However, most women will have it anyway for the reasons discussed below. Women do have a right to refuse amniocentesis for a variety of reasons, also outlined below. Some newer tests have been developed, however, that can screen for some of the same things as does amniocentesis. In prenatal testing, ultrasound is also called ultrasonography. It is the use of an echo sounder to produce a picture of the baby inside the uterus.
Most pregnant women can expect to have at least one ultrasound anywhere from the fourth month on.
You will need to have a full bladder for the procedure. Jelly is rubbed all over your abdomen, and a probe is placed on the jellied area and moved around. The procedure takes about thirty minutes, and you may be uncomfortable because of your full bladder. In early pregnancy, scanning may be done with a vaginal probe and an empty bladder. Although many women assume that ultrasound is completely safe and harmless, we still don't know if ultrasound carries risks that have not yet been published.