spina bifida ultrasound | Ultrasound of pregnancy

Ultrasound of pregnancy
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Ultrasound of pregnancy
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Ultrasounds of pregnancy - procedure
Ultrasound of pregnancy

Ultrasound of pregnancy. It is a diagnostic or evaluation procedure that uses high frequency sound waves to create an image of the internal structure of the body, such as a developing fetus. It can also be called ultrasound, sonogram or ultrasonography.

Ultrasound of pregnancy

Ultrasound of pregnancy
What is it?

The ultrasound of pregnancy uses high frequency waves to detect structures inside the body, similar to a sonar on board a ship that can locate a school of dolphins.

Ultrasound of pregnancy and catheter

Ultrasound of pregnancy and catheter

An instrument called a transducer emits sound waves that bounce or resonate in the internal organs. This information is entered into a computer, which produces an image on a nearby screen.

The routine practice of ultrasound during pregnancy is a bit controversial. Some health professionals believe that it should be used to screen all pregnant women for potential problems, while others say that it should be reserved to be used as a diagnostic tool when other tests or examinations result in abnormalities. Currently, Ultrasound of pregnancy machines are widely available and most women undergo at least one ultrasound during their pregnancy.
The ultrasound of pregnancy is generally used to:

Ultrasound of pregnancy and description

Ultrasound of pregnancy and description

    Confirm a pregnancy
    Shows multiple fetuses (twins, triplets or more).
    Evaluate the age of the fetus, size, maturity or condition.
    It controls the growth of the fetus.
    It detects conditions such as spina bifida or malformations of the kidney, brain, heart, intestines and extremities.
    Detects poly or oligohydramnios: the presence of much or very little amniotic fluid.
    Evaluate the position of the baby (see delivery presentations).
    Identify the location of the placenta.
    Guide procedures such as amniocentesis, Extraction of Percutaneous Sample of Umbilical Cord Blood (EPMSCU), or Sampling of Chorionic Vellosities (MVC).

How should I prepare?

The full bladder helps your doctor or technician have a clear picture of the baby (especially during the first months of pregnancy), so you may be asked to drink water in large quantities and avoid urinating for an hour or two before the ultrasound.
What will happen?



The ultrasound of pregnancy is done in your doctor's office or in a hospital. You will wear a hospital gown or simply remove your blouse or pants from your belly and lie on your back on an examination table. Then, the technician will apply a special conductive gelatin on his belly and pass a manual transducer over it by pressing lightly. For ultrasounds of pregnancies that are performed at a very early stage of pregnancy, before the uterus grows on the pelvic bone or when the doctor needs to have a better image of the cervix, a transducer the size of a uterus is inserted into the vagina. tampon.

The technologist (along with your doctor) will receive the images of your uterus and fetus on the computer screen and can print an image or two as a souvenir for you. Ultrasound images of pregnancy are difficult to decipher by an inexperienced eye, so do not be embarrassed to ask the technician to explain the image. The whole process usually takes a few minutes and you should not feel any discomfort while practicing it.

An ultrasound can provide information about your pregnancy and your baby's health. If a problem occurs, you can also get an idea of ​​possible treatment options. Of course, the possibility that an ultrasound correctly identifies, or discards, a particular medical condition depends on many different factors and no less than the ability of the person performing the procedure.
What are the risks?

Ultrasound of pregnancy poses no risk to your health, although no one knows for sure what the possible long-term effects for you and your baby might be. It is believed that ultrasound is one of the safest procedures that are carried out during pregnancy.

When a pregnancy ultrasound test is done, your doctor may also identify minor variations in your baby's anatomy that are associated with genetic problems such as Down syndrome. These variations, called markers, are not dangerous for your baby, but may lead to recommendations for more tests, such as an amniocentesis.

For example, some fetuses have a part in the heart that looks bright on ultrasound. The heart functions completely normally, but this part, called the echocardiogenic intracardiac focus (or FEI), is often seen in fetuses with Down syndrome. The difficulty is that about 1 in 20 normal fetuses will also have an FEI.

It is important to realize that, before getting an ultrasound, you may receive some confusing information about the risk of genetic problems. This can be stressful for you and your partner. Ask to meet with a genetic counselor to clarify your risk and better understand what the various findings mean.
Frequent questions

Q: Should I have an ultrasound during my pregnancy?

A: Ultrasound examination of pregnancy is optional, although your doctor may order you to have one if you suspect you have a problem. Many doctors also think that now an ultrasound is part of routine care.

Q: Do Ultrasound exams of pregnancy use radiation?

A: No, because it uses sound waves to create the internal image, an ultrasound is a safer diagnostic tool during pregnancy than X-rays.

Q: Will an ultrasound tell me if I will have a girl or a boy?

A: If this is done at or after 28 weeks, the ultrasound can capture a clear picture of your baby's genitals, of course, if your baby cooperates. However, occasionally, the doctor makes a mistake, so keep the receipts of all those pretty pink or sky blue dresses just in case!

Content: 12/1/2010

Revised version by: Zev Williams MD, PhD, FACOG, Reproductive Medicine and Infertility, Weill-Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.