Prenatal Ultrasound

Ultrasound has been used for decades with little risk to women and their unborn babies. When performed by qualified medical professionals, ultrasounds are considered safe because they use sound waves rather than radiation to get a picture of your baby in the womb. Even so, they are only recommended when your doctor believes they are medically necessary. Although ultrasound is considered standard care for many pregnant women, it is an optional test and you can choose not to have it.

If your physician suggests an early ultrasound, it will be done in the first trimester of your pregnancy. A standard ultrasound is completed in the second trimester.

Ultrasound can be used in several ways, such as:

• Confirming a pregnancy
• Monitoring the position, movement, muscle tone and heart rate of your unborn baby
• Evaluating your placenta, uterus, cervix and ovaries
• Confirming the maturity of your baby and projecting its birth date
• Watching for signs of abnormal growth in your baby
• Detecting twins, triplets and other multiple births
• Identifying an ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when the fetus does not attach to the uterus
• Watching for signs of a miscarriage

Additional ultrasounds may be recommended during your second (12 to 24 weeks) or third (24 to 40 weeks) trimester for high-risk pregnancies, multiple births or to detect any abnormal development. Your physician compares ultrasound results to other tests, such as prenatal blood tests to decide whether additional diagnostic or screening tests may be needed.

Although a standard 2-D ultrasound is most common, there are six more types of ultrasound and each is used for different reasons.

• Advanced Ultrasound. This test uses more advanced technology to look for specific problems.
• Doppler Ultrasound. This method of ultrasound shows blood flowing throughout the fetus, including the limbs, brain and organs.
• Transvaginal Ultrasound. This form of ultrasound inserts a probe, covered with a disposable sheath, inside the vagina to create the image. This offers a better view of the baby, ovaries, cervix and uterus.
• 3-D Ultrasound. The developing fetus is shown in 3D-images using special probes and software. 3-D images can also identify any problems inside the uterus.
• 4-D Ultrasound or Dynamic 3-D Ultrasound. Both methods allow physicians to examine the face and movement of your baby, which are recorded as video.
• Fetal Echocardiograms. Your baby’s heart structure and function can be examined to anticipate possible heart problems before delivery. These are often performed by pediatric cardiologists.

Whichever method is used, the goal is always to make sure you and your baby receive the right care at the right time in your pregnancy. The information can also help maternal-fetal specialists and obstetricians work with you to plan your pregnancy and delivery. Combined with other test results, an ultrasound may change the type of delivery you have, and it may allow specialists at Riley at IU Health to plan immediate care for your child at birth, if necessary.