What is the definition of ultrasound?

Most pregnant women are offered an ultrasound (sometimes called a sonogram), or a prenatal examination. It shows a picture of your baby in ****** using sound waves (****). Your health care provider may use ultrasound to check your baby's health and development.

Ultrasound is a special moment in pregnancy because it allows you to 'see' your baby for the first time. You can see your baby's arms, legs, and other body parts, depending on when it was done and where it was. You can find out if your baby is a boy or a girl, so let your provider know if you do not want to know.

Most women have an ultrasound during the second trimester, 18 to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Some women have an ultrasound in the first trimester 14 weeks before conception (also known as an early ultrasound). Women with specific health problems such as asthma or obesity may need more ultrasounds at times.

Consult your doctor to find out if the ultrasound is right for you.

What are some of the benefits of ultrasound?

Ultrasound can be used by your provider for a variety of purposes, including:

• To confirm (find) what you expect.
• To determine the age and development of your child. This will help your provider determine your expiration date.
• To monitor your baby's heart rate, muscle tone, mobility, and normal growth
• To see if you expect twins, triplets, or more.
• Before delivery, check if your baby's head is in the first place.
• Your ovaries and ****** will be checked (****). The ovaries are the parts of your body that store eggs.

Your doctor will also use ultrasound for screening and other tests. Screening refers to determining if your child has more of a health problem than others; You do not need to determine if your child has a problem. Your doctor may use ultrasound for:

To check for congenital malformations such as spinal and heart problems. After the ultrasound, your doctor may order additional tests called diagnostic tests to find out if your baby has a birth defect. Birth defects are health problems that occur when a newborn is born. Birth defects can change a baby's appearance or shape.

Assists in the performance of various prenatal tests such as chorionic villus sampling (commonly called CVS) and amniocentesis (also known as an amnio). When cells are removed from the placenta for testing, it is called CVS. The placenta is the tissue that nourishes your baby. Amnio is a test that removes amniotic fluid and cells from the sac around your baby.

To rule out pregnancy complications such as ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, or miscarriage.

Are there any risks associated with using ultrasound?

When performed by your healthcare professional, an ultrasound is safe for you and your baby. Ultrasound is safer than X-rays because it uses sound waves instead of radiation. Ultrasound has been used by health care providers for over 30 years and no significant risk has been found.

Ultrasound can help address concerns if your pregnancy is healthy, but it may not detect every problem. It can ignore some birth problems. A simple ultrasound can sometimes mislead you when there are no birth defects. Follow-up testing usually shows that the baby is safe, and false warnings can scare parents.

You may be aware of some places, such as malls that sell 'KeepSec' 3-D or 4-D ultrasound photos or movies for parents who are not managed by doctors or other medical professionals. These non-medical ultrasounds are not recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM). People who do this may not have medical knowledge and may even provide you with false or dangerous information.

What happens after the sonogram?

Ultrasound shows that in most cases the baby is developing well. If your ultrasound results are normal, make sure you follow your prenatal appointments.

Ultrasound may show that you and your baby need special attention. If the ultrasound shows your baby has spina bifida, for example, it can be treated in **** before delivery. If your baby is breech (feet down rather than head down) after the ultrasound, your provider may try to rotate her or you may need to undergo a cesarean section (also known as a c-section). A C-section is the process of delivering your baby through an incision in your abdomen and an incision made by your obstetrician.