Can doctors misidentify the gender of a baby during an ultrasound scan?

Question

Is it possible for doctors to consistently misidentify the gender of a baby on an ultrasound scan, leading to a different gender at birth?

Answer 1

Ultrasound gender guesses aren’t 100% foolproof, but they’re generally more right than wrong. The tech has to get a clear look at the baby’s bits, and sometimes the cord, little fingers or legs can get in the way. I’ve heard of the odd surprise where a couple was told boy and out popped a girl or vice versa, but those are pretty rare and usually from scans done very early or with an inexperienced tech. By the third trimester, if they’ve had a good view a few times, chances are they’ve got it right. Most of the old wives’ tales and symptoms we cling to aren’t based on any science. At the end of the day, the only way to know with 100% certainty is when you meet your little one on delivery day :)