Pregnancy Ultrasound – A Gateway to Your Baby
Posted on 25 April 2011
Pregnancy ultrasound is an awesome technology. Thanks to ultrasound, you get to see your baby even before he’s a baby. Ultrasound during pregnancy is safe and there’s no known risk to you or your baby.
Ultrasound machines use high-pitched sound waves (250 times higher-pitched than can be heard by the human ear), transmitted through the abdominal wall to produce an echo image of your pelvis. By moving the ultrasound transmitter or transducer appropriately, you can see different areas of the anatomy, along with your baby, in the pelvis.
To visualize the uterus more easily if you’re early in your pregnancy, the ultrasound technician may use a slender transducer in the vagina. Placed on your lower abdomen for your ultrasound is ultrasound conducting gel when you’re further along in your pregnancy.
Useful information that are gained from a pregnancy ultrasound examination would depend on several factors. For instance, during fetal scans, the gestational age, maternal size and amount of amniotic fluid can limit the detail of an exam. The amount of amniotic fluid, fetal heart and limb position, twins or multiples, which way the baby is positioned in the uterus, and the location of the placenta is what you’ll see during a pregnancy ultrasound examination. In addition, measurement of various fetal parts can be made in order to estimate the age of your baby and to assure that fetal growth is normal.
The most amazing parts of the pregnancy ultrasound are seeing your little baby’s heart beat, the individual hair on her head, her rapid movements or kicks, and her profile. Usually at 18-20 weeks, you can also see the sex of your baby.
Emerging over the past few years is a new ultrasound technology. 3D ultrasound, often used in pregnancy, actually generates 3D pictures of your baby. Now, you can see exactly what he looks like before he’s even born. There’s probably a 3D ultrasound clinic near your home. Your doctor may even have a 3D ultrasound in her office and she might use this to view your pregnancy.
Find everything you need to know about pediatricians in Dallas TX at our blog.
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