How Can an Ultrasound Scan Help You?

In today's society health care technology is advancing every single day. From CT scans to ultrasounds, health care professionals can easily detect potential foreign structures and even monitor the growth of a human baby. Usually health care providers can monitor the growth of a foetus by measuring a woman's uterus. However, there are also times when providers may order an ultrasound scan.

Ultrasounds are very useful for providers and can give parents an initial image of their growing child. An ultrasound is performed by a sonographer, usually within a health care institution or clinical facility. While there are many types of ultrasound scans that exist, the most common are abdominal ultrasounds and transvaginal ultrasounds. Transvaginal ultrasounds are typically performed during the earlier part of a pregnancy when the embryo is small and difficult to detect. An instrument is inserted into the vagina to capture clear embryonic and/or foetal images.

However, with abdominal ultrasounds, a woman generally lies on a table while the sonographer captures multiple 2D images of the growing foetus. A wand is used to bounce waves off of the bones of a developing foetus in order to capture these images. Women are advised to drink plenty of water before the procedure so that professionals can get clear pictures. Oftentimes, sonographers can also determine the sex of a baby and reveal it to parents, if they so wish. However, this is just a luxury because all doctors are really looking for is proper growth and development.

There are many things that an ultrasound scan can tell health care providers about a developing foetus. Sonographers are able to measure blood flow to a foetus's brain, heart, and other extremities, an approximate foetal weight, the length of the foetal extremities, the position of the placenta, and the approximate gestational age. Ultrasounds are safe during any stage of development in a pregnancy and the amount of radiation that is emitted from an ultrasound is minimal.

Recently there has been an increase in pregnant women who seek out 3D and 4D ultrasounds to get more detailed images of their developing baby. These ultrasounds are usually done by private agencies who offer these services for an additional cost. Women who get 3D/4D ultrasounds usually have the option to purchase a CD with a video of the procedure and can get additional photos which show the foetus's basic face structure more clearly than the original 2D version. Although these ultrasounds are nice to have, some doctors advise against their use because it can cause unnecessary worry about a foetus's development.

For further information on pregnancy, well being and having an ultrasound scan, visit Ultrasound Direct who provide private pregnancy scans across a number of clinics throughout the UK.