A scan is never just a photo opportunity. Every ultrasound done during pregnancy gives your doctor clinical information used to make decisions. About your delivery plan. About your baby’s nutrition. And in some cases, about the need for immediate care.
Most problems found during pregnancy are manageable when caught early. That’s the entire point of scheduled scans. They’re not checking if everything is fine. They’re making sure nothing is being missed.
Missing a scan or delaying it by a few weeks can shift that window. And for certain conditions, timing matters a great deal.
Key Facts About Pregnancy Scans:
- Several types of pregnancy scans are done at specific weeks, each with a different purpose
- The anomaly scan and growth scan are two of the most important and they are not interchangeable
- Both scans are safe, use no radiation, and cause no harm to mother or baby
- A normal scan result at 20 weeks does not mean everything is fine at 32 weeks
What Is an Anomaly Scan?
The anomaly scan is a detailed ultrasound done between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. It’s also called the Level 2 scan or the 20-week scan.
Its job is structural. The sonographer examines your baby’s body part by part, looking for any physical problem that was not visible earlier when organs were still forming.
This is not a routine size check. It’s a systematic examination of your baby’s anatomy done at the one specific window when most structures are developed enough to be clearly seen.
The scan also checks the placenta’s position, the amniotic fluid level, and sometimes the length of the cervix.
What Is a Growth Scan?
The growth scan is done in the third trimester, typically between 28 and 40 weeks. Unlike the anomaly scan, it’s not looking for structural problems. It’s monitoring development.
By this stage, your baby’s organs are already formed. The growth scan checks whether the baby is gaining weight as expected, whether fluid levels are healthy, and whether blood flow through the umbilical cord is normal.
The simplest way to understand it: the anomaly scan asks ‘Is everything built correctly?’ The growth scan asks ‘Is everything growing as it should?’
For some pregnancies, multiple growth scans are done every two to four weeks. This is especially common when there are any risk factors involved.
Purpose Of Anomaly And Growth Scans:
The difference comes down to purpose and timing. Here’s a clear side-by-side view:
The anomaly scan is done once at a defined window. The growth scan may be repeated multiple times depending on how your pregnancy progresses.
One cannot replace the other. A normal anomaly scan doesn’t tell you your baby is growing well at 32 weeks. And a growth scan at 30 weeks doesn’t cover what the anomaly scan checks at 20 weeks.
What Does the Anomaly Scan Check?
The anomaly scan covers your baby’s body in sections. Each area is examined one by one. Here is what the sonographer is actually looking at:
Baby’s Head and Brain:
- Shape and size of the skull are assessed first
- Brain structures examined including the cerebellum (controls balance), ventricles (fluid spaces in the brain), and the midline
- Screens for hydrocephalus (fluid build-up in the brain) and anencephaly (incomplete brain development)
Face, Spine, and Limbs:
- Spine traced from top to bottom for spina bifida, where the spinal column does not close properly around the spinal cord
- Face checked for cleft lip, though this is not always visible depending on the baby’s position
- All four limbs measured for bone length and normal structure
Chest and Heart:
- Heart’s four chambers are viewed and confirmed
- Position of the heart inside the chest is noted
- Main outflow vessels assessed to screen for major cardiac defects
Abdomen and Organs:
- A visible, fluid-filled stomach means the baby is swallowing amniotic fluid normally, which is a reassuring sign
- Kidneys and bladder checked individually for size and structure
- Abdominal wall examined to rule out gastroschisis, where intestines develop outside the body through a gap in the wall
Placenta, Fluid, and Cervix:
- Placenta position recorded to detect placenta previa, where the placenta covers the cervical opening
- Amniotic fluid index (AFI) measured, with normal range between 8 and 18 cm
- Cervical length checked if there is any concern about preterm birth
Pearl Diagnostics offers a detailed Anomaly Scan in Pimple Saudagar at its centre in Shastrinagar, Pimpri, under the supervision of Dr. Sagar Sujanyal.
What Does the Growth Scan Measure?
The growth scan focuses on four main measurements. These are plotted on a growth chart to check if your baby is tracking normally for its age.
