Finding out the gender of your baby is an exciting moment, and in recent years, having a gender reveal party to announce the sex of your baby has become increasingly popular. If you’re expecting and are looking for unique and exciting ways to announce the sex of your baby, you’re in the right place!
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Expectant parents are often very keen to discover the gender of their unborn baby, and understandably so - knowing the gender is one of those things that really helps you to feel closer to your little bundle of joy. The people who come to our clinics for
gender scans frequently tell us that the baby seems a lot more 'real' to them once our sonographer has revealed whether it's a boy or a girl, and besides, finding out the sex is a nice little milestone to get excited for when the birth itself still seems a long way off.
With all of that in mind, it's easy to see why mums-to-be and dads-in-waiting might want to attend a gender scan as soon as possible. However, attend a gender scan too early in your pregnancy and it may be impossible to accurately identify the gender - a foetus doesn't develop sexual characteristics until a few weeks in, and nothing conclusive will actually be visible on an ultrasound scan until a little while after that.
What's the earliest I can have a gender scan?
Here at First Encounters Ultrasound we don't offer any gender confirmation scans before 16 weeks gestation. Other scan providers may offer slightly earlier scans, but we would strongly recommend that you do not attend a baby gender scan until at least the 16-week mark. Any earlier, and your baby probably won't have developed sufficiently for accurate gender identification.
Is it worth waiting a little longer?
While we're happy to provide gender scans from 16 weeks onwards, it's worth bearing in mind that not all babies develop at the same speed. Very occasionally, someone will come in for gender confirmation at 16 weeks and the sonographer still won't be able to find positive visual confirmation of the baby's sex. In these cases, we'll usually offer a complimentary re-scan at a later date (we'll never guess the gender if we're not confident in our prediction!) but to avoid disappointment, you may wish to wait an extra few days just to make sure that your baby has developed to the point where we're able to identify the gender.
If you're located in Bristol or the surrounding area and you're looking for the best gender scan experience available, look no further than the First Encounters clinic in Bristol. Our state-of-the-art facility allows you to discover your baby's gender in a spacious, relaxed environment, providing room for up to six guests who may want to share this special experience with you.
There are a variety of gender scan options available at our Bristol clinic - here's a quick run-down:
This gender scan is available from 18 weeks, allowing you to view live 2D footage in our comfortable surroundings with up to six guests. The sonographer will also perform a visual heartbeat and movement check, and will produce two black and white photographs to serve as souvenirs the experience.
This package allows you to discover the gender of your baby from 16 weeks, combined with the growth and wellbeing checks of the
reAssure™ scan. As well as capturing 2D images of your baby, we will also endeavour to offer a 4D Glimpse™ of your baby.
This package provides you with all the services offered in the genderAssure™ scan (see above), with the addition of DVD footage and a bespoke
First Encounters Heartbeat Bear.
This scan package allows you to discover the sex of your baby from 20 weeks, and is combined with the benefits of the
reAssure™ and Taster4D™ packages for the ultimate gender scan experience.
To find out more about the range of scans on offer at our Bristol clinic, please
click here. Alternatively, feel free to
contact us for more information.
As you're probably aware, we offer a variety of different baby gender scans here at First Encounters Ultrasound.
Countless parents have visited our clinics in the hope of discovering their unborn baby's gender - some do it so that they can decide on an appropriate name, while others ask to learn the gender in advance because they simply can't wait for the birth!
If you're thinking of getting a gender scan, you may well be wondering how accurate gender scans are, and how sure the sonographer will be when he or she reveals the gender of your unborn child.
How accurate are baby gender scans?
The answer is 'very accurate indeed', at least as far as we're concerned! Our sonographers are extremely well-trained and generally won't state the sex of the baby unless they're absolutely certain of your baby's gender.
To allow for an accurate gender confirmation, the baby's sex organs must be: a) reasonably fully-formed, and b) visible on the ultrasound scan. Our baby gender scans are available from 16 weeks onwards; we cannot confirm gender before this point for the simple reason that, generally speaking, genitalia are not visibly formed until around the 16-week mark!
Once you've reached 16 weeks gestation, our ability to predict your child's gender depends on their position inside the womb. Every so often, an expectant mother will come in for a gender scan only to find that her little one is resting in a position that makes it difficult for us to get an accurate idea of their sex. On these occasions, we ask the mother to take a brief stroll so as to get the foetus moving; we will then re-commence the gender scan, hopefully with more success.
What if we're unable to confirm your baby's gender?
It's a very rare occurrence, but if we can't tell what sex your baby is even after you've been for a walk, we will happily offer you a complimentary re-scan on a date that suits you. As previously mentioned, we will NEVER 'just guess' your baby's sex; if your gender scan proves inconclusive, you will be told as much by your sonographer. We have a reputation to uphold here at First Encounters Ultrasound, and so we will only ever tell you what we see on the scan - nothing more, nothing less.
Any other questions? Get in touch with a member of the First Encounters Ultrasound team today!
Want to find out the gender of your unborn child? No problem! When it comes to gender scans, our sonographers are vastly experienced and highly skilled - we can accurately predict sex from 16 weeks gestation
However, there's a decision that you'll need to make before you visit the First Encounters clinic: which of our baby gender scan packages best suits your needs? Here's a quick guide to our gender confirmation scans:
2D wellbeing scan with gender confirmation // 16-32 weeks
Includes:
- Diagnostic ultrasound scan
- Wellbeing observation report
- Gender reveal scratch card
- photocloud™ digital download of all 2D scan imagery
Book now >
2D growth, reassurance and wellbeing scan with gender confirmation // 16-32 weeks
Includes:
- Diagnostic ultrasound scan
- growthAssure Report
- Gender reveal scratch card
- photocloud™ digital download of all 2D scan imagery
Book now >
Still not sure which of our gender scan packages will suit you best? Give us a call on 02920 732671 or contact us online to discuss your options with a member of the First Encounters team!
Read More: Should I Find Out the Sex of My Baby?
