Pregnancy Ultrasound Testing

Is the baby a girl or a boy? Is the baby healthy? These are questions that parents wish to know during the mother’s pregnancy. Luckily there’s ultrasound, which can help answer parents’ questions and help allay fears, as well as detect any problems along the way.

Ultrasound, also called sonography or "scan,"  was introduced in the 1960s, though modern tests are far superior than they were in the beginning, and really had very limited value.  Today, though, the tests are clearer, showing 3-D images, as well as motion. 

How Does Ultrasound Work?

Ultrasounds are safe and painless procedures and are quite simple:  A technician (or your physician) will apply a clear gel to your abdominal area.  Then, a small, hand-held wand is moved over the surface of your gelled-skin, exposing your abdominal area to harmless, ultra-high frequency sound waves, which produce echoes.  These echoes are then recorded and interpreted by a computer program - then immediately projected onto a screen. 

Unlike amniocentesis and other tests, it's non-invasive and the preliminary results are available immediately. It takes no more than half an hour. 

And, unlike X-rays, ultrasound produces no ionizing radiation, making the procedure safe and painless, meaning it can be repeated as the fetus develops. In addition, ultrasound can examine soft tissues which x-rays can't show as clearly. 

What Is Ultrasound Used For?

Ultrasound during pregnancy offers the mother-to-be loads of useful information:

• sex and age of the baby
• a record of the development process
• physical location of the baby in the womb
• can detect physical abnormalities
• can detect if a problem implantation has occurred
• Limitations of Ultrasound

There are a few limitations of ultrasound

1)  Ultrasound waves don't travel as efficiently through air.  That means that any areas where air pockets sit, such as the stomach itself, won't yield as much information. 

2)  They aren't as efficient as x-rays when it comes to penetrating bone. 

3)  Ultrasound waves have a tendency to dampen as they travel through fatty tissue, which has implications for obese women. 

To overcome these limitations, you may wish to supplement ultrasound with other tests, such as amniocentesis, which will give you important information about your baby's health. 

Editor’s Note: Any information given on Expecting-Baby.NET is to be used for educational and information purposes only, and should never be substituted for the medical advice from your own doctor or other health care professionals. Please always consult your doctor or health care specialist if you are in any way concerned about your health.

Synonyms:  Ltrasound, lutrasound, uultrasound, utrasound, utlrasound, ulltrasound, ulrasound, ulrtasound, ulttrasound, ultasound, ultarsound, ultrrasound, ultrsound, ultrsaound, ultraasound, ultraound, ultraosund, ultrassound, ultrasund, ultrasuond, ultrasoound, ultrasond, ultrasonud, ultrasouund, ultrasoud, ultrasoudn, ultrasounnd, ultrasoun and ultrasoundd are mispells and typos for the word "ultrasound."