Receiving an ultrasound is an exciting and emotional experience for women who are expecting. Rodeo Drive Women’s Health Center offers state of the art fetal ultrasounds, so you can experience the most comfortable and accurate process of viewing your baby. The Beverly Hills, California practice is welcoming any patients who are seeking an 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.
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.
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:
A second-trimester fetal ultrasound can:
A third-trimester fetal ultrasound can:
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.