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During an early ultrasound, we can see if the baby has settled in the right place in the womb and/or the heart beats. After 5 weeks you can see if an amniotic sac has nested in the womb. After 5,5 weeks the heart starts to beat slowly and at 6 weeks it accelerates to an average of 170 sl/min. This is twice as fast than our heartbeat! After 6 weeks the baby still looks like a small bean, but from 8 weeks on, little arms and legs appear. At 10 weeks you often see the contours of the hands and feet! It is wonderful to see that your miracle is developing so quickly! Within 12 weeks the baby is completely ‘finished’ and it only needs to grow. Usually we make a vaginal ultrasound before the 10 weeks. This is not dangerous for you or the baby. It is nice if you come with an empty bladder because that way we can see the baby better.
AN EARLY ULTRASOUND TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 6 AND 10 WEEKS.
The ultrasound takes about 15 minutes of your time. You will receive at least 2 black/white photos.
DID YOU KNOW?
- You can already have a positive ‘early’ pregnancy test up to 4 days before the expected menstrual date. If you want to know for certain whether the implantation has gone well, wait until the expected menstrual date or test with a ‘normal’ pregnancy test.
- Your child is only 3 millimetres small when the heart starts to beat.

7+3 weeks
During the term ultrasound, we calculate the final calculated date by measuring the baby from head to tail. We always do this according to national guidelines. Often we also see little arms and legs and the child is happily spinning around! We know that all children can grow up to 12 weeks equally and from 10 weeks onwards the baby can be measured best, which is why this is the best time.
A TERM ULTRASOUND TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 10 AND 12 WEEKS.
The ultrasound takes about 15 minutes of your time. You will receive at least 2 black/white photos.
DID YOU KNOW?
- The chance of a miscarriage falls to 0.5% if you have seen a beating heart during the term echo
- That the baby starts moving after 9 weeks – That only 4% of all children are born on the due date
- The baby is completely ‘finished’ with 12 weeks! He or she only needs to grow!
- The yolk sac gives the baby food up to 12 weeks, then the placenta is ready and takes over this function

11+3 weeks
The 13-week ultrasound is a medical examination for physical abnormalities in your child. The 13 week ultrasound is very similar to the 20 week ultrasound. In both examinations, a sonographer uses an ultrasound machine to check whether your child has any physical abnormalities.
For whom?
Every pregnant woman in the Netherlands aged 16 years or older can opt for a 13-week ultrasound.
What does the scientific IMITAS study entail?
In the Netherlands you can only opt for the 13-week ultrasound if you participate in the scientific IMITAS study. This study investigates the advantages and disadvantages of the 13-week ultrasound.
Do you want the 13 week ultrasound? You will be interviewed first
At your first visit, your obstetrician will ask you if you would like to know more about the 13-week ultrasound, the 20-week ultrasound and the NIPT non-invasive prenatal test. You decide whether you want more information and, if so, about which studies. The conversation is called a counseling conversation.
When is the 13 week ultrasound?
You can have the 13-week ultrasound from 12+3 to 14+3 weeks of pregnancy. So from twelve weeks and three days up to and including fourteen weeks and three days of pregnancy.
How is the 13 week ultrasound going?
A sonographer makes an ultrasound of your child by moving an ultrasound head over your abdomen. Making an ultrasound does not hurt and is not dangerous, your child will not feel anything.
How and when will you receive the results?
The sonographer will tell you the results immediately after the ultrasound. In 95 out of 100 pregnancies, the sonographer sees no indication of an abnormality. No further investigation is then necessary.
Need further research?
In about 5 out of 100 pregnant women, the sonographer sees something that could be an abnormality. It is not always clear whether it is indeed an abnormality, how bad the abnormality is and what this means for your child. Did the sonographer see anything abnormal? You can then opt for follow-up research.
Since April 2017, it is also possible to have the anomaly scan made at Echo Eindhoven. This involves looking at structural abnormalities in the baby. Such as: open back, open skull, fracture or hole in the abdominal wall, fracture or gap in the diaphragm, clubfoot, hare lip, absence or deviation of the kidneys, deviations of the arms or legs, abnormal development of the bones and heart defects. We also check whether your child is growing well, whether there is sufficient amniotic fluid and where the placenta is located in relation to the cervix. You can read all information about the anomaly scan on this website.
THE ANOMALY SCAN TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 18 AND 22 WEEKS (PREFERABLY BETWEEN 18 + 3 AND 20 + 3).
The echo takes about 40 minutes of your time. You will receive at least 6 black/white photos.
DID YOU KNOW?
- The baby weighs only 300 grams at 20 weeks. He or she must therefore be 12 times as heavy at the due date
- pregnant mothers who have the placenta on the front wall (belly side) of the uterus, will often feel the baby move later, after 20 weeks. And you do not have to worry about this at all. From 27 weeks on, it is the intention that you feel the baby regularly every day.
If you are not under the control at Lichtstad verloskundigen, but still would like to have the anomaly scan made by me? You can discuss this with your obstetrician/gynecologist.

