What is the first thing that crosses your mind when you hear the word ultrasound? A pregnancy, right? An ultrasound Memorial City is a modern diagnostic imaging test that checks your inside to confirm your pregnancy is developing well. The test will use sound waves to produce images of your unborn baby and its surrounding environment and check your uterus and ovaries for abnormalities. Your OB/GYN may also recommend a transvaginal ultrasound to examine your reproductive organs and diagnose possible abnormalities. Here is a discussion of important facts about ultrasound.
What Can An Ultrasound Do?
Your OB/GYN may recommend an ultrasound for routine tests after pregnancy. An ultrasound will check the presence of a fetus in your uterus, estimate the age of your pregnancy, and evaluate the fetal position. Also, an ultrasound can determine the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding your baby, check the position of the placenta, determine multiple pregnancies, and diagnose congenital abnormalities. Generally, the procedure aims to assess your fetus’s wellness, growth, and development.
Can You Get an Ultrasound If You Are Not Pregnant?
Your doctor may recommend an ultrasound even if you are not pregnant but are experiencing symptoms that make the procedure necessary. You may be experiencing severe menstrual cramps, heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, bloating, painful sexual intercourse, and suspected ovarian and uterine cancer. An ultrasound can also help your doctor find fibroids and ovarian cysts.
How Will Your Doctor Perform an Ultrasound?
You will lie on an examination table, and then your OB/GYN will apply a water-based gel to your belly. Your doctor will then place a transducer on your belly and move it up and down to produce the desired images projected on a monitor. Generally, an ultrasound exam is painless and fast. You will experience no side effects after the exam. Since it uses no radiation, it will be safe for you and your baby. After complete imaging, your doctor will wipe off the gel and interpret the ultrasound images.
When Will Your Doctor Recommend a Transvaginal Ultrasound?
A vaginal ultrasound may be necessary if you show symptoms, including abnormal pelvic and abdominal exams, unexplained vaginal bleeding, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and ovarian cysts. Your doctor may also recommend this ultrasound during pregnancy to examine placental abnormalities, diagnose possible miscarriage, check the cervix for complications and monitor the fetal heartbeat. A transvaginal ultrasound can also confirm early pregnancy.
What Can You Expect During a Transvaginal Ultrasound?
You will lie on an examination table with your knees bent. Your doctor will then lubricate an ultrasound wand and insert it through your vagina. You will likely feel slight pressure as your doctor inserts the transducer into your vagina. The transducer will transmit images to help your doctor identify uterine abnormalities. A transvaginal ultrasound is also safe since it uses no radiation.
An ultrasound is a common diagnostic imaging test during pregnancy. Since it uses no radiation, it is safe for you and your unborn child. Mostly, an ultrasound checks for fetal growth and development and detects congenital abnormalities that may present early in pregnancy. Additionally, your doctor can use an ultrasound to check inside your uterus for abnormalities like cysts, fibroids, and reasons for heavy bleeding if you are not pregnant. You can talk to your doctor about getting an ultrasound of your unborn child or your reproductive organs.
