!

I had the same thing happen too. In 1998 I was pregnant with my first child. I had an ultrasound and was told, "well, we can't really see, but we think it's a girl". So, a month later I paid $200 for another ultrasound (insurance only paid for the first one) and was so excited when they said "It's a girl!" I didn't go paint rooms pink but I did purchase a lot of pretty pink clothes. I had a c-section and the doctor pulls out the baby and says, "It's a BOY?!?!" I remember saying "A boy?" before I fell asleep again. I woke a few minutes later and asked the anesthesiologist, "Did he say I had a boy?"

I had ultrasounds with my others, but never really trusted them either....lol

Yeah, I am that legend too. My second daughter was a delivery room surprise. After two US's of a FOR SURE BOY. heh.

Funny, I didn't believe them so much when they said boy with my next child. Although he was a boy.