Any reasons I really need an anatomy scan?

Question

Hi everyone,
I’m 19 weeks and have my anatomy scan scheduled for Friday. I already know our baby is a girl and I’ve had 3 ultrasounds so far (private gender scan and two quick ones when they couldn’t find a heartbeat on dopler). I will not be terminating this pregnancy unless the doctors told me she had a condition that meant she could not live outside the womb. This is my second child and I had a completely uneventful pregnancy and delivery the first time, 1.5 years ago.
Due to the coronavirus, I am strongly considering canceling the anatomy scan. If my baby has Down syndrome, i may not find out until birth, but I think this is an acceptable risk to minimize my chances of contracting the virus, and to keep my young child and older mother that lives with me safe. And our currently-in-my-uterus daughter.
Does anyone know downsides to this? Obviously I will be speaking to my OB’s office about it tomorrow but I’d like to have time to think about possible issues. 
I’m in Central Florida. There aren’t that many confirmed cases yet, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take precautions.

Answer

This is probably one of the most important appointments, so I wouldn’t miss it. I just had mine, and my doctors office was excellent. Only one patient in the office at a time, nobody in the waiting room, completely hands off (except for the ultrasound on my belly), and everyone kept their space so nobody was too close. I made sure to use a paper towel or my sleeve when opening doors, and didn’t touch anything or my face at all. The second I left I used hand sanitizer on my hands/arms, and also cleaned my steering wheel after. My doctor said this appointment and the glucose test are ones not to miss. I will probably skip the others.

Answer

This is an important appointment. Our friends found out their daughter has spins bifida at their anatomy scan and they ended up spending the rest of her pregnancy across the country and she had a surgery on her daughter while in utero. Because of that diagnosis and surgery, their daughter is now a smart, active four year old. Not having the surgery would have meant her likely not walking and having cognitive issues.

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This is the appt where they would tell you if she has a constitution not compatible with life....you literally contradict yourself in your very post. If anythjng, is go to the anatomy scan and not your normal bogus OB appts where they listen to the Doppler and ask if u have any questions.

Answer

I feel like if you were to get any ultrasound it should be the anatomy scan. It tells you way more than just down syndrome. 
There can be numerous things that can change or hinder birth such as a placenta previa, etc. that they need to know. 
It’s ultimately your choice in the end. Times are weird and I understand the social distancing, but I feel like they would encourage you to get this scan.

Answer

I just had my anatomy scan even though I know the gender because they do a lot more than check gender. They do many measurements like of baby’s brain, body, kidneys etc. they do an extensive scan, it takes about 15-20 min and on the plus side you get to see your baby for a long time☺️ My doctors office is having very few ppl in the office at one time and taking proper precautions. I felt totally safe. Maybe you can call with your concerns and see what they say. Good luck!

Answer

It's the most important appointment in the entire pregnancy. I have mine scheduled next week and I will go, no matter what. I have a 1 year old so I understand the risks but I cannot stress how important this appointment is.
My sister found out her daughter has a congenital heart malformation with a 50% chance of a trisomy, at the anatomy scan, with absolutely no previous signs. This is when almost all organs, including the heart, are formed well enough to tell. If she hadn't found out, my 17 months old niece wouldn't be alive today, as she needed a surgery as soon as possible after birth. Some even need them the day of birth and you can't tell unless a cardiologist comes to all your scans and when you give birth. So many children died because their parents never managed to get to a doctor in time.
This is only an example - even if we're talking about Down, Spina Bifida or other problems, some issues can even be fixed in utero, and if not, it's a lot better to get ready, financially and woth support groups, in case of something.
I'm not saying your baby or mine will have something, but I just can't take this chance and I wouldn't forgive myself if something was preventable and I didn't do anything about it..

Answer

It’s more so to be prepared Incase there is something to be aware of. So when you have the baby they are prepared if they know a certain thing was wrong or underdeveloped.

Answer

My doctors office didn’t really seem to understand my concerns. They said I could cancel it and reschedule later like in two weeks. It was an unproductive conversation. They also told me they were limiting the number of people. But by “limiting” they meant requesting no more than one or two guests, but doing nothing if people brought more. There were full families in the waiting room. It was pretty awful. The ultrasound tech is really scared herself, and the scan was quick and very little was said. She said nothing was wrong with my baby, which I am grateful for, but she also said she would have told me to follow up with the doctor if she had seen anything concerning when we did our previous ultrasound a few weeks ago. 
If I could do this over again, I would have stuck to my guns and stayed away. I pegged the doctors office’s level of concern for this virus pretty well. 
I understand a lot of people may disagree with that- you are entitled to your positions. I think there’s room for people to disagree when they are weighing tough options. 
One of my best friends is a doctor and she said she would skip (the scan). She’s unfortunately in the trenches in Louisiana and her colleagues and friends are getting sick and dying from Covid-19. 
Thankfully, my exposure has been minimal and I am really incredibly thankful for the ability I do have to isolate and keep my family safe.

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Finding out the sex is not the purpose of the anatomy scan. Incredibly important.

Answer

I am looking into the spina Bifida issue, thanks for the information. My doctors office did not seem phased that I canceled, but I asked them to request my midwife call me to discuss. The ultrasound tech who does the scan did my private scan four weeks ago, and she showed me the brain hemispheres and the heart. I read Spina Bifida is harder to see earlier, so that’s definitely a big downside to skipping. I wonder if they are still performing surgeries like that right now. Hopefully my midwife calls me tomorrow and I can discuss.
I am also going to cancel the regular prenatal appointments, not just the scan. I wish I could say my doctors office was incredibly proactive and sanitary, it’s just not. Neither is the hospital in my backwater town. Many people here are not taking the virus seriously and it may be different in a few weeks or months.

Any reasons I really need an anatomy scan?

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