If you’ve learned you’re pregnant, you should always have an ultrasound. This important diagnostic tool helps protect your health and learn valuable pregnancy information.
We’ll outline what you can expect below, but remember that you can find answers at Life Light Pregnancy Help Center. Make a free and confidential appointment to learn more about our visiting mobile unit and ultrasound referrals.
Why Do Ultrasounds Matter?
An ultrasound allows your medical provider to view your body’s internal structures and identify certain health conditions. A small, handheld device called a transducer sends sound waves into your body, producing images on a screen.
During pregnancy, this scan provides a closer look at your pregnancy and reproductive organs. If your pregnancy was unexpected and you’re weighing your options, you should still receive an ultrasound to medically confirm the pregnancy and identify key details.
Your first ultrasound may be transvaginal or abdominal. A transvaginal ultrasound is invasive because the transducer is inserted gently into your vagina. This is done during those initial weeks of pregnancy to produce the clearest image.
If you don’t have a transvaginal ultrasound, you’ll have an abdominal ultrasound. With this type, a gel is applied to your abdomen, and the transducer is guided over that part of your body.
What Do These Scans Detect?
An ultrasound verifies the following information:
- Viability: Is your pregnancy progressing, and does it have a heartbeat? As many as 26% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, which could require treatment or monitoring.
- Gestational age: How far along are you? You need this information to determine your options.
- Location: Is your pregnancy located in the uterus? Some women experience an ectopic pregnancy, which is when the fertilized egg implants in another location (like a fallopian tube). This type of pregnancy isn’t viable and requires medical treatment to prevent life-threatening complications.
No matter what option you’re considering, you need this pregnancy information to move forward and safeguard your health.
If you continue the pregnancy, ultrasounds will provide further information as it progresses. You’ll have a second ultrasound between 18 and 22 weeks gestation (an anatomy scan). This scan offers a more in-depth look at your pregnancy by checking amniotic fluid levels, abnormalities, and more.
You may have additional ultrasounds in your third trimester if your provider feels it is necessary.
How We Can Help
You deserve to learn everything you can about your pregnancy. We’re here to help.
Life Light Pregnancy Help Center offers ultrasounds on a visiting mobile unit and ultrasound referrals. We’ll help you learn about your situation, your options, and more.