1. What is vaginal ultrasound? Ultrasound is a clinical examination technique that uses ultrasound to perform non-invasive examinations and has become one of the main diagnostic methods in modern clinical medicine. So how does ultrasound work? First, let’s understand ultrasound. The human hearing range has a certain limit, can only have a sense of 16-20,000 hertz sound waves, 20,000 hertz above the sound waves can not be heard, this sound is called ultrasound. Like ordinary sound waves, ultrasound can travel in a certain direction, and can penetrate objects. If you hit an obstacle, it will produce echoes, different obstacles will produce different echoes, people through the instrument will be this echo collection and display on the screen, used to understand the internal structure of the object. It is through this principle that people use ultrasound to diagnose and treat human diseases. Gynecological ultrasound includes abdominal ultrasound and transvaginal ultrasound. Abdominal ultrasound is an ultrasound probe placed in the lower abdomen to observe the pelvic cavity, focusing on the uterus, adnexa and pelvis. You need to drink about 1000ml of water half an hour to one hour before the examination and hold your urine to the maximum. This is because only when the bladder is filled to a certain level can the shape of the uterus and ovaries be clearly shown by the contrast between light and dark images. Transvaginal ultrasound is performed with a special probe on the ultrasound machine. A film is placed over the vaginal ultrasound probe and the probe is inserted into the vagina for examination. Because the probe is positioned close to the uterus and ovaries, the images are clear with high resolution and the results are more accurate. In addition, it has another advantage of not needing to hold urine, which saves time and makes the patient feel better. 2. Is it necessary to do vaginal ultrasound in early pregnancy? Vaginal ultrasound in early pregnancy is obviously necessary to monitor the location of the gestational sac, the growth and development of the fetus, and to reduce the birth rate of deformed and defective children. Vaginal ultrasound during early pregnancy has the following benefits: (1) To clearly understand whether the location of the gestational sac is normal and whether the pregnancy is intrauterine or extrauterine (commonly known as ectopic pregnancy). (2) To verify the gestational week and determine the development of the embryo. The average diameter of the gestational sac, the size of the fetal germ and the length of the head and buttocks of the fetus are used to determine the gestational age, which helps to judge the fetal development during mid- to late-term pregnancy. If the fetal germ is greater than 5 mm, a fetal heartbeat should be seen on transvaginal ultrasound. If no fetal heartbeat is seen, it indicates that the embryo may have stopped developing and should be reviewed regularly. (3) To determine the number of embryos, which is the most accurate method for early diagnosis of multiple pregnancies. (4) Observe the early development of the placenta. At 6 weeks of gestation, the primordial placenta begins to form between the lobulated chorionic membrane of the embryo and the underlying metaplasm of the uterus, and at 8 weeks of gestation, the placenta can be identified. (5) Early detection of uterine and adnexal abnormalities. It is important to know whether there are uterine abnormalities, myomas and swellings in the adnexal area, etc. Thus, it can be seen that ultrasound does have an important application value in the diagnosis of early pregnancy and the differential diagnosis of diseases. 3. Does vaginal ultrasound in early pregnancy have any effect on the fetus? I believe this is the main concern of parents-to-be. It is generally believed that ultrasound is a kind of acoustic conduction, there is no ionizing radiation and electromagnetic radiation, and there is no harm to human tissues. In fact, the medical use of ultrasound is low-intensity and below the safety threshold; the short duration of the early pregnancy examination, usually less than 3 minutes, and the non-scheduled glide examination are basically safe for the embryo, and there have been no reports of fetal malformations caused by ultrasound examination so far. Put another way, the few ultrasounds necessary in early pregnancy may not be as harmful as the intensity of radiation you get from using a microwave oven and a cell phone in your life! Over the years, scientists have conducted ongoing theoretical and clinical studies on whether diagnostic ultrasound has an effect on fetal development, and have mostly found no significant adverse effects. 4. In what cases do I need a vaginal ultrasound as soon as possible? Most diseases have some precursor symptoms, such as ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, gravida and other pregnancy-related diseases, often with vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain. Therefore, the appearance of vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain suggests an abnormal condition, and the possibility of the above diseases should be considered, and a vaginal ultrasound should be performed as soon as possible to clarify the diagnosis so as not to delay the condition. In addition, for those who are at high risk of ectopic pregnancy, such as those who have had multiple abortions or medical abortions, those who have a history of acute and chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, those whose fallopian tubes are not open and those who have used the emergency contraceptive pill, it is best to have an ultrasound examination as soon as possible to clarify the location of the pregnancy sac. Life requires reason and knowledge! We need to think rationally when it comes to vaginal ultrasound examinations!