What Does a Fetal Ultrasound Look For?
A fetal ultrasound is a test performed during pregnancy that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce a picture of a fetus. Since their introduction in the late 1950s, fetal ultrasounds have become very useful tools in the field of obstetric diagnostics because of their accuracy and safety.
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Diagnosis
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Since the embryo can be observed at as early as five and a half weeks' gestation, fetal ultrasounds are useful in confirming pregnancies.
Viability
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The fetal heartbeat can be documented via ultrasound as early as seven weeks. Once this is depicted, the probability of a continued pregnancy is better than 95 percent, according to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Tennessee.
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Location
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Ultrasounds can also ensure that the fetus is growing in the uterus. If the fetus is not growing inside of the uterus, this is called an ectopic pregnancy and must be removed as soon as possible because the fetus will not survive.
Gestational Age
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Ultrasounds can also be used to determine the gestational age of a fetus for women who are unsure about the first day of their last menstrual period. During the latter part of pregnancy, measurements of fetal size ensure that the fetus is growing properly.
Fetal Malformations
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Structural abnormalities in the fetus can usually be diagnosed on ultrasound before 20 weeks' gestation.
Number of Fetuses
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Ultrasounds can also determine the number of fetuses present in the pregnancy.
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