Ultrasonography (US) in pregnancy is an important diagnostic tool for monitoring the development of the fetus. With the help of ultrasound during pregnancy can get a fairly clear picture of the fetus, placenta, uterus and other pelvic organs. This procedure allows the doctor to get valuable information on pregnancy and child health.

When do ultrasound in pregnancy

Standard timetable ultrasound during pregnancy - three studies in each trimester. If there is some kind of pathology pregnancy is an individual schedule ultrasound. Dates of ultrasound during pregnancy in the antenatal clinic try to observe.

The first ultrasound may be performed already at 11-13 weeks after conception, to confirm the pregnancy and to establish more precisely its term. US in the early stages can also be carried out in cases of suspected miscarriage Miscarriage - can you protect yourself from it?   or ectopic pregnancy. Pregnancy in this case is determined by the presence of the fetal heart, which appears in the second week of fetal development.

Late formulation of pregnant women registered in antenatal first ultrasound sometimes do in the middle of pregnancy. Women who were registered in time for 21-24 weeks a second pregnancy ultrasound pi. At this time, you can find out the sex of the child, to receive his first "picture" - a printout of the image obtained using sound waves, as well as to identify the majority of malformations.

The third ultrasound in pregnancy conducted on 32-34 week. It is a control and identify possible abnormalities before birth. Routine ultrasound during pregnancy allows almost complete control over the process of fetal development.

In addition to the planned research doctor can prescribe and unplanned. For example, under certain complaints women spend an abdominal ultrasound during pregnancy. This allows you to quickly identify diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, Diabetes and pancreas - the things you need to know   and so on. Renal ultrasound during pregnancy can be identified and promptly treat various diseases of the urinary system. Pelvic ultrasound in pregnancy enables timely identification of ectopic pregnancy. Time spent in the US of an ectopic pregnancy can prevent serious complications. It is also important thyroid ultrasound Thyroid ultrasound The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones   - The indications for examination   during pregnancy, as a violation of the thyroid gland during pregnancy can lead to the birth of a mentally disabled child.

Effect of Ultrasound pregnancy - how dangerous it is?

Clinical experience of recent decades shows that ultrasound is safe, it does not adversely affect either the woman or the fetus. Extensive and long-term studies conducted over the last 35 years, could not find any evidence of who ultrasound during pregnancy can be dangerous for the baby or the mother. During ultrasound organism is not exposed to ionizing radiation (such as during radiography). At the same time, experts do not recommend to spend US often required, stressing that, although the negative effects of this procedure has not been identified, ultrasound - is, after all, the kind of energy that can, in one way or another, affect the child. It is especially important to consider this during the first trimester, when the baby is most vulnerable to various external influences.

But the benefits of ultrasound is difficult to overestimate: through this study can almost know exactly how the intrauterine development of the child and, if necessary, to take urgent measures for prevention and treatment of complications of pregnancy. Ultrasound during pregnancy planning allows you to quickly identify and treat many diseases of women.

Types of ultrasound in pregnancy

In most cases, pregnancy transabdominal ultrasound is used, but sometimes the procedure is performed through the vagina (transvaginal ultrasound).

With transabdominal ultrasound at the abdomen of the patient applied the gel, which improves the conductivity of the sound waves. The doctor then leads to the stomach probe and a computer converts the echoes from sound waves into an image that is displayed on the screen. Bone and soft tissue in the image appear light and gray, while the dark area - is amniotic fluid. Preparation for ultrasound in pregnancy includes water load.

During the ultrasound the doctor records the size of the head and other parts of the child's body and takes pictures; Later, he will give them to a gynecologist, who is pregnant patient. The woman in this case can observe the image on the screen, but it is not necessary to ask questions directly to the doctor during the study - it should focus on the procedure to correctly interpret what he sees. Later he will be able to answer the questions. Conventional ultrasound procedure lasts 15 to 20 minutes. When using additional, more sophisticated equipment, it can take 30 to 90 minutes.

Transvaginal (vaginal) ultrasound during pregnancy passes as well as transabdominal, with the difference that a special probe inserted into the vagina and pre-water load is not required. Therefore, this study is sometimes called the "internal ultrasound during pregnancy." Vaginal study may cause some discomfort, but in some cases, such as early pregnancy, this procedure provides a more detailed image.

