During a prenatal ultrasound, a device called a transducer transmits high-frequency sound waves through the abdomen that are inaudible to the human ear, allowing a view of the inside of the abdomen. In prenatal ultrasounds, echoes are captured on the monitor and then turned into a video or sequence of photographs.
While pregnant, ultrasound can show images of the baby, amniotic sac, placenta, and ovaries (this is known as a level I ultrasound). An ultrasound can reveal major birth defects or anatomical abnormalities which is discussed below.
To improve the image quality of prenatal ultrasound, conductive gel is used as a conductive medium topically, or on the skin. However Transvaginal ultrasound, on the other hand, is a procedure that inserts a tube into the vaginal canal.
The image quality of this type of ultrasound is greatly enhanced. If a problem is suspected with the uterus or ovaries, it may be conducted early in pregnancy. In addition, it can be used to estimate how many months you are pregnant (gestational age).
Prenatal Ultrasounds: Are They Safe?
There are risks associated with every medical procedure. There is, however, no evidence that a prenatal ultrasound done properly can harm the unborn child or the mother. A properly done ultrasound means it must be performed by a trained technician, called a sonographer.
Furthermore, procedures such as ultrasound do not use radiation, like X-rays.
How Often Is an Ultrasound Performed During Pregnancy?
All pregnant women should have an ultrasound around 20 weeks into their pregnancy. During this ultrasound, your doctor will check to make sure that your placenta is healthy and that your baby is growing normally inside the uterus. The ultrasound can also reveal the baby’s heartbeat, arm movement, and leg movement.
By 20 weeks, you will usually be able to determine the gender of your baby. If you want to know the gender of your baby, be sure to tell the health care provider while performing the ultrasound. Despite the fact that ultrasounds are not foolproof, there is a possibility that the images may be misinterpreted.
Why Ultrasound Performed During Pregnancy:
Early in your pregnancy, you may have an ultrasound to determine:
- The number of fetuses
- The gestational age of the fetus or due date is based on the age of the fetus
At the end of pregnancy ultrasound can be used to determine:
- Whether the baby is healthy
- Placement of the placenta
- The amount of amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby
- Position of the baby in womb
- Baby’s expected weight
The Bottom Line:
In this post, you have been educated on the procedures of ultrasounds and how they are frequently performed, but now the question is which the best ultrasound studio?
Since we have already elaborated that there is no harm in ultrasounds if they are performed by a trained sonographer, but the concern is where do we find these trained sonographers?
You need not worry, because we are going to introduce to you a leading baby sonogram studio in Springfield named BabyEnvisions.
Not only do they have the latest equipment, but they also have trained sonographers, so there will be no harm to you or your upcoming child.