How Many Ultrasounds Are Really Needed For Healthy Pregnancy?
By: Anoosha Beauke
Tags: Birth, Health, Medical, Pregnancy

Bringing life to this world is a lifetime dream for every woman. It is one of the most beautiful phases of her life. And not to forget is very crucial too. As one has to take care of herself and the baby too. The responsibilities of being a mother start 9 months before the baby is born. Yes, you heard it right. Mother has to take extra care of her and babies health from the day she got to know that she is pregnant. One needs to be careful about what to eat, when to eat, what is to be done and what should not be done. But is this enough? Actually no, we missed the most important section. Getting a regular checkup done by your doctor is not to be missed at any cost as it helps us in taking care of the growing fetus.

Every woman wants her baby to grow healthy, wants a complication free pregnancy and also is very excited to know the delivery date. And to ensure all this one should schedule regular appointments with your doctor. Get all the investigations and scans done as suggested.

You must have also come across pregnant women confused and tensed about how often she should get her tests, scans, ultrasounds done during the 9 months so that she experiences a smooth pregnancy and her baby is also healthy. When we hear about the term ultrasounds during pregnancy, the immediate questions that run on your mind is what is ultrasound? Why is it necessary for women to undergo ultrasound tests during a period of 9 months? How many ultrasounds during pregnancy is safe? What weeks do you get ultrasounds during pregnancy?

Nowadays there are several guidelines which complicate the procedure rather than making it easy. But don’t worry, here we are to help all the expectant mothers. We will answer all your questions related to abdominal ultrasound or sonography.

What Is An Ultrasound?

What is an Ultrasound?

An ultrasound is a test that sends sound waves through the skin and creates a picture of organs and structures inside the body. It helps medical professionals analyse organs, give diagnosis and check for any abnormality. Ultrasounds are majorly performed during pregnancy. The sound waves travel through the different tissues in the body, reach the growing fetus to create an image of the baby in the womb and display it on the monitor screen. Doctors use this method to check the baby’s development and the mother’s health.

Benefits Of Ultrasound During Pregnancy

Ultrasound is one of the important steps during pregnancy as the parents get to see their baby for the very first time! It finds out whether all the things are happening the way it should or not. Also, it helps doctor confirm several things that are listed below:

Confirms The Pregnancy: Fetal ultrasound helps the doctors to confirm the pregnancy by listening to the heartbeat of the baby. Doctor also checks for the location of the developing fetus whether it is inside or outside the uterus and further necessary steps are taken if the fetus is somewhere outside the uterus. Calculate Baby’s Age: With the help of an ultrasound and mother, the doctor gets to know how many weeks she has been pregnant i.e. the gestational age of the growing fetus. They check for the growth of the fetus with respect to their gestational age and also confirm the expected due date for delivery. Confirms The Number Of Babies: The doctors and health professionals with the help of an ultrasound can suspect if there are multiple pregnancies (twins or triplets). They confirm the number of babies developing in the womb and also see for any complications in case of multiple pregnancies. To Examine The Fetus Growth: Trimester wise ultrasound helps doctors examine whether the baby’s all internal organs and structures like brain, liver, heart, lungs, hands and feet are growing at a normal rate as per their gestational age or not. It ensures the normal growth and development of the fetus. To Check For Abnormalities: Ultrasound helps the doctor to see if there are any abnormalities in the cervix or the uterus of the mother. It also helps to diagnose the issue if there are any complaints of abdominal pain or bleeding. Tracking Amniotic Fluids: The ultrasound helps to keep a track on the amount of amniotic fluid (the fluid around the baby in the uterus) as too much or too less is not good for the baby. Check The Position Of Placenta: Position of placenta inside the uterus is crucial for both mother and the baby. An ultrasound helps to know the position of the placenta and check for abnormalities like placenta covering the cervix, etc. Identify Complications And Birth Defects: An ultrasound helps the doctors to detect any genetic or birth defect in the fetus at an early stage which further helps parents to prepare for it. Determine The Fetal Position For Delivery: The fetal position during the third trimester is positioned headfirst (head comes out first), but in some pregnancies the position of the baby might differ. Multiple ultrasound scans help to detect the position of the fetus and confirm the method of delivery (normal delivery or C-section). Examine The Well Being: The fetal ultrasound also helps to evaluate the wellbeing of both the mother and the baby. This is done by checking the breathing and heart rate of the fetus.

I hope you are well aware now, why it is important to get an ultrasound done during the pregnancy. So if you are expecting and not done with the ultrasound yet, hurry up, schedule an appointment with your doctor and get it done. For sure, you will be delighted to see the first picture and learn some interesting facts about your unborn. But along with this one concern builds up in your mind and that is

How Many Ultrasounds Are Needed In 9 Months?

For a healthy pregnancy, generally 2 ultrasounds are advised to monitor the growth and development of the fetus. The number of ultrasound scans might increase in case of high risk pregnancy, abnormality in earlier ultrasound or if any complication is experienced lately. So be regular with your visits to the doctor, get your scans and investigations done as and when advised.

Your medical professionals will also examine you physically and guide you on which type of ultrasound is to be done. Yes, you heard it right. There are different types of ultrasounds that a pregnant woman will undergo at different stages of pregnancy.

Ultrasound is one of the important steps during pregnancy as the parents get to see their baby for the very first time!

What Are Different Types Of Ultrasound?

Which type of ultrasound is to be done, totally depends upon your doctor what he wants to examine and on the stage of pregnancy. Let us learn about the types of ultrasound, at what stage of pregnancy it is performed and why it is performed.

