At what weeks are ultrasounds performed for pregnant women? At what time are ultrasounds done during pregnancy?

The first planned ultrasound examination of the embryo at 10-14 weeks is mandatory.

Often, women undergo it immediately after a delay in the menstrual cycle, as well as the presence of two lines on the test.

In most cases, this is done to confirm your situation and convince yourself that the pregnancy is normal.

So, let's figure out when the first ultrasound is done during pregnancy and, in fact, for what purpose. The first ultrasound during pregnancy allows you to assess the state of fetal development, and is prescribed by a gynecologist in. Its principle lies in the passage of ultrasonic waves through tissues and organs.

Reflecting from them, the waves are captured by the sensor, and the received and processed information in the form of an image appears on the screen. The advantages of the echolocation method include:

• obtaining highly accurate information;
• safety;
• speed of research;
• the patient does not need to undergo any special training.

Ultrasound analysis of development is absolutely harmless for both the pregnant woman and the fetus, which is confirmed by the positive 40-year experience of this method. There are two options for carrying it out:

1. . A full bladder facilitates the free passage of ultrasonic waves, and, therefore, a clear and accurate display of the baby’s condition.
2. – a condom is first put on the sensor (for hygienic purposes) and then inserted through the vagina. This method significantly increases the accuracy of the readings, due to the closer location of the internal organs and the ability to better view them. There is no need to fill the bladder in this case.

Attention: If the patient may have an allergic reaction to latex, the doctor should be notified in advance.

If the doctor does not have enough information obtained by one of these methods, it is possible to use two.

In addition to the main purpose of ultrasound, the reason for its appointment may be some suspicion of the presence of abnormalities and developmental pathologies. These include:

• Threat of miscarriage, uterine hypertonicity.
• Present constant pain in the lower abdomen, discharge of an unnatural color (bloody, dark brown, etc.) from the lower genital organs.
• Freezing of the fetus, lack of heartbeat and movement.
• Suspicion of ectopic pregnancy.
• – benign, malignant tumors.
• The presence of endometriosis, cysts, tumors in the appendages.
• Abnormal development of the uterine cavity in a woman - its doubling, the presence of a septum, and others.

Timely detection and subsequent treatment will help avoid very serious health problems.

How to prepare for your first ultrasound

Before undergoing the first ultrasound to determine pregnancy, you need to properly prepare for it. To do this you need:

• At home, carry out hygiene procedures (take a shower) and put on clean underwear.
• An hour before your appointment, drink 1 liter of clean, non-carbonated water, as the examination will take place abdominally.

If you made an appointment for an ultrasound at a private medical center, they will provide you with all the additional details (towel, napkins, shoe covers, condom, etc.), and if you wish, you can take your own from home.

But those who prefer to visit government institutions will have to bring all this with them. In addition, if you had an ultrasound in the first weeks, take its results - comparison with new ones will allow you to more accurately determine the duration of pregnancy, and therefore future births, and find out the degree of fetal development.

How is the first ultrasound performed during pregnancy?

A pregnant woman can come for an abdominal examination a little earlier than the appointment, take some water with her (from 500 ml to 1 liter) and drink it a little before the appointment.

In this case, the bladder will be as full as possible, which will help to conduct a quality study. There is no need to drink water before vaginal. The procedure is painless, so there is no need to be afraid, but on the contrary, it is better to relax.

What can the patient expect at the appointment?

• After entering the office, you will need to undress, that is, take off your underwear.
• Next, lie down on the couch.
• An obstetric ultrasound will provide an opportunity to see your own baby on the screen, determine its size, find out which systems are already established, how they function, and which are just beginning to be established.
• The result of the study is the results with a detailed description and recommendations. If desired, recording can be made to disk.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Doctors working with pregnant women are patient and attentive, they will tell you in detail about the course of your pregnancy.

Results of the first ultrasound at 12 weeks

When going for an examination, a woman should know the first day of her last period.

This date will help the doctor most accurately determine the timing of pregnancy and the expected date of future birth, based on the total gestation period - 40 weeks.

Why is it so important to perform the first ultrasound on time? At this stage, the development of the fetus is assessed, signs are determined that will exclude the presence of any anomalies or genetic abnormalities.

The number of embryos is determined, based on this, the doctor makes a conclusion about the amount of amniotic fluid, its condition and volume.

