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Pregnancy & Ultrasound

Pregnancy & Ultrasound

Pregnancy and birth knit womankind together. Most parents look forward to their scan because it gives them the first glimpse of their baby. Ultrasound is used during pregnancy to check the baby’s development and to pick up any abnormalities. Ultrasounds do not give complete accurate information. However they do provide valuable information about a woman’s pregnancy. Ultrasound scans are the best choice for any pregnant women as they are non-invasive, painless and most importantly, they are safe. Ultrasound scan option may vary for each individual depending on the need for the scan and also depending on the condition of the pregnant women. At times, certain type of ultrasound scan is preferable to understand better about the abnormities in one’s pregnancy (for example, trans-abdominal or vaginal).

What can an ultrasound scan be used for?

• To predict the birth due date
• Detect an ectopic pregnancy, where the embryo implants outside the womb, usually in the fallopian tube
• Say whether you're pregnant with one baby or twins or more
• To detect potential abnormalities 
• Find out the cause of any bleeding you may be havingTo identify placenta previa (low lying placenta) 
• Check that your baby has a heartbeat
• To assess specific markers, such as the length of woman’s cervix and the amount of amniotic fluid at the end of pregnancy
• show the position of your baby and the placenta – for example, when the placenta is low down in late pregnancy, a caesarean section may be advised
• check that the baby is growing, examine your baby to see if all his organs are normal 
• To determine the sex of the baby. A scan may show if you are expecting a girl or a boy. But if your baby's lying in an awkward position, it's not always easy to tell. Plus, some hospitals have a policy of not revealing the gender of a baby. 

  
When will scans be offered?  
During your first trimester, ultrasound performed within the first three months of pregnancy to check if the embryo is developing inside the womb rather than inside a fallopian tube. Your first scan is likely to be a dating scan when you're between 11 weeks and 13 weeks plus six days pregnant. This will confirm your baby’s due date. 
The dating scan is especially important if you're having screening tests for Down's syndrome. This is because a correct due date is needed to make the result accurate. You can have a nuchal translucency (NT) scan between 11 weeks plus two days and 14 weeks plus one day of your pregnancy, or when your baby measures between 45mm (1.8in) and 84mm (3.3in). In most cases, this will be combined with a blood test for increased accuracy. Some pregnant women may have an early scan at about six weeks or seven weeks. However, this will only happen if you're experiencing problems, such as pain or vaginal bleeding.
In your second trimester you will be offered an anomaly scan, usually takes place between 18 and 21 weeks of pregnancy. This scan checks for fetal structures such as the spine, limbs, brain and internal organs. The size and location of placenta is also checked.  This scan is done basically to check know that your baby is developing normally.

The anomaly scan may need to be repeated at 23 weeks if the sonographer hasn't been able to see everything she needs to assess your baby's health. This may be if you're overweight, or if your baby was in an awkward position at your first scan.

In your third trimester, your doctor or midwife may recommend that you have a growth scan between 28 weeks and 40 weeksour baby is contining to grow at a normal rate. The location of placenta is checked to make sure that it isn’t blocking the cervix. This san is stated as a compulsory scan for the pregnancy:                                                                                                             having twinshave other complications, such as diabetes or high blood pressurewith a baby who measures smaller than expectedmeasuring larger than expected and your midwife suspects that there's too much fluid around your babypreviously gave birth to a small baby Ultrasound scans are offered to all women, but not everyone chooses to have them. Your choice will be respected if you decide not to have the scans, and you’ll be given the chance to discuss with your maternity team and also with your family before making a decision.

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