Tell him or her about any problems you've had with blood clots at your first prenatal visit. The greatest danger from deep-vein thrombosis is a pulmonary embolism, in which a piece of the blood clot breaks off and travels from the legs to the lungs. This is a rare problem during pregnancy and is reported in only 1 in every 3000 to 7000 deliveries. Although it is a serious complication in pregnancy, it can often be avoided with proper treatment. On page 181 is an illustration of an ultrasound exam, accompanied by an interpretive illustration.
Many women wonder about the safety of ultrasound exams.
Most medical researchers agree ultrasound exams do not pose any significant risk to you or your baby. Researchers have looked for potential problems many times without finding evidence the test causes any. Ultrasound is an extremely valuable tool in diagnosing problems and answering some questions during pregnancy. Information that ultrasound testing provides can be reassuring to the doctor and the pregnant woman. If your doctor has recommended ultrasound for you and you're concerned about it, discuss it with him or her.