Ultrasound is a type of test that utilizes high-frequency sound waves, allowing the technician to see inside your uterus. The test sends sound waves into your uterus, where they bounce off of the fetus and go back into the machine. They then show you an outline of your womb and the fetus’s look, as black and white images on a screen. These sound waves are safe for both you and your unborn child. There's no need to worry about an ultrasound causing any issues with your baby's health during the test. 3D ultrasounds in Snellville, GA, provide you with a safe, non-invasive way to check in on your baby as it develops.
Ideally, you should schedule your first ultrasound when you're about six to seven weeks pregnant. During this exam, the technician will use a sonogram to check for a fetal heartbeat and determine the fetus’s age. This estimate will help your Gwinnett OB/GYN provide you with a more accurate assessment of your due date. It's also important to schedule this first ultrasound scan to check for ectopic pregnancy, a growing pregnancy outside the womb.
The second fetal ultrasound should be scheduled when you are between 11 and 13 weeks pregnant. This ultrasound is often called the first-trimester screening, and it is when the technician checks for chromosomal abnormalities. It is done by evaluating the amount of skin at the back of the fetus's neck, as an excess amount may be an indicator of a condition like Down Syndrome.
A third ultrasound is scheduled between 18 and 20 weeks. This exam is usually a full-body scan for growth issues and overall abnormalities. This ultrasound imaging provides the OB/GYN to determine if anything has gone wrong developmentally or will need to be handled after the birth. It could include organs failing to develop correctly or body parts growing larger or faster than the rest of the fetus.
If your goal is to keep the baby's biological sex a secret, be sure that you tell the ultrasound tech before you get started. Don't be alarmed if anyone in the room uses a particular pronoun during the ultrasound, however, as it's common to select one pronoun to refer to infants before birth and stick to it when you see so many fetuses a day. Be sure that you tell everyone that you don't want to know about the biological sex of your child, and they'll be careful not to reveal it to you.
The ultrasound tech can tell the biological sex of your baby during the full anatomical scan of the fetus. However, sometimes it can happen during an earlier scan. Often, it takes a bit of time to discover the gender if you want to know because the fetus is positioned in the womb. It can be challenging to tell the biological sex until after the full-body scan if they are facing away.
When it's time to schedule your ultrasound imaging, be sure to make an appointment with the best obgyn in Snellville, GA. Gwinnett OB/GYN is happy to get you prepared for your ultrasound exams. Contact us today to start scheduling your appointment.
