What to Expect at the 14-Week Ultrasound Appointment

Your 40 or so weeks of pregnancy will have a lot of prenatal appointments in store for you—more if you’re high-risk. Sprinkled throughout these appointments, you’re likely to have a few pregnancy ultrasounds to see what your little one’s up to and how they’re developing. If you’re approaching the early weeks of your second trimester, you may be wondering whether or not to expect an ultrasound at 14 weeks. The short answer: It depends. Ahead, read why your provider might order a 14-week ultrasound, and what you can expect to see on screen.

Do You Get an Ultrasound at 14 Weeks?

Once you’ve reached 14 weeks of pregnancy, you’ve likely already had at least one ultrasound, if not two. “For an uncomplicated pregnancy, there’s usually an ultrasound in the first trimester,” says Julia Timofeev, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn and maternal-fetal medicine specialist in Washington, DC. She says this ultrasound usually happens around 11 to 13 weeks, and it’s used to assess fetal growth and confirm baby’s due date.

Pregnant women typically also have the option to have a nuchal translucency scan between weeks 11 and 13, which includes an ultrasound. While this scan is typically performed within the 11- to 13-week window, some providers will also perform it at 14 weeks, which would mean getting an ultrasound at this stage.

Another reason someone may get an ultrasound at their 14-week appointment is if they weren’t able to be seen during their first trimester and they’re behind on their prenatal care. Otherwise, getting a 14-week ultrasound isn’t usually part of the standard schedule for an uncomplicated pregnancy.

According to Katherine R. Goetzinger, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn and maternal-fetal medicine specialist in Baltimore, Maryland, after the first trimester and/or nuchal translucency scan ultrasounds, the second ultrasound is most often the anatomy scan, performed between 18 to 20 weeks of gestation. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends at least one ultrasound during pregnancy, typically the anatomy scan.

Why You Might Need an Ultrasound at 14 Weeks

While a 14-week ultrasound isn’t standard, there are certain reasons your provider may recommend it. “An expectant patient’s ultrasound schedule is determined based on their personal medical history and past obstetrical history, as well as the expectant couple’s family history, including any risks for congenital defects or genetic conditions,” says Alice Cootauco, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn and maternal-fetal medicine specialist in Baltimore, Maryland.

Some reasons Cootauco says your provider might recommend an ultrasound at 14 weeks may include:

• To screen for congenital anomalies in a patient with increased risk
• To screen for chromosomal defects, potentially as part of an aneuploidy screening (which may include a nuchal translucency scan)
• To detect chromosomal or genetic abnormalities with chorionic villus sampling (CVS) (typically due to abnormal aneuploidy screening or if the fetus is at risk for an inherited genetic condition)
• To better pinpoint baby’s gestational age if the date of your last menstrual period is unknown, or if there’s a discrepancy between your uterine size and baby’s due date
• To confirm the presence of twins or multiples, especially if your uterine size doesn’t match with the suspected due date

Timofeev notes that an ultrasound at 14 weeks may be performed as a follow-up to a first-trimester scan with concerning findings, such as “to reassess fetal heart rate in cases of early pregnancy bleeding, or to follow up on interim fetal growth.”

What Happens at the 14-Week Ultrasound?

If you’re having an ultrasound at 14 weeks, it will most likely be transabdominal, meaning your provider will put some gel on your belly (which may feel cold) and then spread it around with the handheld transducer to get a look at baby. In some cases, however, you may end up having a transvaginal ultrasound, where the transducer is wand-shaped and inserted vaginally. “The approach depends on the specific reason the ultrasound is being performed, as in some cases it may be difficult to visualize pregnancy clearly on transabdominal ultrasound,” explains Timofeev.

Either way, your provider will be able to get a look at baby, and you’ll get to watch as they move the transducer around to get different views. You might see your little one moving around during the scan, and you’ll be able to see a profile that looks like a baby (unlike during an early first-trimester scan, when they still looked like a peanut).

During the scan, your provider will freeze the video periodically to take measurements of baby and your uterus. Most of the time, your provider will also freeze the video when they have a really good image of baby so that they can print the image for you to take home.

What Can You See at the 14-Week Ultrasound?

By the time you’ve reached 14 weeks pregnant, baby can wiggle their fingers and toes, move their head from side to side, suck their thumb and make facial expressions. At a 14-week ultrasound, Timofeev says providers can also see whether you’re having twins or multiples, though this will likely have been detected earlier. Baby’s sex may also be visible, although she notes that any ultrasound-based sex determination isn’t as accurate as it will be during your anatomy scan later on.

Additionally, Goetzinger says most of baby’s organ systems are formed by 14 weeks, and providers can usually “identify major malformations, such as heart defects or brain abnormalities.” Cootauco further explains, “In general, 50 to 70 percent of major congenital anomalies [and] approximately 90 percent of lethal anomalies can be detected before 14 weeks.”

14-week ultrasound pictures

If you find yourself getting an ultrasound at 14 weeks, chances are high that you’ll get to go home with some pictures of your little one. Even better, baby will have an identifiable profile, so it’ll look like a real infant, not just an oddly shaped dark spot. Here’s an example of an ultrasound photo at 14 weeks.

To Sum It Up

In most low-risk, uncomplicated pregnancies, a 14-week isn’t standard, so if you’re all caught up on appointments at this point, you can expect your next scan to come between 18 and 20 weeks. However, every pregnancy is different, so if your doctor recommends a scan at 14 weeks, it’s best to follow their guidance.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.