Introduction to Pregnancy Ultrasound: What Is It? Why Is It Important? 

A pregnancy ultrasound is a kind of test utilizing high frequency sound waves in order to image the baby that is developing inside the mother’s womb, and to check the mother’s reproductive organs as well. While this is very important in certain stages of pregnancy, the average number of ultrasounds during pregnancy usually varies from one mother to another. 

Also called a sonogram, an ultrasound helps in monitoring the development of the baby and may screen for potential problems. Aside from the standard ultrasound, there are also other advanced ultrasounds such as 3D and 4D ultrasound, as well as a fetal echocardiography (an ultrasound that closely looks in detail at the heart of the fetus. 

Why Is Pregnancy Ultrasound Important? 

An ultrasound is used for so many reasons during pregnancy. As a matter of fact, your doctor might even order more ultrasounds if they happen to detect some problems in your previous ultrasound and blood test results. Apart from that, baby ultrasound dc should also be done for other reasons such as to determine the gender of the baby, and to produce baby images for the parents. While the technology of ultrasound is totally safe for both child and mother, some healthcare practitioners still discourage the utilization of ultrasounds when there’s no medical benefit or reason. 

Preparing For Your Ultrasound Test 

During your ultrasound test in the earlier stage of your pregnancy, you might need to have your bladder full so that the technician can be able to get a clear image of your reproductive organs and the fetus. To do so, you must drink 2 to 3 eight ounces glasses of water an hour before your ultrasound test schedule. Make sure that you should not urinate prior to your ultrasound test so that you arrive at the ultrasound room with a full bladder. That way, the technician won’t have any problem capturing images. 

What Happens When You Undergo Ultrasound Tests? 

During an ultrasound, the mother lies down on a bed or examination table. The technician of an ultrasound applies a specialized get to your pelvic and abdomen area. The gel that is being applied to the abdomen is water based so it will never leave a mark on your skin or clothes. This special gel is the one that helps the high frequency sound waves to travel properly.  

After that, the technician or your doctor himself will place a small wand onto your belly. The small wand is referred to as transducer. The transducer is moved in order to capture images that are black and white onto the ultrasound screen. Most of the time, the measurements of the image are collected to help identify the condition of the baby. After that, the technician may ask you to hold your breath or move while they capture necessary images of the baby. 

The technician will then check to if the images needed were clearly captured. After that, they will wipe the gel of your abdomen or pelvic area and you can already empty your bladder.