Can you imagine going in for your 20-week ultrasound, so excited to see your baby, and finding out that your baby is actually BABIES? It doesn’t happen often but sometimes that second baby goes undetected in early pregnancy. Many women report seeing twins at the 8-week ultrasound, or even earlier, but see what twin moms had to say about finding out it was twins at a later ultrasound.
A MoM-to-be recently asked about a twin ultrasound:
“Did anyone have an ultrasound at 12 weeks and they missed one of your twins?” twin ul5 weeks
Here’s what our Twiniversity community had to say:
- I had my first sonogram at 11 weeks and the doctor didn’t catch the other baby. The ultrasound tech was the one who told me I was having twins at 22 weeks. I changed doctors as soon as we got out of that appointment. ∼ NO
- “I had a scan at 9 weeks, only saw one baby. Then at 14 weeks, one baby again. At 18 weeks we were scheduled to find out the sex of the ONE baby. I had a room full of my hubby, mom, and MIL and then the nurse went to another computer to check something…My heart sank. My mind went to the worst news possible. The tech came back saw my tears and said, “Oh honey, you have no clue that you’re having TWO babies do you?” There were smiles, screams, and crying by all! I was shocked!” ∼ EU
- I had the first scan at 10 weeks and the doctor didn’t see the second baby, but I did! Being my third pregnancy I think I’m pretty good at making out what is what and I told him there was another baby below and to scan down. He did with a smile and then was shocked. I was right. ∼ CM
- Didn’t know until we were 20 Weeks along. My doctors had done 2 ultrasounds and 3 heartbeat checks before then (at 6, 10, and 12 weeks)! We had done IVF so my hormone levels were even being checked. ∼ MHV twin ultrasound 5 weeks
Finding out you’re having twins at a later ultrasound
- Yes! We had an ultrasound at 8 weeks and then again at 20 weeks, 6 days. That’s when we found out about our “hidden” twin! Had many heart rate checks in between the two ultrasounds and our con artist stayed cleverly hidden. ∼ BLB
- “Sonogram at ten weeks, my very skilled and reliable OB said “just one!” All the routine checkups didn’t give any reason for doubt (like 2 heartbeats). Went in for a gender sonogram at 20 weeks and the tech looked at us and said, “Did y’all know you’re having two?” With two older kids, that was the shock of my life! Even the best doctors don’t always know.” ∼ MF t
- Found out about the twins at the 12-week ultrasound, which was our 3rd ultrasound! Only one baby in all the previous ones –roamcreativeplay
- “When I went in for my first appointment at 12 weeks they measured and found 1 heartbeat. I asked for them to check for a second because I had been able to feel my uterus for like a month. I had been telling my husband…how I believed it was twins but he just laughed it off. The nurse said I was measuring bigger than I should so I got a scan that day. My husband looked like he was gonna pass out.” ∼ SH
If you just heard that second heartbeat for the first time, or you know it’s been two for a while, you need to read our twin pregnancy week by week timeline to help you learn what happens week by week with twins. Click here to learn more… and while you’re at it, check out our expecting twins classes and twin parent coaching services.
What, I’m having twins?
- “At 10 weeks the ultrasound tech almost didn’t see our 2nd baby! She was nearly done with measurements and double-checking something when she suddenly announced that she was going to start over to be sure she was measuring the right baby each time! We were confused… for a moment and then shocked when she said there were two. It made me wonder how many times a twin isn’t known until much later.” ∼ SBM
- Had my first ultrasound at 6.5 weeks. The tech said she was SURE it was just one baby. (I had asked if it was twins) 4 weeks later same tech does the scan and I think she was more shocked than I was that there were 2 babies on the screen! ∼ AP
- At 9 week ultrasound, they saw one. At the 19-week ultrasound, we found out it was twins. ∼ FDG twin
- Ultrasound at 6 weeks only 1 baby… 16 weeks 2 babies. ∼ DGW
- 8 weeks, one baby and 12 weeks two babies –kelleyella
- 8-week ultrasound – one baby, 12 weeks – one baby. Anatomy scan at 20 weeks! OH, are you excited about twins?!?! I went into absolute shock! ∼ LM
- 7-week ultrasound only saw one baby (ultrasound done both abdominal and vaginal). Routine 20-week appt surprise with twins. ∼ HE t
- Missed mine at 10ish week. Didn’t find the twins until 20-week ultrasound. –ashleyredingerwin
Was your twin ultrasound a shocker?
