I have my anomaly scan next week and I have no idea what to expect. What exactly are they checking?
The 20-week anatomy scan (also called the anomaly or TIFFA scan) checks: brain structure, face and lips for cleft, heart chambers and valves, spine, kidneys, bladder, stomach, limbs, cord insertion, placenta position and grade, and amniotic fluid level. It takes 30–45 minutes. You'll also be offered gender identification if you want to know.
Drink 2–3 glasses of water an hour before for a better scan window. Also, eat something beforehand because a fed baby tends to move more and give the sonographer better angles. Sometimes they ask you to walk around or cough to reposition the baby. Don't stress if they ask to repeat a view — that's completely routine.
Pro tip: ask the sonographer to explain each thing they're checking in real time. They're usually happy to narrate, and it makes the experience so much less anxious than lying there watching them note things silently. It's one of the most magical scans of the whole pregnancy!
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