Doppler ultrasound and pregnancy (Doppler) - with the help of this study assessed the blood circulation in the blood vessels of the placenta, uterus and fetus. Dopplerographic survey results allow to draw conclusions about the state of the fetus and determine the future tactics of pregnancy.

In recent years, more and more people have come to light various chronic diseases. This is due to the rhythm of life, impaired environment, improper and an unbalanced diet. Especially dangerous are chronic diseases in pregnant women. Each chronic disease that affects the course of pregnancy, and pregnancy, in turn, on the disease. That is why it is so important to the doctor not to remain silent about their disease, but rather how you can tell more about it.

What is a chronic illness

Chronic disease or extragenital pathology - these are diseases which afflict women before pregnancy for a long time. Pregnant with the presence of extragenital disorders are at high risk and in need of a closer and careful observation is not only a gynecologist, and a specialist responsible for supervising the course of the disease before pregnancy. Chronic diseases during pregnancy requires advanced methods of examination and correction doses of drugs, and perhaps change them safe for pregnancy.

Asthma and Pregnancy

Asthma - a chronic disease with an allergic component, characterized by attacks of breathlessness. Asthma does not affect the pregnancy, except in severe asthma, in which the pregnancy is generally contraindicated. Inhalers and other drugs necessary for the treatment of asthma are safe for pregnant women, so they can take the entire pregnancy. It is recommended to avoid contact with allergens. During pregnancy, a woman should always be under the supervision of a doctor, an allergist and, if necessary, to take tests to determine lung function.

Diabetes and Pregnancy

Diabetes - a disease associated with a lack of insulin The principles of action of insulin - the science of saving lives   (a hormone that breaks down blood sugar) produced by the pancreas Diabetes and pancreas - the things you need to know . Diabetes dramatically reduces the ability to become pregnant and during pregnancy increases the risk of having a baby with macrosomia (large fruit), stillbirth, miscarriage and congenital malformations. In the presence of gestational diabetes mellitus regularly delivers blood sugar and is under the supervision of a therapist. If before pregnancy a woman was on the tablet forms of insulin, the pregnancy may require a shift in the treatment injections. The dose of insulin during pregnancy significantly increases as pregnancy may worsen the disease.

Hypertensive heart disease and pregnancy

About hypertensive disease say, when there is a rise in blood pressure to 140/90 or higher .  In the first trimester of pregnancy, even blood pressure is reduced, but the main risk falls on the later stages of pregnancy .  In less severe hypertensive disease pregnant complains of weakness, malaise, headache .  Hypertensive heart disease increases the risk of kidney failure and hypertensive crisis .  Also, its background is much more common gestosis, who more severe, until eclampsia .  Increased pressure reduces blood flow to the placenta, resulting in a possible intrauterine growth retardation .  Some of the drugs needed for the treatment of hypertension, are contraindicated during pregnancy, so this period is necessary to make their replacement with safer .  During pregnancy, a regular monitoring of blood pressure and constant surveillance at vracha therapist .  The drugs must be taken continuously, with a possible increase in dose or even adding additional drugs .

Thyroid disease and pregnancy

Thyroid disease The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones   It may be associated with an excess or a lack of thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism). If you have hypothyroidism, thyroid hormone is appointed. Himself hypothyroidism can be a cause of miscarriage Miscarriage - why you lose the most precious thing? . Hyperthyroidism - a condition where the accelerated metabolic processes, can cause premature birth and intrauterine growth retardation.

Pyelonephritis and pregnancy

Pyelonephritis - is inflammatory kidney disease. Pyelonephritis is prone to frequent exacerbations during pregnancy due to the nature of urinary tract in pregnant women. It requires constant preventive treatment and monitoring of all pregnancy-nephrologist doctor. Pyelonephritis can cause premature birth, preeclampsia and intrauterine fetal infection. A pregnant are at increased risk of renal failure and bacterial shock.

In spite of all the features of the treatment of each disease during pregnancy, all pregnant women are in need of prophylactic treatment of intrauterine growth retardation, fetal hypoxia, miscarriage and preeclampsia.

Anna Sozinova