What is a fetal ultrasound?
Fetal ultrasounds are superficial tests done during your pregnancy. It involves examining sound waves and producing a picture of your baby, the placenta, and the amniotic fluid. These photos also referred to as a sonogram, an echogram, or a scan, are projected onto a screen for viewing.
What does a fetal ultrasound procedure involve?
Rodeo Drive Women's Health Center OB/GYNs perform fetal ultrasounds in one of two ways in a doctor’s office, hospital, or clinic. In a transabdominal ultrasound, the specialist moves a handheld device called a transducer over your belly. The process takes about 30 to 60 minutes, and you will experience light pressure in your bladder, and over your stomach.
The second option is called a transvaginal ultrasound, in which the gynecologist inserts a transducer into your vagina. This procedure only takes about 15 to 30 minutes and doesn’t cause discomfort.
Why should I receive a fetal ultrasound?
Although a fetal ultrasound doesn’t use any radiation that may harm your fetus, it provides the safest way to get details about your fetus and detect any signs of issues with size and position. The sex of your fetus can typically be seen with an ultrasound about 18 weeks into your pregnancy. You’ll also be able to learn different details depending on your trimester.
A first-trimester fetal ultrasound can:
- See how your pregnancy is coming along
- Find out if you’re pregnant with more than one fetus
- Estimate the age of the fetus
- Estimate the risk of a chromosomal defect
- Check for congenital disabilities affecting the brain or spinal cord
A second-trimester fetal ultrasound can:
- More accurately estimate the age of the fetus than a first-trimester ultrasound
- View the size and position of the fetus, placenta, and amniotic fluid
- Check the position of the fetus, umbilical cord, and placenta through a blood sampling
- Find major congenital disabilities
A third-trimester fetal ultrasound can:
- Ensure that a pregnancy is progressing normally
- Look at the progressed size and position of the fetus, placenta, and amniotic fluid
Are there risks involved in a fetal ultrasound?
There are no known risks to the mother or fetus during a fetal ultrasound. It may detect defects or threats to your fetus’s health and therefore can’t ensure an unaffected pregnancy or fetus.
