Most women need a few ultrasounds at the time of pregnancy. A skilled technician or doctor utilizes a plastic transducer to transmit high-frequency sound waves via the uterus during the ultrasound. The sound waves transport signals back to a machine that changes them into baby images.
Baby scans can provide you with a lot of essential information, including monitoring the baby’s growth, predicting the due date, the position of the placenta, and determining the sex of the baby. To make you prepared for the essential scans, here are some of the most common types of pregnancy scans week by week and when you should get them:
Early Pregnancy Baby Scan (6-8 weeks)
The first baby scan might take place after six to eight weeks of being pregnant. But not every woman goes through this scan; some doctors conduct it for specific conditions like abdominal pain, bleeding, history of miscarriage, or birth defects. It is possible to notice the heartbeat of a baby after six weeks of pregnancy. The doctor may also predict the due date of your baby, the number of babies, and track milestones.
Dating Ultrasound
Those who did not undergo a six to eight-week scan can have a dating scan after ten to thirteen weeks of pregnancy. It provides the same information to the parents, including the due date, the number of babies, and fetal heartbeat.
Nuchal Translucency Baby Scan (14-20 weeks)
This scan is performed between fourteen and twenty weeks to check for Down syndrome, any heart defect, or other chromosomal abnormalities. Most women consider this test if they get any problem in their screening test or they are older or have a family history of specific birth defects.
Anatomy Scan( 18-20 weeks)
It is a kind of detailed baby scan that takes place between eighteen and twenty weeks in the second trimester. This scan lasts for around twenty to forty-five minutes if you have one baby and even longer if you have multiple. During this scan, the doctor looks for abnormalities in the kidneys, liver, and heart and checks the heart rate of a baby. They will count the toes and figures, inspects the placenta, check for birth defects and measure the level of amniotic fluid. Probably, the gender of your baby can also be determined in this scan.
Third Trimester baby scan
Most expected mothers don’t require an ultrasound in the third trimester. But if you are facing some issues like low amniotic fluid level, bleeding, and high blood pressure, the doctor may perform an ultrasound at the time of prenatal visits for reassurance. You may also get a follow-up baby scan if your cervix was covered by the placenta during your 20-week scan.
Now that you are aware of different types of scans. So, if you are an expected mother and want to see the face of your baby, schedule a 3D or 4D baby scan at Bump2babyscans Clinic. We have the best in-house team and use the latest technology to provide mothers with a memorable experience.
