Your First Scan
“ Happiness is the first Pregnancy Ultrasound “
The first scan is usually during your early pregnancy, around 6 – 9 weeks is called the ‘early pregnancy’ or the ‘dating’ or the ‘viability’ scan.
ULTRASOUND: A TRIMESTER-BY-TRIMESTER GUIDE
During an ultrasound your doctor or a skilled technician uses a plastic transducer to transmit high-frequency sound waves through your uterus. These sound waves send signals back to a machine that converts them into images of your baby.
The first scan is usually during your early pregnancy, around 6 – 9 weeks is called the ‘early pregnancy’ or the ‘dating’ or the ‘viability’ scan.
- To confirm the location of the pregnancy, to find out whether it is a singleton/ multiple pregnancy,
- To confirm the presence of fetal heart activity
- To confirm the age of the pregnancy to allocate an estimated due date.
ULTRASOUND: A TRIMESTER-BY-TRIMESTER GUIDE
During an ultrasound your doctor or a skilled technician uses a plastic transducer to transmit high-frequency sound waves through your uterus. These sound waves send signals back to a machine that converts them into images of your baby.
What is an Ultra Sound used for?
Depending on your stage of pregnancy, scans can:
The sonographer will put some gel on your tummy and move a hand-held device (transducer) over your skin to pick up images of your baby.
If you’re having a scan in early pregnancy, you’ll need to drink a few glasses of water beforehand. A full bladder helps the ultrasound echoes to reach your womb, giving the sonographer a good view of your baby.
If your baby’s still deep in your pelvis, or if you’re overweight, the image won’t be very clear. In this case, your sonographer may suggest a vaginal scan. This will give a much clearer picture of your baby, especially if you’re at an early stage of pregnancy.
- Check that your baby has a heartbeat.
- Say whether you’re pregnant with one baby or twins or more.
- Detect an ectopic pregnancy, where the embryo implants outside the womb, usually in the fallopian tube.
- Find out the cause of any bleeding you may be having.
- Accurately date your pregnancy by measuring your baby.
- Assess your baby’s risk of Down’s syndrome by measuring fluid at the back of your baby’s neck at 11 weeks to 13 weeks plus six days (nuchal translucency (NT) scan).
- Find out why a blood screening test was abnormal.
- Help with diagnostic tests, such as CVS or amniocentesis, by showing the position of the baby and placenta.
- Examine your baby to see if all his organs are normal.
- Diagnose most abnormalities, such as spina bifida.
- Assess the amount of amniotic fluid you have and find out where the placenta lies.
- Measure your baby’s rate of growth over several scans
The sonographer will put some gel on your tummy and move a hand-held device (transducer) over your skin to pick up images of your baby.
If you’re having a scan in early pregnancy, you’ll need to drink a few glasses of water beforehand. A full bladder helps the ultrasound echoes to reach your womb, giving the sonographer a good view of your baby.
If your baby’s still deep in your pelvis, or if you’re overweight, the image won’t be very clear. In this case, your sonographer may suggest a vaginal scan. This will give a much clearer picture of your baby, especially if you’re at an early stage of pregnancy.
First Trimester
Your first ultrasound, also known as a sonogram, will take place when you’re around 6 to 8 weeks pregnant.At this stage, your baby is very small and your uterus and fallopian tubes are closer to your birth canal than to your abdomen, so your ob-gyn will conduct the test transvaginally to get a clearer picture
Why it’s important
Your ob-gyn listens for your baby’s heartbeat and estimates his age by measuring his length from head to bottom. From this test, your doctor will be able to determine
Why it’s important
Your ob-gyn listens for your baby’s heartbeat and estimates his age by measuring his length from head to bottom. From this test, your doctor will be able to determine
- A more accurate due date
- Track milestones during your pregnancy.
- Your ob-gyn will also rule out a tubal (ectopic) pregnancy, which is when the fetus grows in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus. (Don’t worry: This occurs only 1 percent of the time.)
- Your ob-gyn will also be able to tell if you’re pregnant with multiples.
Second Trimester
This ultrasound, called an anatomy scan, lasts 20 to 45 minutes if you’re having one baby, longer if you’re having multiples. Your ob-gyn uses it to assess the baby’s growth and make sure all of her organs are developing properly.You’ll be able to see your baby’s developing body in great detail, but it can be hard for an untrained eye to distinguish the kidneys from the stomach. It’s an emotional experience to see your child up there on the TV screen.
Why it’s important
This is the most thorough checkup your baby will have before she is born.
The doctor will check your
Why it’s important
This is the most thorough checkup your baby will have before she is born.
The doctor will check your
- Baby’s heart rate
- Look for abnormalities in her brain, heart, kidneys, and liver.
- Count your baby’s fingers and toes,
- Check for birth defects,
- Examine the placenta
- Measure the amniotic fluid level.
Third Trimester
For many pregnant women, their last ultrasound takes place at their 20-week anatomy scan. If you’ve gone past your due date, your doctor may want to keep a close eye on your baby with fetal heart-rate monitoring and ultrasounds to assess the amniotic fluid levels. Other reasons for third-trimester ultrasounds include concerns about the health of the placenta and questions about whether your baby’s growth is on track
Why it’s important
Most Expecting mothers don’t need an ultrasound in the third trimester, but if you’re over age 35 or your doctor wants to closely monitor your baby’s growth, you may get one or more before baby is born.
Other reasons for third-trimester ultrasounds include
Why it’s important
Most Expecting mothers don’t need an ultrasound in the third trimester, but if you’re over age 35 or your doctor wants to closely monitor your baby’s growth, you may get one or more before baby is born.
Other reasons for third-trimester ultrasounds include
- Low levels of amniotic fluid
- Bleeding
- Pre-term contractions.
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