Different Types of Ultrasounds During Pregnancy

Expecting a baby is a new feeling on its own, ask any mother, and they’ll say it’s unreal. What’s even more special is when you get to see your baby move around in your belly for the first time. It’s an emotional moment for both the parents. Often, ultrasounds exist to experience these feelings.

Ultrasounds are more popular for multiple reasons. They can help track fetal development, monitor the health of you and your baby, and screen any potential problems if there are any. However, there are so many types of scans, which one should you go for?

Types of Ultrasounds:

• Dating Scan

If we go in order, the first ultrasound scan that you’ll be experiencing is between 8-14 weeks of pregnancy. Moreover, the dating scan tells us when your baby is due. By estimating the date of delivery, the sonographer will look at your baby’s measurements. Therefore, this scan is important to ensure whether or not your baby is growing in the right place.

• Screening for Down’s, Edward’s, and Patau’s Syndromes

Isn’t it better to know beforehand whether or not your baby has any issues or not? Moreover, this screening can be available to you at 10-14 weeks of availability. Unfortunately, it is not our hands to control if your baby might be born with one of these diseases or not. However, we can learn ways to prevent it. Similarly, you can get this scan with the dating scan, it’s totally safe.

How does this scan work? Well, your blood test and ultrasound scan will be taken. During the scan, we will measure the fluid at the back of the baby’s neck to determine ‘nuchal translucency’. Furthermore, this calculates the chance of your baby being born with any one of these diseases.

• The Gender Scan

  

This is one of the best scans out there, and it’s so exciting because once you get this scan, you find out the gender of your baby. And, that is big news. Therefore, the gender scan will take place from around 14 weeks. It is mostly preferred to get it done at 20 weeks, but if you can’t wait, there is no harm in getting it done.

You need to keep in mind that these gender scans are not 100% accurate.

• The Mid Pregnancy Scan

During 18-20 weeks of pregnancy, the mid-pregnancy scan takes place. Moreover, the sonographer will check for all the abnormalities in the baby. With a specialist midwife, you will get screenings for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B.

• Third Trimester Scans

According to your previous tests, previous medical conditions, or whatever you had in the past that could affect the baby, the sonographer might recommend a third-trimester scan. During this time, the baby has developed even further, so it is easier to catch any abnormalities if there are any.

However, if everything is going well during your pregnancy, you won’t have to go for another scan after 20 weeks.

Furthermore, these scans usually take place only to make sure everything is normal. Moreover, now that the baby is developing even more, they must see if the growth is perfect. The activity of the placenta, the baby’s heartbeat, and the baby’s position are also taken care of in this scan.

• Standard 2D Scans

  

These are scans that are two-dimensional that happen in hospitals/clinics. Moreover, the traditional 2D ultrasound produces flat and outlined images that can be used to see your baby’s internal organs and help detect any internal issues.

Therefore, these pictures are black and white, and they help them determine the baby’s heartbeat, growth, gestation, etc.

• 3D Scans

Some parents can’t wait to get a proper look at their baby. And, 3D scans help with that. Moreover, they show more of a real-life image of the baby. During 26-30 weeks of pregnancy, you can get a 3D scan done. It will allow your doctor to get a real look at the height, depth, and width of the baby.

Also, a 3D ultrasound shows the external part of your baby, not the internal. So, you can see the proper features of your baby.

• 4D Scans

Ever heard of 4D scans? They’re like 3D scans but cooler, they show a moving video of your baby instead of still pics. You can ask for these from week 26 of pregnancy. Not everyone gets them unless there’s a good reason. Similarly, out of all ultrasound types, you can get whatever seems best for you.

• Transvaginal Ultrasound Scan

Then there’s the transvaginal ultrasound scan. It’s like a sneak peek inside. Moreover, a small probe goes into the vagina, mainly used in early pregnancy when seeing from the outside is tricky.

• Fetal Echocardiography

Now, fetal echocardiography, it’s like a super scan of the baby’s heart. Additionally, the doctors do this if they suspect a heart issue. It gives a detailed picture of the heart’s size, shape, and structure. Just a bit of extra info to make sure everything’s A-Okay.

Where to Get an Ultrasound from?

4 Baby Ultrasound is here to give you an external, internal, and moving video of your baby. You can relax knowing everything is being taken care of, and your baby is in great hands. We have all types of ultrasounds available at 4 Baby Ultrasound. Our team will look out for all possible complications to make sure you have an easy birth and a healthy baby.