Pregnancy

Understanding Ultra-Sounds

The very first picture of your baby more than likely comes from a hospital machine. The sonogram is the picture that new parents receive and an ultrasound is the process in which the picture is taken. This procedure is quite helpful when checking the health of your unborn child. The scan with an ultra sound is non-invasive, quite safe, extremely effective, and painless. Ultrasounds are also used to determine the sex of your unborn child too.

Ultrasounds do not require radiation or dyes to swallow so that an image is shown upon a screen. During the scan a nurse will put a jelly like water-soluble substance upon your belly, which is extremely cold, and then a probe or transducer is used to apply slight pressure upon your abdomen. As the hand held probe is moved about, your baby's image appears on the screen. This is when new moms and dads can see their son or daughter, if the position permits, or even their little one sucking his or her thumb.

Ultrasounds do not pose a threat to mom or baby. Sound waves are used to get the image of your little one. The sonograms are generally administered at 16 or 18 weeks of pregnancy to check for fetal abnormalities. This scan is also used to check the size of the baby, also during amniocentesis, or fetal surgery. While ultrasounds only show the outline of your baby, there has been an upgrade in the procedure. 3D ultrasounds provide amazing shots of your little one. You can see the eye sockets and in depth features upon the face. These scans can be a bit more expensive than your traditional ultrasound scan, but some parents feel like it is seeing their baby in the best way before they are here to hold them.

Not only is the baby seen during the ultrasound scan. Female organs are also observed to check for any problems that may arise during pregnancy and/or delivery. Be advised that a full bladder is recommended for the scan to get the best picture. This should not be a hard task for all of you moms to be out there. Scans are generally done during the first trimester to check the baby's heart rate and age while some scans are done later on in the pregnancy. This happens to check the placenta, the age of the baby, and to check for multiple pregnancies. An ultrasound is a great tool during a pregnancy. Your baby's health has never been seen so clearly.