There have been confusing rumors about ultrasound during pregnancy, pregnant women are afraid that ultrasound will have an impact on their babies. Many pregnant women are concerned about this, here is a slight summary as follows.
A, the choice of prenatal fetal ultrasound examination time
1, early pregnancy routine ultrasound examination.
In about 8 weeks of menopause. The main purpose is to determine: the intrauterine pregnancy (to exclude ectopic pregnancy, the baby is planted in an abnormal place), the position and number of the baby in the uterus (whether it is a twin?) The assessment of the number of weeks of pregnancy (the projection of the due date is very dependent on the ultrasound in the early stages of pregnancy, especially in pregnant women with irregular or forgotten periods), the presence of a heartbeat in the baby, the diagnosis of whether it is and gynecological diseases (pelvic masses, uterine malformations), etc. For multiple fetuses, early pregnancy also helps to determine whether it is monozygotic or dizygotic twins.
2. Systematic ultrasound screening during early pregnancy (11-14 gestational weeks).
Some hospitals do this, focusing on measuring the nuchal translucency (NT) and nasal bone. Determine the gestational week and recommend a good time for the pregnant women who can do Down’s screening. In our hospital, it is usually replaced by Down’s syndrome screening and midtrimester system ultrasound.
3.Mid-trimester (19-24 gestational weeks) system ultrasound screening.
This period is the best time for fetal malformation screening because the fetal organs are basically mature, the amount of amniotic fluid is moderate, and the ultrasound image is clear (it is a very important ultrasound). Note that you have to go to the hospital early to make an appointment for ultrasound, currently you have to make an appointment 2-3 months earlier.
4.Routine ultrasound examination from 28 to 32 weeks of pregnancy.
This is the late stage of pregnancy, focusing on the assessment of fetal growth and development (whether it is too big or too small), placenta position, amniotic fluid, fetal position, etc.
5.Routine ultrasound examination at 36-38 weeks of pregnancy.
To determine fetal development (estimate baby size), amniotic fluid volume, placental maturity, umbilical cord blood flow, presence of cord circumference, fetal position, etc. .
6.After the expected date of delivery.
As the amniotic fluid will decrease drastically, 2-4 days after exceeding the due date perhaps the doctor will also suggest you to have an ultrasound to see the amniotic fluid and fetal size.
Please note.
When to do ultrasound and the number of ultrasound is entirely determined by the needs of the case (you can consult your regular obstetrician whether it is necessary at that time), the radiation dose of conventional general ultrasound is very small, do not be rigid to think that ultrasound can only be done 4-6 times during the whole pregnancy, more than 6 times the fetus will not work.
On the contrary, many pregnant women are keen on three-dimensional ultrasound, four-dimensional ultrasound, but the radiation dose is large, therefore, if there is no do not, do not have to line three-dimensional, four-dimensional ultrasound. The three dimensional to the fetus to determine, identify there is a body surface deformity, orofacial cleft has a certain advantage, many of the current reports on the three dimensional four dimensional contains more marketable, commercial operation, remember to blindly follow the trend, do not know pretend to understand. There is a scale for everything.
Ultrasound is not able to screen out metabolic diseases, abnormal intellectual development, etc. Some even wait until the baby develops to 2-3 years old to slowly show symptoms. Whether or not the abnormality can be detected depends on the level of equipment in the hospital, the level of the ultrasound doctor operating the equipment, as well as the time of screening and the position of the fetus, and many other factors.
Some ultrasound terms are explained below
1, your ultrasound conclusion is generally “as pregnant **W”
This means that your fetus is growing at a similar **week to a normal standard fetus. For example, if the conclusion is “as pregnant 24W”, it means your fetus is as big as a normal standard fetus of 24 weeks. Note: It does not mean that your fetus is necessarily 24 weeks old, but that it is the size of a normal fetus at 24 weeks. This is something that many pregnant women overlook or don’t quite understand. The size of the developing fetus is related to genetics, nutrition, diseases (such as diabetes, etc.), etc. For example, a pregnant woman with diabetes may have a fetus the size of a normal pregnant woman at about 36 weeks of gestation at 30 weeks of gestation (30 weeks gestational age) as indicated by ultrasound. On the contrary, Wudalang’s wife’s fetus due to genetic relationship, her belly may still look small in October pregnancy (40 weeks), once the ultrasound is done, her baby may be about 32 weeks size of a normal pregnant woman. w is week, the English word week means.
2, the report form describes BPD is the fetal biparietal diameter
The BPD reflects the size of the transverse fetal head diameter, for example, if the biparietal diameter is more than 98,99 mm, the baby is likely to be more than 8 pounds; FL refers to the femur (thigh) length. The fetal orientation LOA,LOT,LOP,ROA,ROT,ROP are all normal and indicate that the fetal head is facing downward (L means left, O means head, A means front, T means transverse, P means rear, R means right, all are English abbreviations). The doctor said the fetal position was correct as long as the fetal head was facing downward until the stomach pains rose to give birth. Note that in the last moment of vaginal delivery, only LOA or ROA can be born (at the end of vaginal flat birth, the fetal head must be facing down, and the child’s eyes are facing the back of the mother’s body, and the child is like having its head down, in order to have a chance of smooth delivery.) . Note that the baby’s head will still rotate during the birth process. So pregnant women to late pregnancy as long as the fetus head down are normal!
3. Amniotic fluid
After 28 weeks, the amniotic fluid is measured in 4 quadrants (4 parts bounded by the belly button). 23/24/25/22/26 means that the amniotic fluid in each quadrant is 23,24,25,26 mm, and the sum is usually between 80-180. Less than 80 is called low amniotic fluid, less than 50 is called too little amniotic fluid. Greater than 180 is called excessive amniotic fluid. All of these should be of concern to the doctor and patient, as abnormal amniotic fluid may have an effect on the mother and child.
4. U-shaped pressure marks on the back of the fetal neck
This means that your baby may have an umbilical cord winding around the neck. Note that it is only possible. About 10% of all fetuses that function have this phenomenon. Cord winding I always for example for our scarf, is generally common and is usually not related. If this phenomenon occurs, there is no special good way for the doctor as well as the patient to release the winding. Common treatment: pregnant women pay close attention to fetal movements, abnormal increases or decreases to the hospital for emergency care. Generally, it is possible to try to deliver the baby vaginally if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck 1-2 times and the baby does not show signs of oxygen deprivation.