20 weeks echo
If our midwife wants to check the baby for growth, we can measure the baby by means of a growth ultrasound and give an estimate of the weight. We measure the head, the belly and the upper leg. We also measure whether the baby has sufficient amniotic fluid. We use the measurements in your personal GROW growth curve. The GROW growth curve takes into account your ethnicity, height, weight for pregnancy and the number of pregnancies you have had. This way we can immediately see whether all measurements fall within your personal ‘normal values’. Look for extensive information on this website of our professional organization, the KNOV.
A GROWTH ULTRASOUND TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 24 AND 42 WEEKS
The ultrasound takes about 15 minutes of your time. You will receive at least 2 black/white photos.
DID YOU KNOW
- the weight of the baby can deviate by up to 10% from the estimated weight measured by the ultrasound? An ultrasound therefore provides a relatively good estimate, but it is hardly ever the exact reality! That is why it is so important that your stomach is also measured by the midwife
- it is important to wait at least 2 weeks between 2 growth ultrasounds? This reduces the chance of measuring errors so we can better assess whether the baby follows his personal growth curve well

27+3 weeks
During the location ultrasound, we check whether the baby is lying head down. We also measure the baby and give an estimate of the growth. The head, belly and upper legs are measured. I also measure whether the baby has sufficient amniotic fluid.
A LOCATION ULTRASOUND TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 34 AND 36 WEEKS
The ultrasound takes about 15 minutes of your time. You will receive at least 2 black/white photos.
DID YOU KNOW:
- around 30 weeks 25% of all babies are still in breech presentation. At the time of delivery, only 3-4% of all babies are in this position
- you can let the baby turn from bouncing or transverse to main position? This is called a version. The success rate is 55% for a first child and 80-85% for a subsequent pregnancy
- a transverse position occurs very little, but 0.5% and usually with mothers who have already had multiple children
- Scientific research has shown that moxa therapy (acupuncture) increases the chance that the child spontaneously turns to a head position, from 50% to 75%
For more information go to deverloskundige.nl or watch this video from the Catharina hospital.
![]() Foot position |
![]() Complete breech presentation |
![]() Imperfect breech presentation |
![]() Half imperfect breech presentation |
During a placenta lokalization ultrasound, we measure the distance between the placenta and the exit/cervix. This is done by an internal ultrasound, which is not dangerous for you or the baby. It regularly happens that during the 20 -week ultrasound (SEO/GUO) it is seen that the placenta is still close to the exit/cervix. In almost all cases, the placenta is pulled away at the exit by the growth of the uterus in the second half of pregnancy. At the time of delivery only 0.3 to 0.9% of all placentas are too close to the cervix.
An placenta lokalization takes place between 32 and 36 weeks.
Please come with an ampty bladder!
This ultrasound takes about 15 minutes. You will receive at least 2 black and white photos.
Dit you know?
- the placenta consists of two parts: the childlike and the maternal side. This way, the blood flows from both sides remain separate and there is no contact between the blood of the mother and child
- the blood circulation of the baby goes through the umbilical cord to the placenta and back to the baby. One the way from the placenta to your child, nutrients, oxygen and antibodies are taken along. On the way back, waste and carbon dioxide are removed
- the placenta in addition to feeding and oxygenating your baby, produces the hormones estrogen, progesterone, hCG and HPL

Placenta on the back wall of the uterus
During the kidneys ultrasound we measure the width of pyela (renal calyxes) of both kidneys. It regularly happens that during the 20 weeks ultrasound (SEO/GUO), there is seen that there is ample fluid in one of the calyxes of the kidneys of the baby. This is called pyelectasia. It could indicate a problem with the flow of urine in the kidneys. In almost all cases this disappears spontaneously.
An ultrasound measurement pyela takes place around 32 weeks
The ulrasound takes about 15 minutes. You will receive at least 2 black and white photos.
Did you know:
- the baby drinks his own amniotic fluid and urinates again? For example, the baby is already practicing drinking and the kidneys are already starting to work. But don’t worry the amniotic fluid is changed 20 times a day
During a gynecological ultrasound, we look at a non-pregnant uterus and ovaries. If the midwife of doctor suspects a defect in the uterus or ovaries, he/she can refer you for this ultrasound. We check whether the uterus, fallopian tube and ovaries are the right size and/or that no details are visible. This is done by an internal internal ultrasound.
What may be found are for example: fibroids, polyps, abnormal uterine lining, ovarian cysts.
Do you follow a fertility treatment? During this ultrasound, we also measure all follicles in your ovary and thickness of the endometrium. In consultation with your doctor, we can also make this ultrasound for you.
Please come with an empty bladder!
This ultrasound takes about 15 minutes.
After the spiral has been placed, we immediately check with an ultrasound whether it is in the right location in the uterus. This is done by an internal ultrasound.
Please come with an empty bladder!
This ultrasound takes about 15 minutes.
Did you know?
- The IUD is also called ‘Intra-Uterine Device’ and literally means ‘object in the womb’,
![]() Mirena |
![]() T-safe |

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