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Parentpedia
Ultrasound
It probably won't be a camera that takes your baby's first picture, but rather an ultrasound machine that sends sounds waves through you and your baby that form an image.
As your doctor moves the microphone-like tranducer over your belly, images of your baby will appear on a monitor. You'll be able to watch his tiny heart beating and see his little arm - or is that a leg? Don't worry if you can't tell. It's hard to see what's what with an untrained eye. Just ask your doctor to explain what's on the screen. You'll probably be given a snapshot of your baby to bring home.
An ultrasound helps your doctor watch your baby's growth and development. The ultrasound also shows:
- If you have an ectopic pregnancy
- The age of your baby
- The size of your baby
- Where the placenta is and if it's healthy
- The number of babies
- Some types of birth defects and genetic disorders.
- Possible causes of any bleeding or other complications
- Your baby's sex
Types of Ultrasounds
Standard, two-dimensional ultrasound helps your provider determine your baby's age and make sure growth and development are on track.
Advanced ultrasound uses more sophisticated equipment to examine possible problems.
In a transvaginal ultrasound, your provider will put a skinny stick-like device in your vagina. It is used early in pregnancy since the uterus is closer to the vagina and is used to detect ectopic pregnancy or other problems.
3-D ultrasound gives three-dimensional images and helps providers evaluate images from advanced ultrasounds.
Doppler imaging can give your provider details about circulation, which is important information if your baby is growing more slowly than expected or if you have high blood pressure. Can also be used to detect your baby's heartbeat as early as six weeks into pregnancy.
Fetal echocardiography gives you a detailed picture of your baby's heart to confirm or rule out congenital heart defects.
Ultrasounds can be done at any point during pregnancy, but routine ultrasounds are usually done between 18 and 20 weeks.
The good news is an ultrasound typically reassures you that your baby is developing normally. If your doctor wants more information about your baby's health, she may recommend and advanced ultrasound or other tests. Ultrasounds are considered safe for both the mother and the baby.
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