Are you wondering when your pregnancy first ultrasound will be? Keep reading because this post breaks it all down!
Pregnancy comes with some unpleasant pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, food aversions and the constant need to pee. But it doesn’t seem to feel real until you see your baby and hear his or her heartbeat during your first pregnancy ultrasound.
Thankfully, pregnancy ultrasounds are part of the normal prenatal care and you will have several over the course of your pregnancy.
This post breaks down everything you need to know about a pregnancy ultrasound and when your first trimester pregnancy ultrasound will be.
This post is all about your pregnancy first ultrasound.
Why Is A Pregnancy Ultrasound Important?
A pregnancy ultrasound (or sonogram) is a prenatal test offered to pregnant women. It uses soundwaves to show you your baby in the womb and track your baby’s growth and development.
Ultrasounds are one of the very exciting parts of pregnancy! Your doctor will probably use a fetal doppler during your prenatal visits to listen to the baby’s heartbeat but getting to see your baby’s face, arms and legs in the womb during an ultrasound is pretty incredible.
Pregnancy ultrasounds always make pregnancy feel even more real to me too, especially in the early stages of pregnancy when you aren’t physically showing yet.
Some common reasons for having an ultrasound include:
- To confirm you’re pregnant
- To confirm how many babies are in your uterus
- To check your baby’s growth and predict the due date
- To examine your ovaries and uterus
- To check your baby’s heartbeat, muscle tone, movement and overall development
- To screen for birth defects
- To help with prenatal tests like chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis
- To check for any pregnancy complications
- To make sure your baby is in the correct position for birth
Types Of Ultrasounds
Transvaginal Ultrasound
This type of ultrasound is done through the vagina and is usually the type of ultrasound you will have initially.
You will lay on your back with your feet in stirrups. The ultrasound technician will use a thin wand-like probe to perform this ultrasound and although it is being done internally, you will still be able to see the classic black and white picture of your little baby on the screen.
You can expect to feel a little pressure but no pain. I recommend emptying your bladder beforehand or else it can be uncomfortable trying to hold it in.
Transabdominal Ultrasound
This will be the more common type of ultrasound you will have in your pregnancy ultrasound schedule. Once you get past six to eight weeks, it will be much easier to view your baby and a transvaginal ultrasound won’t be needed.
For this type of test, you will lay on the exam table and the ultrasound technician will put a thin layer gel on your stomach. This will help the transducer move across it.
You may be required to have a full bladder for certain tests but more times than not I was offered to use the bathroom beforehand. An ultrasound is painless but dealing with a full bladder can be pretty uncomfortable.
Doppler Ultrasound
This is another noninvasive test that is used to look at blood flow. It is usually done in the third trimester but in some cases it may be done earlier.
It uses a handheld scanner that’s connected to a computer and uses soundwaves to make pictures of your major arteries and veins. A regular ultrasound uses soundwaves to produce images but it cannot detect blood flow.
You may get this type of test if you have Rh disease. Rh disease is a blood condition that can cause problems for your baby if it’s not treated.
3D Ultrasound
This type of ultrasound creates a three dimensional image of your baby that is almost as clear as a photograph.
Oftentimes, it’s used to check that your baby’s organs are growing and developing normally and to check for any abnormalities on your baby’s face.
4D Ultrasound
A 4D ultrasound is similar to a 3D ultrasound except it creates a live video effect. Not all women will have a 4D ultrasound during their pregnancy but those who desire to have one can find an office that offers them and pay to have one done.
Related: Pregnancy Ultrasound Schedule: What New Moms Can Expect
Pregnancy First Ultrasound
When it is done?
The first ultrasound is an exciting one! It is part of the routine prenatal care and is usually performed during weeks six to eight of pregnancy. Most doctors wait until at least six weeks when a fetal heartbeat can be detected.
How is the pregnancy ultrasound performed?
Given how small your baby is at this point in pregnancy, the ultrasound is usually done vaginally using a wand-like probe. This is also known as a transvaginal ultrasound.
The probe transmits high-frequency sound waves through your uterus which allows you to see and hear your baby. The ultrasound lasts for about twenty minutes and is painless with the exception of some pressure.
If your doctor opts to skip the pregnancy first ultrasound and wait until you are twelve weeks pregnant, you would have a transabdominal ultrasound instead of a transvaginal ultrasound.
You will be able to watch a screen along with your partner and the ultrasound technician will help you understand what you are seeing. You will likely even leave with a few black and white pictures too – one of the best parts!
What is the doctor looking for?
Your pregnancy first ultrasound confirms:
- Your pregnancy
- Make sure your pregnancy is in the uterus and not an ectopic pregnancy
- How many babies you are carrying
- Predicts your baby’s due date by measuring the fetus
- Allows you to hear your baby’s heartbeat for the first time.
How to prepare for the ultrasound?
Some doctors will ask you to come with a full bladder while others offer for you to use the bathroom prior to the pregnancy first ultrasound.
But it never hurts to come with a full bladder. If you are having a prenatal appointment at the same time as your ultrasound, you will likely need to provide a urine sample at the start of the appointment anyways.
Other than that, there are no specific preparations you need to do in advance.
This post was all about your pregnancy first ultrasound.
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