Many patients ask us why and when we order an ultrasound for a patient in our office. Two of our talented ultrasound techs, Stacey and Macy, are here to answer these questions for you!
Hey everyone, Stacey and Macy here to chat a little bit about ultrasound. Ultrasound uses sound waves to create a picture. Ultrasound is used in many ways but here at Ob/Gyn Associates we specifically perform OB and GYN ultrasounds.
During the course of your pregnancy, you can expect to have two routine ultrasounds performed. Your very first ultrasound is generally done between 8-10 weeks to date/confirm pregnancy. The next ultrasound checks the fetus’ development and screens for major congenital anomalies. This ultrasound is performed at 19-20 weeks gestation. There is currently no evidence that ultrasound is harmful to a developing fetus, however, it is recommended that ultrasound exams be performed only by qualified healthcare professionals. There are many reasons for an ultrasound later in the pregnancy. These are determined medically necessary and ordered by the provider at that time.
Most of the time when people think about ultrasound our brains automatically go to OB, but there are many ways ultrasound can help aid in diagnosing problems in the female pelvis. Some of the ways ultrasound may be helpful include: Evaluating a pelvic mass, identifying causes for pain or abnormal bleeding, locating an IUD, or to diagnose possible reasons for infertility. There are two ways a pelvic ultrasound can be performed.
- Transabdominal approach—Most of the time this ultrasound is performed on patients that are not sexually active. If this is the kind of ultrasound your doctor ordered you will need to come prepared with a full bladder in order to get adequate pictures. We recommend drinking 32oz of water 90 min prior to your exam and not emptying your bladder during the process.
- Transvaginal approach—During this ultrasound a transducer is inserted into the vagina covered in a latex sheath (similar to a condom) to get an up-close look at the uterus and ovaries.
Hopefully, this brief overview helped shed some light on ultrasound! We look forward to seeing you at the clinic and of course, if you ever have an ultrasound question please don’t hesitate to ask!
We are accepting new patients! To schedule an appointment with OBGYN Associates, call us at 515-288-3287.
DISCLAIMER: All information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as medical advice. OBGYN Associates shall not be liable for any errors or inaccuracies contained herein, or any actions taken in reliance thereon.
Many patients ask us why and when we order an ultrasound for a patient in our office. Two of our talented ultrasound techs, Stacey and Macy, are here to answer these questions for you!
Hey everyone, Stacey and Macy here to chat a little bit about ultrasound. Ultrasound uses sound waves to create a picture. Ultrasound is used in many ways but here at Ob/Gyn Associates we specifically perform OB and GYN ultrasounds.
During the course of your pregnancy, you can expect to have two routine ultrasounds performed. Your very first ultrasound is generally done between 8-10 weeks to date/confirm pregnancy. The next ultrasound checks the fetus’ development and screens for major congenital anomalies. This ultrasound is performed at 19-20 weeks gestation. There is currently no evidence that ultrasound is harmful to a developing fetus, however, it is recommended that ultrasound exams be performed only by qualified healthcare professionals. There are many reasons for an ultrasound later in the pregnancy. These are determined medically necessary and ordered by the provider at that time.
Most of the time when people think about ultrasound our brains automatically go to OB, but there are many ways ultrasound can help aid in diagnosing problems in the female pelvis. Some of the ways ultrasound may be helpful include: Evaluating a pelvic mass, identifying causes for pain or abnormal bleeding, locating an IUD, or to diagnose possible reasons for infertility. There are two ways a pelvic ultrasound can be performed.
- Transabdominal approach—Most of the time this ultrasound is performed on patients that are not sexually active. If this is the kind of ultrasound your doctor ordered you will need to come prepared with a full bladder in order to get adequate pictures. We recommend drinking 32oz of water 90 min prior to your exam and not emptying your bladder during the process.
- Transvaginal approach—During this ultrasound a transducer is inserted into the vagina covered in a latex sheath (similar to a condom) to get an up-close look at the uterus and ovaries.
Hopefully, this brief overview helped shed some light on ultrasound! We look forward to seeing you at the clinic and of course, if you ever have an ultrasound question please don’t hesitate to ask!
We are accepting new patients! To schedule an appointment with OBGYN Associates, call us at 515-288-3287.
DISCLAIMER: All information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as medical advice. OBGYN Associates shall not be liable for any errors or inaccuracies contained herein, or any actions taken in reliance thereon.
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