Pregnancy ultrasound and 7 things to know before performing

Pregnancy ultrasound is a popular medical diagnostic method to help monitor the fetus today. Although there is no record about the harmful effects of ultrasound on the fetus, pregnant mothers should not abuse too much.

There is no denying the effects of fetal ultrasound on pregnant mothers in helping you see the image of the little angel from the moment your baby is still in the abdomen as well as watching the baby's progression. However, you should also learn about this technical measure to avoid undesirable effects.

1. What is a pregnancy ultrasound?

Fetal ultrasound is a non-invasive medical diagnostic test that uses sound waves to create pictures of your baby, as well as the placenta, uterus, and other organs in the pelvis. This method allows obstetricians to gather valuable information about the progress of pregnancy and the health of the baby.

During the exam, the ultrasound transmits sound waves through your baby's uterus and body that reflects these waves. The computer then translates the sound waves, which are reconstructed into a video image that shows the baby's shape, position, and movements.

Your doctor will use a hand tool with ultrasound waves during prenatal examination to hear the fetal heartbeat . You may need an ultrasound more often if you have gestational diabetes , high blood pressure or other health complications.

Currently, pregnant mothers can choose to perform 2D, 3D, 4D or color Doppler ultrasound.

2. The procedure of pregnancy ultrasound

The basic ultrasound usually takes about 15 - 20 minutes. For detailed examinations, measuring lengths of parts, screening for defects… the doctor may use more complicated equipment and take about 30 minutes or more to complete the ultrasound.

In general, the pregnancy ultrasound procedure will include the following:

The pregnant mother will lie on a soft bed and pull her shirt up to expose her belly.

The doctor will apply a thin gel to the abdomen. This is an ultrasonic conductor that helps to remove air bubbles between the ultrasound probe and the body, so that the ultrasonic waves are better transmitted to give the most accurate results.

The computer will translate the audio results into an image on the screen and you will see your baby. The tissue or bone will appear as bright or gray areas and amniotic fluid will appear in dark areas.

3. When should pregnant women have pregnancy ultrasound?

According to the American Pregnancy Association , the number of times of pregnancy ultrasound performed by each pregnant mother will be different, depending on the health status of pregnancy and the doctor's orders.

Usually, you can do a pregnancy ultrasound in the following weeks of pregnancy:

4th - 8th week pregnancy:  You should go for an ultrasound to check to make sure the embryo has safely entered the uterus, has a nest as well as a fetal heart or not.

Pregnancy weeks 12-14: At this point, the doctor will calculate the gestational age of the fetus as well as measure the nape of the nape of the neck to predict some chromosomal abnormalities. Also, you will know if you are pregnant with a single or multiple pregnancy at this stage.

Pregnancy weeks 21-24:  Usually, your doctor will order you to do an  ultrasound on week 22 of pregnancy. At this time, the internal organs of the fetus are checked by the sonographer to see if the baby is developing normally or not. In addition, the doctor can detect most abnormal appearance in appearance such as cleft palate or deformity in internal organs. Diagnosis of serious defects during this period is especially important because suspension of the pregnancy   can only be made before 28 weeks.

30 - 32 weeks pregnancy:  At this time, the ultrasound method helps the doctor detect abnormalities that appear late in the arteries, heart ... In addition, the umbilical cord is also checked to see if it is still good enough. to transport nutrients to feed the fetus or not, placenta position and amniotic fluid status.

4. The benefits of pregnancy ultrasound

Pregnancy ultrasound gives pregnant women many benefits, depending on each stage of pregnancy:

In the first trimester

Confirm you are pregnant

Check the fetal heart rate: A doctor or technician will use a hand-held Doppler to listen to the fetal heartbeat to detect abnormal problems.

Knowing the due date: Some studies have concluded that ultrasound helps to diagnose the correct due date as well as reduces the risk of later delivery.

Check the placenta, ovaries, uterus and cervix.

