

In the second trimester, a standard ultrasound exam typically includes:

Identification of the embryo and/or yolk sac.Gestational sac size, location, and number.In the first trimester, a standard ultrasound examination typically includes: 3D ultrasound Įmbryo at 5 weeks and 5 days of gestational age with discernible heartbeat Doppler sonography can be used to evaluate the pulsations in the fetal heart and bloods vessels for signs of abnormalities. Also used is Doppler sonography which detects the heartbeat of the fetus. Transvaginal scans usually provide clearer pictures during early pregnancy and in obese women. One variant, transvaginal sonography, is done with a probe placed in the woman's vagina. Traditional obstetric sonograms are done by placing a transducer on the abdomen of the pregnant woman. Fortunately, gestational sac, yolk sac and embryo are surrounded by hyperechoic (brighter) body tissues. In normal state, each body tissue type, such as liver, spleen or kidney, has a unique echogenicity. Transabdominal ultrasonography – Ultrasound is performed across the abdominal wall or through the abdominal cavity.Transvaginal ultrasonography – Ultrasound is performed through the vagina.Isoechoic – the same echogenicity as another tissue.Hypoechoic – less echogenic (darker) than normal.Hyperechoic – more echogenic (brighter) than normal.Echogenic – giving rise to reflections (echoes) of ultrasound waves.Terminology Obstetric ultrasonography in Moscow, Russia, 2016īelow are useful terms on ultrasound: There is no difference, however, in perinatal death or poor outcomes for infants. Research shows that routine obstetric ultrasound before 24 weeks' gestational age can significantly reduce the risk of failing to recognize multiple gestations and can improve pregnancy dating to reduce the risk of labor induction for post-dates pregnancy. Performing an ultrasound at this early stage of pregnancy can more accurately confirm the timing of the pregnancy, and can also assess for multiple fetuses and major congenital abnormalities at an earlier stage.

Additionally, the ISUOG recommends that pregnant patients who desire genetic testing have obstetric ultrasounds between 11 weeks' and 13 weeks 6 days' gestational age in countries with resources to perform them (the nuchal scan). The International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG) recommends that pregnant women have routine obstetric ultrasounds between 18 weeks' and 22 weeks' gestational age (the anatomy scan) in order to confirm pregnancy dating, to measure the fetus so that growth abnormalities can be recognized quickly later in pregnancy, and to assess for congenital malformations and multiple pregnancies (twins, etc). The procedure is a standard part of prenatal care in many countries, as it can provide a variety of information about the health of the mother, the timing and progress of the pregnancy, and the health and development of the embryo or fetus. Obstetric ultrasonography, or prenatal ultrasound, is the use of medical ultrasonography in pregnancy, in which sound waves are used to create real-time visual images of the developing embryo or fetus in the uterus (womb).
