By: Apurva Jain
Pregnancy ultrasounds are one of the most reliable tests conducted after the initial confirmation of pregnancy is done through routine pregnancy tests that measure the presence of the HCG hormone. These ultrasounds are conducted at regular intervals to determine the growth and the position of the baby and are generally used by doctors to get an accurate picture about the progress of a woman’s pregnancy. The risk of miscarriage can be avoided by conducting these ultrasounds at regular intervals.
An ultrasound is conducted through the passing of sound waves that help in the creation of an image on an electronic monitor. Pregnancy ultrasounds use high frequency sound that creates a darker or lighter image of the human tissues on a video screen. These images are in the forms of dots and can be deciphered by qualified technicians only. The dense tissues in a human body such as bones appear white on the electronic screen while soft tissues are a bit dark, and fluids appear as black on the screen.
Types of Pregnancy Ultrasounds
Generally two types of ultrasounds are used to check a pregnant woman’s growth and health. The first type of ultrasound, the Trans Vaginal Ultrasound is used in the first trimester of a woman’s pregnancy to check the status of her cervix, uterus, gestational sac, embryo and other deep pelvic structures. This type of ultrasound is a hand held probe that is inserted into a woman’s vagina and is generally of ten minute duration.
The Trans-Abdomen Ultrasound is conducted in the second and the third trimester of pregnancy and is aimed at getting a clear picture of the fetus and the placenta. This type of ultrasound can only be conducted when the bladder is full since a full bladder helps to distinguish the fetal parts. Under this test, a lubricating gel is applied to the woman’s abdomen and than an instrument is placed over the gel. This instrument helps in the formation of the baby’s image on the video screen which can be deciphered by an expert technician who will than give us the details about the baby’s positioning and growth. The duration of this type of ultrasound is around 20-30 minutes.
Pregnancy ultrasounds are helpful in determining the exact age of the baby and its development at various stages. These ultrasounds can also tell us if there are multiple pregnancies or if there is a problem with the fetus or if the position of the placenta is inaccurate. Any other type of problem with the uterus or any other kind of abnormality during the pregnancy is also revealed by the pregnancy ultrasounds. These tests have no side effects and should be conducted to ensure the smooth delivery of the baby and to ensure that the mother’s health is normal.
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Pregnancy ultrasounds play an important role to determine a healthy pregnancy. Ultrasounds are one of the most important pregnancy tests. |
