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Ultrasound and Pregnancy

An ultrasound is a common diagnostic procedure that uses sound waves to create a picture of the baby while the mother is still pregnant. The following should help you understand more about ultrasound and whether you want to ask your health care provider to use ultrasound during your pregnancy.

Ultrasound--A Good Idea?

An Ultrasound is a common diagnostic procedure that uses an high-frequency sound waves to "echo," or bounce, off the body and create a picture. A special jelly is applied to the mother's abdomen, and a wand-like instrument is positioned over it. Sound waves are generated and reflected back to produce an image of the baby on a computer screen. Ultrasounds are a standard procedure used to:

diagnose a pregnancy
estimate the age of the fetus
determine multiple pregnancies
detect birth defects and fetal movement
evaluate the position of the placenta
monitor the fetal growth and heartbeat
determine the amount of amniotic fluid around the fetus

The following has been adapted from the Kids Health and Radiology info websites.

The obstetric ultrasound examination takes about 20 minutes. You will be asked to lie on your back or side. You will also be asked to expose your lower abdominal area. The sonographer or radiologist then spreads a warm water-soluble gel over your lower abdomen. This gel allows better transmission of the sound waves by making it easier to move the transducer over your abdomen and by sending the sound beam directly into the body without the interference from even a tiny amount of air on the skin. The transducer emits high-frequency sound waves as the sonographer or radiologist moves it over your abdomen.

This is a painless procedure. There may be varying degrees of discomfort from pressure as the sonographer or radiologist guides the transducer over your abdomen, especially if you are required to have a full bladder. At times the sonographer may have to press more firmly to get closer to the embryo or fetus to better visualize the structure. This discomfort is temporary. Also, you may dislike the feeling of the water-soluble gel applied to your abdomen.

The benefits and risks of an ultrasound are:

Benefits

Ultrasound does not use x-rays to produce an image neither the mother nor her unborn child is exposed to ionizing radiation.
Ultrasound has been used to evaluate pregnancy for nearly four decades and there has been no evidence of harm to the patient, embryo or fetus. Nevertheless, ultrasound should be performed only when clinically indicated.
Ultrasound allows the doctor to see inside the uterus and provides much information about the pregnancy.

Risks

For standard diagnostic ultrasound there are no known harmful effects to humans. However, if there is a possible abnormality, a pregnant woman may have to undergo additional testing such as amniocentesis (the evaluation of fluid taken from the sac surrounding the fetus) or chorionic villus sampling (evaluation of placental tissue) to determine the health of the fetus.

Unsafe Ultrasounds

Although it seems harmless to get an extra ultrasound or two, the long-term effects of repeated ultrasounds on a fetus are still unknown. And facilities offering ultrasounds for the purpose of selling videos or portraits, or finding out the baby's gender, may employ poorly trained or untrained technicians who use high power levels for longer periods of time than is deemed safe. The FDA is also concerned that these non medical ultrasounds are being misinterpreted as medical examinations and are preventing women from seeking standard prenatal care.

Make sure to talk to your obstetrician, nurse-midwife, or family doctor if have questions about ultrasounds.

Additional Information

Kids health: Ultrasound--a good idea?

Radiology info: Ultrasound