Ultrasound involves the use of sound waves to form images of internal structures. You may want to get an ultrasound Lake Nona during your pregnancy to get a picture of your baby. Doctors recommend an ultrasound to determine fetal healthcare and for early detection of pregnancy complications. Most people have an ultrasound to check for the gender of their unborn baby. However, this is a personal preference. Your doctor may only recommend an ultrasound if it is medically necessary.
What do doctors check for in a pregnancy ultrasound?
There are many reasons your doctor may recommend a pregnancy ultrasound. The following are the typical uses of a prenatal ultrasound:
- Evaluate fetal growth and development: Collaborating with a certified clinical provider who understands the stages of fetal development is important. Your physician will correctly assess overall fetal health, growth, and development using data from ultrasound images. You may need additional screening to determine your baby’s predisposition to specific health conditions.
- Detecting pregnancy complications: An ultrasound can identify developing pregnancy problems and necessitate interventions to correct complications and optimize pregnancy success. Examining your fetus through ultrasound can reveal birth disorders and help your doctor make appropriate plans to address these problems.
- Pregnancy confirmation: Prenatal ultrasound can confirm pregnancy when regular tests fail to reveal definitive conclusions.
- Determine your baby’s gestational age and due date: This benefit applies to women who cannot remember the last time they had their period and thus cannot accurately plan delivery.
- Check for multiple babies (twins, triplets, or more).
- Examine your pelvic organs like your uterus, ovaries, and cervix: Your doctor will also use ultrasound technology to measure your amniotic fluid, locate the placenta and check the fetal position in your womb.
- A biophysical profile (BPP) combines ultrasound with a nonstress test to examine if your baby is getting enough oxygen.
What are the types of pregnancy ultrasounds?
All types of ultrasound use the same technology to make pictures of your unborn child. The following are the main tie types of ultrasounds:
- Transvaginal ultrasound: Your doctor will place a device in your vaginal canal to detect a fetal heartbeat or gestational age.
- Abdominal ultrasounds are only beneficial from week 12 of pregnancy. Your doctor will place a transducer on the skin of your belly to capture images of your baby. Slight pressure is necessary to get clearer images.
Although traditional ultrasounds are 2D, technological advances are introducing 3D and 4D images that create more detailed images. It would help if you collaborated with a clinical provider with access to 3D or 4D ultrasound equipment and the necessary training to conduct this specialized ultrasound.
Other types of ultrasounds include:
- Doppler ultrasound: This type of ultrasound happens later in pregnancy to examine fetal blood flow.
- Fetal echocardiogram: This type of ultrasound analyzes cardiovascular organs, specifically heart size, shape, function, and structure. Your doctor will recommend a fetal echocardiogram upon suspicion of a congenital heart condition.
Getting an ultrasound from an experienced provider will guarantee accurate results. Contact Contemporary Women’s Care if you have questions about your pregnancy, and book an ultrasound appointment that will reveal answers to your concerns.
