Yahoo Lifestyle What to expect at the ultrasound
Book it
Once your GP or caregiver has given you a referral, check the best time to go, then phone the ultrasound clinic, giving them as much notice as you can.
What to wear
Wear something that provides easy access to your belly. Avoid a dress and go for a stretchy top and pants that can slide below your tummy.
Bladder torture
Most ultrasound clinics place rather onerous expectations on the pregnant bladder. You’ll probably be asked to drink a lot of water before the scan. Cross your legs and hang on tight! Your full bladder helps the sonographer see your baby more clearly.
Sugar hit
Sometimes babies seem to ‘hide’ from ultrasounds or go really quiet. If bub seems really sleepy, try indulging in a sugar hit a few minutes before your appointment to encourage some action.
Blood test?
Some obstetric ultrasound scans are done in conjunction with a blood test. Check the requirements with the clinic. You may need to arrange the blood test beforehand with your own doctor or pathology lab, or it might happen at the time of the ultrasound.
On the table
In the clinic, you’ll climb onto a typical, narrow medical ‘bed’ and expose your abdomen. The sonographer will spurt some clear gel onto your belly (which can be a bit chilly!), to help contact between your skin and the ultrasound probe, which resembles a supermarket barcode scanner. The sonographer will glide the device over your tummy and you’ll soon see an image of your baby on the screen. Over the next 20 to 30 minutes, the sonographer will take
lots of measurements and might point out to you baby’s different body parts on the screen.
You want to scan me where?!
Occasionally, a transvaginal ultrasound is needed to see parts of the baby or placenta that can’t be checked through the abdomen and is common for very early dating scans. The sonographer inserts a very small, slim scanner into your vagina. It’s a high-embarrassment but low-discomfort scan, that’s way less uncomfortable than a pap smear.
Results
Final results are always explained to you by your doctor, so don’t be concerned if the sonographer doesn’t tell you much. Depending on the clinic, you may be given a few grainy printouts of your baby or even a short film of the ultrasound to marvel at.
Ultrasound dates for your diary
When | What | Why |
|---|---|---|
Around 5-11 weeks | Dating scan | To check size and likely age of the foetus |
11-14 weeks | Nuchal translucency scan | To check your baby for signs of Down syndrome |
15-18 weeks | Amniocentesis | Ultrasound is used to guide a needle in the sampling of amniotic fluid to check for various conditions |
18-20 weeks | Anomaly/morphology scan | To check your baby’s growth and look for structural or placental problems |
32-37 weeks | Positioning scan | To check if your baby is in breech position and assess potential for him to turn |
Related gallery
* Gallery: Pregnancy scans 2D & 3D
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