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About Obstetric Ultrasound
Why Do Patients Have an Obstetric Ultrasound Examination?
The most common reason for having an obstetric ultrasound examination is to help your doctor determine when your baby is due or to make sure your baby is growing, as it should. Your doctor may also want an ultrasound examination to determine the baby's position or to see if you are carrying more than one baby.
With an ultrasound examination, the amount of fluid around your baby can be seen. Ultrasonography also may be used to detect some birth defects.
Are There Any Special Preparations Needed for the Examination?
In most cases, no special preparation is needed for the examination. In some cases, your doctor may recommend an endovaginal ultrasound study, which involves the use of a special transducer in your vagina, to improve visualization of your baby or your cervix.
A complete obstetric ultrasound examination usually takes between 30 and 60 minutes.
Can I See My Baby Move?
Your baby's heartbeat and movement of his or her body, arms, and legs can be seen using ultrasound, depending on the age of the baby.
See sample Fetal Sonographs
Your baby can be seen moving during an ultrasound examination many weeks before you can feel movement.
Will I Learn the Sex of My Baby?
Sometimes it is possible to see the sex of the baby and sometimes it is not. If your baby is lying in an inconvenient position, the baby's sex cannot be determined.
Does an Ultrasound Examination Guarantee a Normal Baby?
No, an ultrasound examination does not guarantee a normal baby.
The ability to detect fetal abnormalities depends on many things. For instance, the size and position of your baby may not allow certain abnormalities to be seen. Some types of abnormalities cannot be seen because they are too small or not visible by ultrasound.
Will I Need More Than One Ultrasound Examination?
In many cases, women need only one ultrasound examination but your doctor may order additional scans during your pregnancy.
Excerpt from the Medical Ultrasound Fact Sheet from the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM)
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