- BPD (Biparietal Diameter): the width of your baby’s head
- HC (Head Circumference): the full circumference around the head
- AC (Abdominal Circumference): the size of your baby’s belly, which reflects nutritional intake
- FL (Femur Length): the length of the thigh bone
These four measurements are combined to estimate the baby’s weight, called the Estimated Fetal Weight (EFW). This helps your doctor identify if the baby is growing too slowly (a condition called IUGR or intrauterine growth restriction) or too fast (macrosomia).
The scan also includes a Colour Doppler study that measures blood flow through the umbilical artery. Abnormal flow patterns can be an early sign that the baby is not receiving adequate nutrition through the placenta.
At Pearl Diagnostics, the Colour Doppler Test is available as part of the growth scan. This is especially important for pregnancies where blood flow monitoring is required.
What If the Scan Shows a Concern?
A concern on a scan is not automatically a diagnosis. It’s a finding that needs follow-up. Your doctor will decide the next step based on what was seen.
- Repeat the scan in two to four weeks to check for any change
- Refer to a fetal medicine specialist for a more detailed assessment
- Order a Fetal Echo if a cardiac issue is suspected
- Arrange additional blood tests or genetic testing if chromosomal concerns are flagged
Sonographers are trained to be thorough. Sometimes what looks concerning on one scan resolves completely on the next. Soft markers, for example, are findings that appear occasionally but often have no clinical significance at all.
Don’t panic if you’re called back for a repeat scan. It’s standard practice and does not mean something is definitely wrong.
Why Choose Pearl Diagnostics For Pregnancy Scans In Pimple Saudagar, PCMC?
For pregnancy scans, the quality of the machine and the experience of the reporting radiologist make a real difference. A high-resolution ultrasound machine produces clearer images. And clearer images mean fewer missed findings.
Pearl Diagnostics at Shastrinagar, Pimpri is equipped with advanced ultrasound technology. All scans are performed and reported under the supervision of Dr. Sagar Sujanyal, a qualified and experienced radiologist. Reports are generated accurately and promptly because during pregnancy, waiting for results only adds unnecessary stress.
Services available include Anomaly Scan, Growth Scan, NT Scan, Colour Doppler, Fetal Echo, 3D/4D Ultrasound, and all pregnancy blood tests through the Golwilkar Metropolis partnership.
Looking for a trusted Pregnancy Scan Centre in Pimple Saudagar? Pearl Diagnostics is open Monday to Saturday from 8 AM to 10 PM and Sunday from 8 AM to 2 PM. Call +91-91569 59267 to book your scan.
Frequently Asked Questions:
No scan can detect everything. The anomaly scan checks for major structural abnormalities and identifies around 50 to 70 percent of serious defects. Some conditions, like minor heart defects or chromosomal issues without physical signs, may not be visible on ultrasound alone.
Not at all. The growth scan uses standard ultrasound technology with no radiation involved. Both the mother and baby are completely safe throughout the procedure.
Costs vary by centre and technology used. At Pearl Diagnostics in Pimpri, call +91-91569 59267 for current pricing on anomaly scans, growth scans, and Doppler studies.
Yes. A normal anomaly scan at 20 weeks tells you the baby’s structure is normal at that point. It says nothing about how the baby will grow in the third trimester. Conditions like gestational diabetes and hypertension often appear after the anomaly scan window has closed.
The anomaly scan typically takes 30 to 45 minutes because it’s a detailed examination. A growth scan usually takes 20 to 30 minutes. Both may take longer if the baby is in an awkward position.
Gender detection during medical scans is not permitted in India under the PNDT Act. These scans are clinical examinations used strictly for assessing the baby’s health.
No, a Growth Scan and an Anomaly Scan are not the same. An Anomaly Scan is usually performed around 18–22 weeks of pregnancy to assess the baby’s organs and physical development, while a Growth Scan is typically performed later in pregnancy to monitor the baby’s growth, weight, position, and overall well-being. Both scans play different but important roles in pregnancy monitoring.
