So you’re pregnant and you’ve scheduled an ultrasound appointment – or maybe you’re THINKING about scheduling an ultrasound appointment – and you have a few questions. In this post, we’re answering the top five questions about ultrasound appointments during pregnancy. Let’s dive in to what to do, what not to do, and what you need to know about this whole ultrasound appointment thing.
1. What should I do to prepare for my ultrasound appointment?
Whether your ultrasound appointment is at a pregnancy center like Heartline (Warsaw, IN) or at your OB’s office, there are a few things you can do to prepare to help things go as smoothly as possible.
Preparation Tips
- Confirm Details: Double-check the date, time, and location of your appointment. Arrive at least 15 minutes early to handle any paperwork or unexpected delays. “Pregnancy brain” is real, but a quick double check can keep everything on track.
- Wear Comfortable Clothing: Opt for loose-fitting clothing that can be easily adjusted or removed if necessary. For pregnancy-related ultrasounds, your lower abdomen will usually have to be free of clothing during the scan, so the easier clothing is to move or remove, the better.
- Come with a Full Bladder: While specific instructions may differ from office to office, the main thing to come to your appointment with is a FULL BLADDER. Try to drink plenty of water leading up to your ultrasound appointment to get the best possible image quality from the ultrasound scan.
For more detailed preparation tips, you can visit https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/9704-ultrasound-in-pregnancy.
2. What does an ultrasound scan look like?
An ultrasound scan uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of the inside of the body, including the uterus and the baby growing inside. These images are displayed in real-time on a monitor, allowing both patients and medical professionals to see movement and tissue.
Understanding the Images
- Grayscale Imaging: Ultrasound images are typically in grayscale. Bright areas represent dense tissues like bone, while darker areas indicate softer tissues or fluid. For pregnancy scans, the baby will usually appear brighter and the surrounding fluid-filled amniotic sac will appear black. During pregnancy, these “2-D” ultrasound images are used to take measurements of the baby to confirm dating and healthy development.
- Real-Time Movement: Unlike a static X-ray image, an ultrasound provides a real-time video of the baby moving, spinning, and kicking inside the uterus. This is particularly useful for observing fetal development, and also makes it possible to “see” the baby’s heartbeats.
- 3D Scans: Some newer ultrasound machines are able to produce 3d images, often orange-brown in color, which provide a more realistic image of the baby’s face and body. These scans are usually more useful in the second half of pregnancy, as 3D images taken during early pregnancy can be difficult to decipher.
Practical Tips
- Ask Questions: During the scan, don’t be afraid to ask the technician to explain what you’re seeing. Sometimes the person doing the scan itself won’t be able to answer, but they will be able to get a doctor who can answer any questions you may have.
- Request Copies: If you’re interested, you can usually request copies of your ultrasound images. This can be particularly meaningful for expecting parents, as it often represents the very first picture of their soon-to-arrive baby.
To see examples of fetal ultrasound images, check out this article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/fetal-ultrasound/art-20546827.
3. What is the Difference Between an Abdominal and Transvaginal Ultrasound?
There are two main types of ultrasound scans common during pregnancy: abdominal scans and transvaginal scans. Both scans can usually be done with the same ultrasound machine, just using different attachments, called “transducers.”
Abdominal Ultrasound
- Abdominal ultrasound scans involve an ultrasound technician, or sonographer, moving a transducer over the surface of the abdomen. This is the most common form of ultrasound scan during pregnancy.
- To help the transducer glide easily, the technician will apply a gel lubricant to your belly. While the tech usually wipes the gel off well, you may want to ask for an extra towel when they are finished to make sure everything is clean before replacing your clothing.
Transvaginal Ultrasound
- Transvaginal ultrasound scans involve inserting a specially designed transducer into the vagina. These scans are usually only necessary very early in pregnancy, when the baby is still too small for the abdominal ultrasound to see clearly.
- If the technician decides a transvaginal ultrasound is necessary, you will be asked to remove your clothing from the waist down and provided with a privacy sheet to place over your lap. While it is often not the most comfortable thing, the results of this scan are worth it if they can answer questions about how far along you are and whether the pregnancy is developing as it should.
For a more detailed comparison, you can visit https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/ultrasound/about/pac-20395177.
4. Why should I get an ultrasound scan during pregnancy?
Ultrasounds are a valuable tool in pregnancy healthcare, known for their safety and effectiveness. The main reasons to get an ultrasound scan during pregnancy are:
- to ensure accurate dating (how far along you are).
- to assess viability (whether the pregnancy is likely to survive to birth).
- to assess the developmental progress of the baby.
Ultrasounds are the preferred imaging tool during pregnancy for a variety of reasons:
- Non-Invasive: Unlike other imaging techniques, ultrasounds do not use radiation and do not require injections, making them safe for both mom and baby.
- Versatile: An ultrasound scan during pregnancy not only provides a high-quality image of the baby’s development, but also lets doctors monitor the placenta, umbilical cord, uterus, and other functions of the reproductive organs. This helps them ensure everything is working as it should throughout the pregnancy.
- Real-Time Imaging: Ultrasound scans provide real-time images and videos, which are crucial for observing things like blood flow or fetal heartbeat.
- Cost-Effective: Ultrasound scans are generally less expensive than other imaging tests such as MRI or CT scans, and are usually covered by insurance. There are also many agencies or service organizations that offer free ultrasounds as a way to promote maternal health and prenatal care. (See #5 below for more information on how to find a free ultrasound scan.)
To learn more about the benefits of ultrasounds, along with some of the risks, check out this article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24176149/
5. Where can I get a free ultrasound scan?
Ultrasound scans are usually included as part of standard prenatal care and are covered by insurance, most often at 12 weeks and 20 weeks gestation. However, if you do not have health insurance, or if you do not have access to a health clinic that has an ultrasound machine, there are often other places in your community offering ultrasound scans at no cost.
For example, most communities in the United States have a local pregnancy resource center, many of which have trained medical staff on hand to perform ultrasounds at no cost to patients. (These centers are not-for-profits and are funded by donors, rather than insurance providers or by charting patient fees.)
If you are located near Warsaw, Indiana, Heartline Pregnancy Center has a trained RN on staff to perform free ultrasound scans to establish dating and answer any questions you may have. The goal of these scans to help you get plugged in to prenatal care and other pregnancy support resources if you are not already.
Some counties also offer pregnancy support services – including free ultrasound scans – through their local Health Department. Be sure to reach out to your Health Department to see if these services are available in your area.
To learn more or schedule a free ultrasound appointment at Heartline, call 574-267-5110 or text 574-635-1272. You can get more information on Heartline’s website here: https://heartlinepregnancycenter.org/services/
CONCLUSION
As you schedule and prepare for your ultrasound appointment, please keep in mind that the ultrasound scan is simply a tool to support pregnancy health, and will not always be able to show everything or answer all questions right away.
- Sometimes, baby doesn’t cooperate for that gender reveal scan.
- Sometimes, the doctor sees something out of the ordinary and needs to schedule a follow-up scan.
- And sometimes, even the most trained sonographers and OB’s can mis-read an ultrasound image due to limits of clarity, angle, etc.
So take a breath, fill that bladder, and get ready to see your baby!
