First-trimester ultrasound cost in Des Moines, IA — inpatient
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, 4 hospitals list a cash price for pregnancy ultrasound before 14 weeks, through the belly, one baby as an inpatient: from $270.40 to $549.90, with a median of $390.00. The lowest listed price is at Central Iowa Hospital Corporation — $119.60 less than the median here. Across Iowa, the median is $346.80 at 33 hospitals.
Cash prices at 4 facilities across 3 cities for code 76801, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Mar 31, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation lowest Des Moines, IA US, OB < 14 WKS, SINGLE FETUS | $270.40 | $338.00 | $105.12–$323.01 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation lowest Des Moines, IA US, OB < 14 WKS, SINGLE FETUS | $270.40 | $338.00 | $105.12–$323.01 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa Corp Des Moines, IA PR US Pregnant Uterus < 14 Weeks Single/1st Gestation | $390.00 | $390.00 | $29.61–$390.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa Corp West Des Moines, IA PR US Pregnant Uterus < 14 Weeks Single/1st Gestation | $390.00 | $390.00 | $29.61–$390.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Newton Newton, IA HC US Pregnant Uterus < 14 Weeks Single/1st Gestation | $549.90 | $846.00 | $98.96–$846.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation Des Moines, IA HC US OB LESS THAN 14 WKS SNGL FETUS | $800.44 | $1,000.55 | $433.24 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation Des Moines, IA HC US OB LESS THAN 14 WKS SNGL FETUS | $800.44 | $1,000.55 | $433.24 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa Corp Des Moines, IA HC US Pregnant Uterus < 14 Weeks Single/1st Gestation | $806.00 | $1,240.00 | $98.68–$1,240.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa Corp West Des Moines, IA HC US Pregnant Uterus < 14 Weeks Single/1st Gestation | $1,244.00 | $1,244.00 | $98.68–$1,244.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $270.40, median $390.00, highest $549.90 — a 2.0× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 4 facilities here, median $299.80 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 4 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it below every plan's rate. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
This is a pregnancy ultrasound through the belly in the first trimester, before 14 weeks, for one baby. It confirms the pregnancy is in the uterus, checks the heartbeat, counts babies and estimates the due date.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the exam. The doctor's reading may be billed separately, and a transvaginal scan done at the same visit (76817) is billed as its own code.