Diagnosing ectopic pregnancy: Pregnancy outside the uterus will have its own symptoms such as abdominal pain, bleeding and appear from 8-10 weeks of pregnancy, but ultrasound will help pregnant mothers eliminate the complications. confirm that you are experiencing this situation.

Identify abnormalities in the fetus.

During the second and third trimesters

Knowing the sex of the fetus: One obvious benefit of an ultrasound is knowing the sex of the fetus. Thereby helping to limit genetic diseases related to the sex chromosomes.

Track fetal physical development and position.

Identifying multiple pregnancies: Some pregnant women with twins don't show any signs. So, an ultrasound is a way to clearly identify multiple pregnancies.

Check for abnormalities in the placenta.

Detects the possibility of the fetus having Down syndrome .

Check the state of amniotic fluid: The ultrasound images will help the doctor accurately assess the amniotic fluid status of the pregnant mother, whether the pregnant mother has poly amniotic fluid or lack of amniotic fluid , and thereby evaluate the health status of the pregnant mother . fetus.

Measure the length of the cervix to determine if you are pregnant with a short cervical condition .

5. Is pregnancy ultrasound harmful to the fetus?

According to BabyCentre , an ultrasound of the fetus will not harm the fetus. Many studies that have been done over the past 35 years have reached the same conclusion when there is no evidence that ultrasound is harmful to the fetus.

However, this does not mean that pregnant mothers can do arbitrary ultrasound because ultrasound is a special energy and has the risk of affecting the development of the fetus. This can be especially true during the first trimester, when your baby is susceptible to external factors. Therefore, do an ultrasound when absolutely necessary or according to the schedule that your doctor appoints you.

6. Types of fetal ultrasound

Depending on your wishes or your doctor's instructions, you can choose the type of pregnancy ultrasound you want to perform:

2D, 3D and 4D ultrasound

In principle of operation, these ultrasound types use sound waves so all are safe. The difference is that 3D fetal ultrasound and 4D fetal ultrasound synthesize signals to construct 3-dimensional, 4-dimensional images, instead of only 2-dimensional images like 2D.

Vaginal ultrasound

This is an ultrasound technique that puts a probe directly into the vagina to take pictures of the fetus in the uterus. In the first trimester of pregnancy, the fetus is still very young, so doctors often perform a vaginal ultrasound. Because ultrasound across the abdominal wall can not see anything, especially for overweight pregnant women.

Transvaginal ultrasound is not harmful to you or your baby, but it can be uncomfortable and a bit embarrassing.

Color Doppler ultrasound

Color Doppler is based on the Doppler effect to determine the direction of an object's movement compared to an ultrasonic probe and is commonly used to examine blood vessels. Therefore, this method can check the functional state of the placenta.

7. Notes on pregnancy ultrasound

Although an ultrasound is a simple, safe and easy test to perform, most pregnant women feel more secure if done by a specialist doctor / technician. They will help ensure that the results are accurate and will not cause you any anxiety.

In addition, you should also note a few principles after performing a pregnancy ultrasound:

Doppler transvaginal ultrasound is not performed during the first few weeks, when the fetus is only in the embryonic stage.

The level of heat production in the tissues increases gradually from gas, liquid, and solid, so the bone will increase the fastest temperature during ultrasound. The fetal skeleton develops from 12 weeks and will become harder and harder. Therefore, during an ultrasound, the most attention should be paid to the position of the baby's skull.

The transducer should not be held for too long in the same place.

If pregnant mother has a fever , an ultrasound should be conducted quickly because the mother's temperature is already high.

If a pregnancy ultrasound is performed in the first trimester, you may be asked to drink water beforehand to fill your bladder to make it easier for the doctor to see the baby. A full bladder will push the uterus higher.

After your first trimester, before an ultrasound, you'll need to urinate to empty your bladder.

Hopefully the above information has helped you better understand the method of pregnancy ultrasound and feel more secure while performing this technique during pregnancy. aFamilyToday Health wishes you will be a square mother!