Pregnancy Ultrasound
It is amazing to think that only 20 or so years ago, having a pregnancy ultrasound was not a routine procedure. Years ago women had to actually wait until their babies were born before they knew what they were having! But not anymore! With the advances of modern technology, we are now able to not only see if the baby is male or female, but we can now see the baby's organs, bones and blood vessels, determining almost immediately if there is a malformation or genetic disorder of the unborn child. This helps doctors to know what to expect when the baby is born, and allows mom and dad to mentally prepare if there is a problem. Besides being great at determining issues a child may have, the 3d and 4d ultrasounds now let parents see what their child looks like! Parents today get an up close and personal look at their little miracle, even before D-day.
The Different Types of UltrasoundsTransvaginal UltrasoundThis type of pregnancy ultrasound is typically used at the beginning of a woman's pregnancy. If a woman is not very far along, and a transabdominal ultrasound will not show enough detail, then a transvaginal ultrasound is used. The ultrasound wand is different from a transabdominal wand. This wand is long and slender and is inserted into the vagina. The tech will move the wand from side to side and up and down to get as good of a picture of the unborn child as possible. Women who suspect they had or are having a miscarriage will typically have this procedure done to see if there are any materials of conception (i.e. the baby, the sac, etc.) left in the uterus.2d Ultrasound
A 2d ultrasound seems archaic today. This is the type of pregnancy ultrasound they have been using for years. It gives the doctor (and you!) a look at your baby in black and white and views the baby in layers. This machine takes the baby in planes and is still a valuable aid in determining problems or gender, but is not nearly as good as the 3d or 4d ultrasound machines of today. 3d Ultrasound
A 3d ultrasound is becoming more routine for medical facilities to use. This is similar to a 2d ultrasound in that it uses the same type of machine. The difference between a 2d and a 3d is that with this type of pregnancy ultrasound you get a much better view of the baby and the baby's organs, bones, etc., because this type of ultrasound focuses on the surface of the baby, not just the planes/ layers of the child. 4d UltrasoundWow, what technology! We even have a 4d ultrasound now! It sounds confusing but it isn't. A 4d ultrasound is simply a 3d ultrasound with movement. Many facilities using the 3d machines now let the parents watch a "video" of their baby. They give a real time view of what the little bundle of joy is doing, and usually gives mom and dad a cute little video to take home and share with family and friends.3d 4d Ultrasound CentersThese are centers where an ultrasound tech. will perform an ultrasound for the sole purpose of allowing mom and dad to see the baby. This is not a diagnostic test, and no doctor is present. Many pregnant women like to have this type of ultrasound performed because it gives not only the parents of the child but family and friends a way of celebrating in the joy of seeing the baby even before it is born. Many centers allow the parents to invite several other people along, and they wait in another room and watch the baby via a TV! It really is a great idea, and would make a nice baby shower gift for any expectant woman! Imagine having a way of showing your child a video of them before they were born!***Safety is always a concern with any procedure during pregnancy. Because these ultrasounds have not been around for very long, the studies have not been done to say whether or not having an unnecessary ultrasound is harmful to the unborn child. If you have a concern, speak with your physician. It is always better to be safe then sorry! Article of Interest
No lasting effects from repeated ultrasounds OB/GYN News, Jan 1, 2005 by Robert Finn An 8-year follow-up study from a randomized, controlled trial of repeated prenatal ultrasound examinations found no evidence of any lasting harm to any aspect of child development. The initial study demonstrated that infants exposed prenatally to five ultrasound imaging studies between 18 and 38 weeks' gestation had a significantly greater risk of low birth weight than children exposed to only a single ultrasound at 18 weeks of gestation. Included in the follow-up analysis were 1,352 children who previously had been randomized to the regular ultrasound group and 1,362 children randomized to the intensive ultrasound group (Lancet 2004;364:2038-44). After 8 years of repeated follow-up examinations, children in the two groups showed no statistically significant differences in a wide variety of developmental measures. These included measures of physical growth, toddler temperament, language development, and behavior, reported John P. Newham, M.D., of the University of Western Australia (Subiaco), and his colleagues. The groups showed a statistically significant difference on only a single measure of child development. At 1 year of age children in the intensive ultrasound group showed a smaller number of abnormal scores on a test of early language milestones than children in the regular ultrasound groups. The authors suggested that this may have been a statistical fluke--a seemingly significant result that showed up by chance because of the many end points examined in the study. An alternative explanation may be that women who had repeated ultrasound examinations may have had greater awareness of the study, which in turn enhanced parental attention, resulting in earlier language acquisition. While this study showed no deleterious effects of repeated ultrasound examinations to the developing fetus, the authors cautioned that contemporary ultrasound instruments have higher power outputs than the instruments used in the study. BY ROBERT FINN San Francisco Bureau Bibliography for "No lasting effects from repeated ultrasounds"
Robert Finn "No lasting effects from repeated ultrasounds". OB/GYN News. Jan 1, 2005. FindArticles.com. 23 Oct. 2006. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CYD/is_1_40/ai_n8968460
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