Can I find out the gender of my baby?
If you want to find out the gender of your baby, you usually can during your second routine ultrasound scan (sonogram).
Gender scan is done when you are around 16 to 21 weeks pregnant, and its main purpose is to check for some physical abnormalities in the baby.
If you want to know your baby’s gender, you should ask the sonographer (the person who carries out the scan) at the start of the scan, so they know that they need to check.
This is not an exact science and the sonographer will not be able to be 100% certain about your baby’s gender. For example, if your baby is lying in an awkward position or moving around a lot, it may be difficult or impossible to tell whether your baby is male or female.
Some parents might be able to find out the gender of their baby if they choose to test for certain genetic abnormalities, such as Down’s syndrome.
Some hospitals may have a policy of not telling parents the gender of their baby. If your hospital does not routinely inform parents about their baby’s gender and you would still like to find out, you may be able to pay privately at Private Ultrasound Scan for a gender scan to find out.