Dating ultrasound

Nuchal Translucency ultrasound

Anatomy OR Anomaly ultrasound

Fetal growth ultrasound

1. Dating Ultrasound:

This ultrasound is performed during the first trimester of pregnancy and is advised to be done after 6 weeks and before 14 weeks of pregnancy. It is also called a ‘dating ultrasound’ or a ‘viability scan’. This ultrasound is usually done through the vagina if performed before 10 weeks but in some cases dating ultrasound can be done through the abdomen after completing 10 weeks of pregnancy. The pregnant women need to have a full bladder before the scan. But in a vaginal ultrasound the woman should have an empty bladder. In this process the doctor will be able to:

Confirm the pregnancy by checking the heartbeat and breathing rate of the fetus.

Confirm the gestational age and give information about the expected due date for delivery.

Detect the number of babies and if there are any possibilities of multiple pregnancies (twins or triplets).

Check if it is an ectopic pregnancy (the developing fetus is attached somewhere outside the uterus)

2. Nuchal Translucency (NT) Ultrasound:

This ultrasound is done between 11 to 13 weeks of pregnancy. This ultrasound scan is usually done through the abdomen and in some cases it can be done through vagina also. In this scan, the collection of fluid under the skin, behind the neck of the growing fetus is measured. The normal measurement of NT at 12 weeks is 2.8 mm in size. Increased thickness of Nuchal Translucency is linked to increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities like Down’s syndrome, Turner’s syndrome, heart defects, genetic abnormalities, miscarriage, intrauterine infections, etc. It can also result in a slightly higher risk for preterm birth. The pregnant woman should have a full bladder before going to the test. This scan can be done along with the dating scan or it can be performed separately. In this process the doctor will be able to:

Examine if any birth defects or complications are present in the developing fetus.

Did you know that babies with Down’s syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities will have an increase in the fluid which results in thicker NT measurements. All these conditions involve an extra set of chromosomes.

3. Anatomy Ultrasound:

This ultrasound is done between 18 to 22 weeks. It is performed to check for structural or physical abnormalities in the growing fetus if any. This is also called the ‘Fetal Anomaly Scan’. A full bladder is required before this scan to get a clear view. This scan can give an idea to the doctor if any physical parts of the body are abnormal or missing. Along with this doctor will be able to examine:

The structure and physical appearance of the brain, heart, abdomen, face, kidney, hands, feet, spinal cord, and other major organs.

Position of the placenta, umbilical cord, growth of the fetus, uterus and cervix.

The volume of amniotic fluid

4. Fetal Growth Ultrasound:

This ultrasound is done in the last trimester of pregnancy between 28 to 32 weeks. This scan helps to examine the growth and development of the fetus. Doctors take measurements of different body parts to calculate the gestational age. They also plan the method of delivery considering the position of the baby in the womb. Through this scan they are also able to:

Identify the weight of the fetus

Measure the size of the baby’s head, abdomen and limbs (arms and legs)

Check the level of amniotic fluid

Check the position and maturity of the placenta

Check the position of the umbilical cord.

To check the wellbeing and health of the baby by monitoring its movement, breath and stretches.

Checks the blood flow to the baby through the umbilical cord.

Check the length of the cervix preparing for delivery.

Important note: Usually 2 ultrasounds are required throughout the pregnancy . Additional ultrasounds may be suggested by your doctor if any birth abnormalities or complications are seen during the routine ultrasound, to monitor the baby’s health in a better way.

A 4D ultasound scan.

How To Prepare For An Ultrasound?

Preparing for a checkup, blood tests, scans and visiting doctors have always made me anxious. Do you face the same before visiting your doctor? Not any more! If you have an appointment scheduled for your upcoming ultrasound, prep yourself by going through the guidelines mentioned below:

Inform the doctor if there is any allergy or sensitivity to any medicine, latex, tape or anesthetic medicines.

Inform doctor, if you have taken any medicines like prescribed medication, supplements and herbal products.

Empty your bladder 90 minutes before the test.

Drink 8 glasses of fluid (water, lemon water, coconut water, etc) about 30 minutes before the test.

Do not empty your bladder until your test is done.

A two-piece outfit and loose fitted clothing can be worn to ease the process of testing

What Happens During A Fetal Ultrasound?

In fetal ultrasound, the pregnant woman is made to lie down on her back and asked to expose her abdomen. The doctor or technician applies a gel on the abdomen that reduces the friction between skin and the ultrasound transducer. The transducer is moved over the abdomen in circular motion such that the sound waves travel through the skin and reflect back into the computer forming a picture of the baby. The image of the growing fetus is then analysed by the doctor. After the test is done, the gel applied on the abdomen is wiped off. The whole procedure is completed in less than 30 minutes of time.

Risk Factor For An Ultrasound

As per the studies so far, ultrasounds are considered safe for both the mother and the baby. It is a painless and easy procedure to go through. Ultrasound gives you a chance to see your baby for the very first time. Timely ultrasounds help you see your baby grow month by month and for sure it is one of the best experiences of your lifetime. The only limitation is that it cannot detect all kinds of birth-defects and abnormalities.

Conclusion

In the end, if you are expecting and your bundle of joy is ready to enter this world in the coming few days or months, it becomes really important for you and people around you to take care of the mother and the fetus. And as we learnt, ultrasounds are really important to monitor the growth and development of the baby. Therefore, regular check ups and timely ultrasounds are a must. Be sure to be in check with your health care professionals if you have any queries or doubts related to ultrasounds.

To get treatment & continuous care by a team of leading doctors talk to our medical expert at zyla.in

Connect with us: