The baby monitor

An ultra-sound exam allows you to see you baby while he or she is still inside your womb.

Ultrasound exams are used to assess the health and wellbeing of you and your baby, and can even encourage early bonding.

Every parent hopes for a healthy, happy baby, and an ultrasound exam helps your doctor to see their "second patient" during pregnancy and childbirth. This assists in monitoring your baby's progress, and detecting potential problems. It's also a wonderful opportunity to see your baby for the first time!

What is an ultrasound exam?

Ultrasound exams use a series of sound waves, which are directed into your body through a device called a transducer. As the transducer is moved across your skin (in the abdominal area), the sound waves bounce off your developing baby, like echoes. These are then turned into pictures, which you'll be able to see on a screen. Remember to ask your doctor to interpret these ultrasound pictures–even in the later stages of your pregnancy–as it's sometimes hard to see your baby (especially if he or she is camera shy!). The most common ultrasound exam is called "real-time," which uses a series of pictures to show your baby's movement.

Why are ultrasound exams used?

Pregnancy
Most women have at least one ultrasound during pregnancy. The timing depends on why it is performed. It can provide valuable information about your baby's health and wellbeing, including:

• Age of the fetus
• Rate of growth of the fetus
• Gender of the fetus (in the later stages of pregnancy)
• Position of the placenta (the life-support for your baby)
• Position, movement, breathing and heart rate of the fetus
• Number of fetuses (for example, twins or triplets)
• Some birth defects (for example, Down Syndrome)

Ultrasound can also be used to help find a potential problem, for example, an ectopic pregnancy. In high-risk pregnancies, women will have more than one ultrasound exam to monitor their baby's development. Don't worry, ultrasound exams are not harmful for you or your baby!

Other uses
As well as pregnancies, ultrasound exams can be used for other medical conditions such as to detect cancer and other abnormal growths.

Ultrasound is also used to examine pelvic organs and the breasts, and for in vitro fertilization (IVF), a process used by infertile couples (see infertility).

How to prepare for your ultrasound exam

Ultrasound exams take place in hospitals or doctors surgeries, and your doctor or a trained technician will carry them out. Remember to wear loose clothes, as your doctor will need access to your abdominal area. In some hospitals, you'll be asked to wear a hospital gown.

You'll lie on the table with your abdomen exposed from the lower part of your ribs to your hips. A mineral oil or gel will be applied to the surface of your stomach, and a transducer, which emits sound waves, will be moved across your skin.

When a vaginal ultrasound exam is required, a condom is placed over the transducer, and it is then inserted into your vagina. Ultrasound with a vaginal probe is easy and painless–it feels similar to your Pap test.

Finally…

Ultrasound exams are used to check the health and wellbeing of you and your baby. It's often advised for women who have potential problems in their pregnancies and, combined with other medical tests, it can help doctors to make an accurate diagnosis and determine the proper method of treatment.