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WHAT IS USG?
USG or Ultrasonography is a very commonly used investigation in pregnancy. The basic mechanism is that sound waves are emitted by the usg probe placed on the abdomen or inside the vagina, which gets reflected back to the probe from the various structures of the baby and around it, to then be converted into an image on the usg machine screen.
Many patients fear that there are harmful rays in usg that may harm the fetus. But there are no such rays in usg, I can assure you all of that.
- PURPOSE: usg done at specific times during the pregnancy period to get information about how the pregnancy is developing, detect the possible presence of developmental defects both at structural and genetic levels & predict the development of certain harmful conditions in the developing baby, so that actions can be taken to prevent those harmful conditions from developing.
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TIMINGS & PURPOSE OF EACH USG:
- 6-8 weeks—Known as the ‘DATING SCAN’. It accurately gives the age of the fetus. Moreover, it detects for the first time the presence of a heartbeat in the baby. Importantly it also detects the number of developing babies and the exact location of the pregnancy. (Pregnancy developing in any location other than inside the uterus is known as ECTOPIC pregnancy & is very dangerous for the mother, sometimes leading to death if not detected early enough or not treated properly)
- 11-14 weeks—‘NT SCAN’. Simply speaking, the length of a translucent area at the back of the baby’s neck is measured. Also, the presence of nasal bone is looked for. Certain blood tests are done with maternal blood. All these data along with the maternal age at conception is taken into consideration for calculating the probability of the presence of certain chromosomal disorders and structural defects in the developing baby. Reported as ‘HIGH RISK’ or ‘LOW RISK’. High-risk mothers are evaluated more for coming to a definitive diagnosis.
Also, the location of the developing placenta (the organ that is responsible for supplying all nutrition and oxygen to the baby) is noted in this scan. Location is important as the placenta develops in the lower part, close to the lower opening of the uterus is a major concern, as it can result in repeated minor/major bleeding episodes in pregnancy, which keeps the gynecologist on his/her toes.
Read USG In Pregnancy Part 2 Here
In my 3 part blog on this topic, I have elaborated on ultrasonography in various phases of pregnancy and each of their importance. To know more on this topic you can mail me at deborjyotipalqueries@outlook.com.
You can also book appointments with me by calling on 9830047058/8017815356 OR you can go to the appointments section on www.deborjyotipal.com.
