Pregnancy Ultrasounds: A Useful Tool for Assessing Your Baby’s Growth and Health

Pregnancy is both a joyous and worrisome time. The discovery of pregnancy brings intense joy to parents, other family members, and friends. But at the same time, it can give rise to worries regarding the health of mother and baby. Pregnancy ultrasounds are the best way to assess the baby’s growth and health and to examine the mother’s reproductive organs. For a safe and worry-free pregnancy ultrasound experience, you must visit a renowned prenatal ultrasonography diagnostic centre in your area. Here a trained and highly qualified sonographic technologist will perform the ultrasound.

How do ultrasounds work

Ultrasound scanning is an imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the body’s internal organs. It is also called sonography.   

A transducer or probe emitting ultrasound waves is used to perform an ultrasound. The probe is placed on the skin after coating it with a thin, conductive gel layer. The gel’s coating allows the waves to pass smoothly through the skin. The emitted ultrasound waves are projected on certain body parts which reflect them. Computer software interprets the information from reflected ultrasound waves and turns them into visible images. The info gets formed as per the strength of reflected waves and the time they take to return.  

Ultrasound imaging holds these advantages over other imaging techniques: –

1. Ultrasounds provide real-time visualization of the fetus or organs. 
2. They are non-invasive. 
3. They do away with the need to use ionization radiation known to cause toxic effects on the embryo.
4. Ultrasounds provide an interactive experience, and this is because they enable the ultra-sonographer to capture different viewing images by moving the probe.   

To assess your baby’s health and growth following ultrasound options are available to you-

2D Ultrasound  

A 2D ultrasound is a traditional ultrasound scanning that is two-dimensional. This scanning sends and receives ultrasound waves in a single plane. The waves that get reflected then provide a flat black and white image of the fetus through that plane. It is a basic image that outlines the organs inside the body. The image obtained is not true to life, but still, it is clear for doctors to detect and diagnose certain medical issues. Doctors use this ultrasound to measure the baby’s head, stomach and leg size. Moreover, they use ultrasound to monitor the heart rate and movement of the baby. In short, a 2D ultrasound is useful for a detailed evaluation of fetal anatomy and morphology.

3D Ultrasound]

3D ultrasounds provide three-dimensional static images of the inside of the body. They are obtained by piecing together multiple two-dimensional images taken at various angles. These ultrasounds visualize fetal structures and the internal anatomy as static 3D images.  

A 4D ultrasound is a 3D ultrasound but in a live motion. It allows doctors to see what is happening inside your body in real-time. For example, it can show how blood flows through the aorta and surrounding blood vessels. You can have a 4D ultrasound during the middle or end of your pregnancy to check for any abnormalities. Also, the ultrasound can show your baby’s activities like yawning, kicking, etc. They will help to provide you with a positive bonding experience.   

Side Effects of Ultrasound 

When used for diagnostic purposes, ultrasound imaging can cause cavitation or small gas pockets in the tissues. Also, ultrasounds can produce slight heating of the tissue. But medical professionals have not witnessed any significant health consequences from their use.

To have a safe and memorable pregnancy ultrasound experience, you need to get it done by a highly qualified California sonographic technologist at DigiBaby. It is an established diagnostic center for pregnancy ultrasonography in California with latest imaging equipment and expert medical professionals. But before booking an appointment to undergo any of the above elective ultrasounds, you need to do one thing. You should consult its medical experts regarding the ultrasound. You should ask them about its benefits, advantages, preparation measures, time spent, etc. The experts will provide you a useful advice about these aspects. Also, they will give you thoroughly enjoyable and safe imaging and baby viewing experience whose memories you will cherish forever.