All pregnant women undergo ultrasound testing, a modern way of looking at the baby inside the womb, often used to determine the baby’s sex.
Ultrasonography has been around since the 1950s and is a staple for pregnant moms who would want to keep track of their babies’ developments within the nine-month period.
Ultrasound tests use real-time scanners producing images of the moving fetus on a monitor screen. Sound waves between 3.5 to 7.0 megahertz are used to produce this image, produced from a transducer in contact with the woman’s tummy.
Benefits
Through an ultrasound, the babies’ development is tracked and assessed in real time. The doctor gets to see the baby’s body parts that are developing during the time of the test. Through this, malformations are also diagnosed for prompt action. The baby’s heartbeat is also known–perhaps one of the most crucial features available through this technology. This procedure is safe and accurate, not to mention a non-invasive way of assessing the baby from outside.
Other uses
Aside from the abovementioned benefits, ultrasound also has other uses. Ultrasound is used to confirm pregnancy, which can be done four and a half weeks into gestation.
Fetal body measurements could also be obtained. This in turn reflects the fetus’ gestational stage, allowing for the doctor to make a rough estimate of the baby’s due date. This is done in the early stages of pregnancy.
In evaluating the body parts of developing babies, ultrasound makes way for the following measurements:
- The Crown-rump length: The measurement of the baby’s gestational age, which can be done between 7 and 13 weeks.
- The Biparietal diameter: The measurement of the two sides of the baby’s head, done at 13 weeks. A baby’s head increases from 2.4 centimeters at 13 weeks to 9.5 centimeters at term. Remember that different babies have different head sizes, regardless of their weight.
- Femur length: Femur, the longest bone in the body, allows insight into the longitudinal growth of babies. Increasing about 1.5 centimeters at 14 weeks to 7.8 centimeters at term, this must be measured starting about the 14th week.
- Abdominal circumference: This is the most crucial measurement to take of babies before childbirth, as it offers insight into the babies’ size and weight, thereby gauging the babies’ growth.
Malformation in babies’ bodies
The diagnosis of various malformations typically can be done before the 20th week. Typical malformations include hydrocephalus, anencephaly, dwarfism, spina bifida, cleft palate, and cardiac abnormalities.
In other conditions, ultrasound is also used to confirm intrauterine death. It is also used to see the position of the baby and assess whether he or she is at the right one for that period.
