How Do Sonograms Work So We Can See the Baby?
Sonograms, or ultrasounds, bounce sound waves off organs to create a picture. During a pregnancy, a woman typically has two sonograms, but may have more if she or the doctor feels it's necessary.
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Identification
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An ultrasound, or sonogram, creates a picture of your baby while it is in the uterus. An ultrasound is safer than X-ray because it doesn't use radiation, which you must avoid when pregnant because it could be harmful to the baby.
Time Frame
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A woman typically has her first sonogram at her first prenatal appointment, when she is about eight weeks pregnant. This usually is an internal ultrasound, in which the doctor or technologist inserts a wand-like instrument into the vagina. The next sonogram is usually at about 20 weeks of pregnancy, when the doctor moves an instrument across the stomach to obtain a picture of the baby inside the uterus.
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How it works
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According to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC), during an ultrasound an instrument called a transducer sends high-pitched (too high for the human ear to hear) sound waves through your skin to the uterus. The sound waves bounce back to the transducer, creating a moving picture of the baby.
Potential
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An ultrasound, or sonogram, helps to ensure the baby is healthy. According to the SOGC, it can show the number of babies, indicators of the potential due date, the baby's size, how well its heart works and how its organs are growing. It also looks at where the placenta is and monitors for any problems with the mother's reproductive organs. If you want to know the gender of your baby, an ultrasound can tell this as well, if the genitals are visible.
Considerations
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You may have an additional ultrasound during your pregnancy for a variety of reasons, including to see how the baby is positioned, to check on the amount of fluid around the baby, to monitor the baby's growth or to "check for signs of a possible genetic problem," according to the SOGC.
Misconceptions
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You shouldn't ask for an ultrasound solely for non-medical reasons, such as to learn the sex or obtain a picture, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. You can get pictures, and possibly learn the sex, but only during ultrasounds scheduled to check on your and the baby's health and progress.
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