Prenatal Ultrasound

Call it a wonder or whatever… Thanks zillions to the new age science for making us experience the bliss of seeing the little life breathing and moving inside our belly. It’s awesome!

And easy. High frequency waves, which are inaudible to the ear, are bounced through the abdomen by a device called transducer to look at the inside of the abdomen. With prenatal ultrasound the echoes are recorded and transformed into video or photographic images of the baby. Easy, safe and inexpensive, Prenatal Ultrasound during pregnancy detects or aids in the detection of abnormalities and conditions related to pregnancy. It is usually combined with other tests, such as triple tests, amniocentesis, or chorionic villus sampling, to validate a diagnosis. An ultrasound exam is medically indicated for different reasons at different stages during pregnancy.
First Trimester:
During the first three months the ultrasound is primarily performed to confirm viable pregnancy and heartbeat, measure the crown-rump length or gestational age, diagnose molar or ectopic pregnancies and assess abnormal gestation.
Second Trimester:
In the second trimester the ultrasound helps to diagnose fetal malformation (weeks 13-14 for characteristics of potential Down syndrome, weeks 18-20 for congenital malformations), to see structural abnormalities, confirm multiple pregnancy, verify dates and growth and to identify hydramnios or oligohydramnios – excessive or reduced levels of amniotic fluid.
Third Trimester:
Third trimester ultrasonography is performed to identify placental location, confirm intrauterine death, observe fetal presentation and movements and to identify uterine and pelvic abnormalities of the mother.
More recently, 4-D or dynamic 3-D scans have become available to look at the face and movements of your baby before birth. This is thought to have an important catalytic effect for mothers to bond to their babies before birth.

How safe is ultrasound during pregnancy?
It’s a non-invasive procedure that does not use radiation, as in X-ray tests, and when used properly, does not harm the mother or the baby.The long term effects of repeated ultrasound exposures on the foetus are not fully known, though there is no evidence till date that it causes any harm to the mother or to the baby, except increased incidence of left handedness in the baby. It is thus recommended that ultrasound only be used if medically indicated like any other diagnostic procedure.

The only discomfort that one may feel is of a pressure due to the full bladder, required for the procedure when abdominal scanning is done in early pregnancy.

Warning-Never use ultrasound to know the gender.

Inputs from Dr. Kaushiki Dwivedee, senior consultant obstetrics and gynaecology, Max Hospital.

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