An ultrasound scan is a way for us to check the health of you and your baby. Scans can be used to help plan your pregnancy, delivery and postnatal care.

Ultrasound scans use sound waves to build a picture of the baby in the womb. The scans are painless, have no known side effects on mothers or babies, and can be carried out at any stage of pregnancy.

You will usually be offered at least two ultrasound scans during your pregnancy. The first scan is called the 12-week scan and is where the sonographer estimates when your baby is due, based on the baby's measurements. The second scan at 20 weeks, sometimes called the anomaly or mid-pregnancy scan, will check for 11 physical conditions in your baby.

You may be offered more than two scans, depending on your health and the pregnancy.

Maternity Ultrasound Department: 02476 865 072

If you think you are pregnant, please visit your GP or contact a Community Midwife as soon as possible.

Your first appointment with a midwife should happen before you’re 10 weeks pregnant. If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant, you can still refer yourself to George Eliot Hospital (link) to start your pregnancy care as soon as possible.

  • Booking Appointment: You will have your first appointment with your Community Midwife around 8-10 weeks. Your midwife will help you to plan your pregnancy and initiate a few checks and tests to support a healthy pregnancy.  They may also provide you with useful advice and tips to help mum and baby have a healthier pregnancy.
  • Booking Blood Test: You will be offered a blood test at your first appointment with the midwife to check your blood group and antibodies, a full blood count to check for anaemia, we will also check if you have sickle cell and thalassemia, as well as Hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis. Screening Tests Advice

If you are a negative blood group, your midwife will offer you an anti-D injection at around 28 weeks. Rhesus Disease advice.

During the winter months (September - March) we recommend pregnant women have the Flu Vaccine. Please speak to the midwife after your Anomaly scan.

You will be provided with a set of Green Notes, which you will need to bring with you to all of your meetings, and we will record the progress of your pregnancy.

  • Dating Scan: You will be offered a scan at around 11 – 14 weeks of pregnancy, which is called the dating scan. It’s used to see how far along in your pregnancy you are and check your baby’s development. You will receive a letter in the post with details of your scan appointment.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​You will need to have a comfortably full bladder during the scan. We recommend four glasses of water an hour before the scan.

  • Nuchal Translucency Scan: This is offered at the same time as the dating scan. This is in conjunction with a blood test to assess the chance of having a baby with Down Syndrome, Edwards Syndrome and Patau’s syndrome.

Scans are performed by sonographers or midwives trained in ultrasound. They put a cold gel on your tummy and move a small, handheld probe called a transducer over your skin to get a view of your baby. High-frequency sound waves are used to transmit an image of your baby onto a computer screen.

Prior to your scan, if you wish to purchase a scan photo, please pay for this in the scan waiting area. Please note we only accept card payments.

Children under 14 years of age are not allowed to the scan appointments but partners are invited.

  • Anomaly Scan: You will be offered a scan between 18 and 20 weeks of pregnancy which is called an anomaly scan. This is an ultrasound which looks at 11 different conditions in your baby.

Your placenta and the blood flow in your uterus will also be checked.

The confitions this scan checks for signs of are:

  • anencephaly
  • open spina bifida
  • cleft lip and palate
  • diaphragmatic hernia
  • gastroschisis
  • exomphalos
  • serious cardiac abnormalities
  • bilateral renal agenesis
  • severe skeletal dysplasia
  • Edwards' syndrome
  • Patau's syndrome

Some conditions can be seen more clearly than others, so the scan may not find everything. But screening is the best way to find any conditions, and help you and your doctors make the best decisions for you and your baby.

Sometimes the baby’s position may mean you require a second scan to ensure that everything is seen clearly. A second scan doesn’t mean that something is wrong. Some findings may need to be reviewed by a Specialist Consultant and the Screening Midwife will discuss these with you, if one is requested.

During the anomaly scan, we may be able to tell you the sex of the baby if they are in an optimal position. We are, however, unable to repeat the scan just to find out the sex of the baby. The sex of the baby is not recorded and we therefore cannot tell you after the scan is performed if you did not previously want to know. 

We also recommend that women have their whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine. This will be offered after your 20-week scan. 

  • Blood test: At around 28 weeks, you will be offered another blood test to recheck your blood group and antibodies and a full blood count.
  • Other scans: You may be offered further scans in your pregnancy to monitor your baby and this will be discussed with you at the time. 

We also offer Antenatal Education Classes open to all women.

You may want to start thinking about your preferences for birth, planning your route to the hospital and what to pack in your hospital bag.

You can also follow George Eliot Hospital’s Maternity Services on Facebook for all the latest news, updates, and important information from your midwives.

If you had low iron in your pregnancy and your GP prescribed you iron tablets, your midwife may recommend that you have a repeat blood test to check your iron levels.

Yes. If you're coming in for an ultrasound scan, please ensure you have a comfortably full bladder.

This helps us see your baby and will help us get the clearest pictures we can.

We recommend four glasses of water an hour before the scan. Please try not to pee until after your scan.

Yes. We will try to take photos of your baby during the scan. How clear the pictures are can depend on:

  • the position of your baby
  • where your placenta is
  • your body mass index (BMI)
  • how many weeks pregnant you are
  • whether you have wind in your tummy (bowel gas). Most people do have this.

If you wish to purchase any photos following your appointment, you can choose either:

  • One scan photo (£5)
  • Three scan photos (£10)

Please be aware, we can only accept card payment for scan photos and cannot accept cash. The machine to purchase your scan images is located in the waiting area.

Yes. When attending your scan, you are able to bring one other person with you.

They must be over the age of 14 and no children should be attending with you for your scan. This is because an ultrasound is an important medical examination and sensitive information may be discussed with you.

Thank you for your understanding.