- Yes! At my 20-week scan, they found I was having twins! –ginamarie_quinn
- I only found out while giving birth. Nurses as well. The 1 nurse was so shocked because when I was in labor and checked the heartbeat, she only heard 1 heartbeat. She was shocked out of her mind. Imagine how I felt. ∼ CVDR
- OMG YES!!! I found out at my 20-week scan!!! –cabatantwins
- “I was 8 weeks along and went in for bleeding. Doctor said it was an SCH. At 12 weeks it turned out not to be SCH, but a 2nd baby”. ∼ KD
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- “Found out at 18 weeks because of a positive blood test for spina bifida. Turns out it was an extra baby making the blood test go wrong.” ∼ MK
- Found my twin at 13 weeks when I went for my first OB appointment. I had 4 scans before that with the IVF dr. Never saw baby B. ∼ DBL
- I had a scan at 7 weeks and 16 weeks and they missed twins….I was 22 weeks when I found out! ∼ CA
- We didn’t find out until Week 21. They missed my Baby B two times prior to that. ∼ MA
- We didn’t find out until 5 months. I kept telling them I felt a kick on my left side…and they said no the baby is sitting on the right side. Haha well.. we both were right. –taramesserli
- Yes! We didn’t find out until we were at 14 weeks –0h_my__g0shhh
- We did IVF and implanted one embry. My last ultrasound with the IVF clinic was at 8/9 weeks, and still only one baby. At my first OB visit at 11 weeks, there was his twin. Never felt so blessed and terrified at the same time. –michy104
- Was told it was only one baby. I found out it was twins at 19 weeks. –betsybubbles
- I was 13 weeks at my sequential screening. I’d had an 8 and 12-week appt w/o them finding my boys. And then I lay down and the lab tech tells me “oh I didn’t know there were two in there! Your paperwork didn’t say anything.” I almost fell out of the chair lol. –meajanerin
Did You Find out you were having Triplets at a Later Ultrasound?
- I had a scan at 10 weeks and was told it was twins. Then a trainee scanned me at 19 weeks and found out it was triplets. ∼ MJ
- At 9 weeks I was told I was having 1… found out via blood work the # of chromosomes was off. I was actually pregnant with triplets! Found the 3 on ultrasound at 11 weeks. All along I knew something was not right! –mrs.tywilly
- They missed one of my triplets! There is a reel telling the whole story on my page. –_thefranksfamily
Can twins not show up on an ultrasound?
Let’s put it this way, nothing is truly impossible. It is highly unlikely that twins might go undetected. But, as you can see, it is certainly possible that you might have another little surprise in there and find out at a later ultrasound. It is not uncommon to have a hidden twin in an ultrasound at 9 weeks.
Do twins take longer to show up on ultrasound?
Again, it is rare but possible to experience a “hidden twin” during your pregnancy. Mostly, the imaging available nowadays will pick up a second baby pretty early on, but a twin can be overlooked, especially if your provider isn’t looking for a twin at first glance.
Got twins? Us too! The Twiniversity Podcast with Natalie Diaz was created BY parents of twins FOR parents of twins, from your pregnancy days through your twin’s teenage years, this podcast covers it all. It’s all about parenting twins, offering plenty of strategies for making life better, parenting hacks, and of course, humor. We are laughing WITH you every step of the way.
How late can twins be detected?
Twins will almost always be detected by your 20th week. It is unlikely you will even have to wait that long but it can (and has) happened to many of our twin moms in our community. Beyond the 20 week mark, it is incredibly unlikely. But if you feel you are bigger than you should be or that something isn’t quite what you expected during your pregnancy, bring it up to your doctor.
Can you tell if you are pregnant with twins before a twin ultrasound?
There is no way to tell if you are having twins before an ultrasound. Some people swear that their hCG count is significantly higher than a singleton pregnancy, but this isn’t reliable since every woman and every pregnancy is different.
Other women swear they are more tired or nauseous than they should be and that must mean twins. It could be. But you just have to wait and find out at your ultrasound for sure.