The average value is 50 ml, they are updated every day. In addition, the doctor will receive other data about the baby.

First, ultrasound in the first weeks of pregnancy allows find out the length of the fetus - the value is calculated based on the distance from the top point of the head (parietal zone) to the coccyx (coccygeal-parietal, KTP).

This indicator is the main one in determining the timing of pregnancy if a woman has an irregular menstrual cycle. At the 12th week of development, the fetus can reach 7 cm, weighing 10 grams.

Secondly, the baby’s heart is listened to; its heartbeat in the womb is twice as fast and can reach 160 beats per minute. defines this standard.

For example, in the 11th week the norm of this indicator ranges from 153 to 177 beats, while in the 12th week it is from 150 to 174, and in the 14th week it is from 146 to 168. It will also be possible to see on the screen see how he sucks his thumb, makes certain movements, his eyes close or open.

Thirdly, pregnancy at 12 weeks allows you to find out the size of the collar zone - the thickness of the neck (the distance of its soft tissues from the outer to the inner layer).

This indicator will reliably help determine the presence of diseases such as Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome, cerebral palsy, etc. Normally, it is about 2-3 cm, but even if it is slightly exceeded, only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis.

Most likely, a repeat diagnostic test will be scheduled at week 14 for a more precise diagnosis.

The first ultrasound screening helps to identify an undeveloped pregnancy - the yolk sac, present up to 12 weeks, should begin to decrease in size, and after the 15th week it should disappear completely.

The chorion (the outer membrane of the embryo) is also studied. It is he who, in the first weeks of life, provides protection against viruses and infections, regulates gas exchange between mother and child, and functions as an excretory system.

After the 13th week, its walls thicken and transform into the placenta. Its location and condition indicate the presence or absence of infection.

In addition, the place of attachment of the placenta is studied, how it is located in relation to the uterine pharynx - the norm is both the posterior and anterior walls of the uterus, but closer to the bottom.

This presentation will ensure good uteroplacental blood circulation. An ultrasound examination will show the degree of risk of premature birth. In addition, uterine tone is assessed.

The number of fingers will also indicate the norm of physical development; their final number is determined at 11-14 weeks. At the same time, you can see the ventricle and bladder.

Features of ultrasound in early pregnancy

One of the main features of ultrasound examination at this stage of fetal development is the possibility of early detection of anomalies in its development and risks associated with pregnancy.

If there is still a threat of giving birth to a sick child, the woman will be advised to terminate the pregnancy; at 12 weeks this procedure can be performed with minimal risk to health.

After treatment, rest, and tests, the woman will soon be able to become pregnant again. To bear and give birth to a healthy child is the main task of a pregnant woman, which highly qualified doctors will help you cope with.

The category of women who do not want to undergo an ultrasound deliberately put themselves and the unborn child at risk, because many complications can be prevented, and the presence of existing ones may be insignificant and within normal limits.

Healthy, full-fledged children are the dream of every family; responsibility for their development falls on the shoulders of parents.

That is why pregnancy must be taken seriously and undergo a series of simple tests before conception. And if a man or woman has relatives with rather rare genetic diseases in their family, the expectant mother cannot do without a preliminary examination.

The presence of anomalies in intrauterine development is influenced by nutrition, lifestyle, and adherence to bad habits. Compliance with the diet in each trimester, love, attention from loved ones and relatives will help you go through the pregnancy period without any stress.

Ultrasound examination is one of the most accurate methods for diagnosing pregnancy and monitoring its development. All expectant mothers are concerned about the question - when to do the first ultrasound? According to the standards of the World Health Organization, this period is defined as 10-14 weeks. But almost every pregnant woman does her first ultrasound much earlier, wanting to make sure that her pregnancy is intrauterine and is developing correctly.

Is ultrasound harmful during pregnancy?

Very often on forums you can find the opinion that ultrasound during pregnancy, and especially in the first trimester, is very harmful. They even give examples - “during my last pregnancy I did an ultrasound and the fetus froze, but this time I didn’t do an ultrasound and everything was fine.” In fact, this is a subjective opinion based on random coincidence. A lot of research is being done on this topic, but so far no one has been able to prove the specific harm that ultrasonic waves bring to the baby in the womb; How, for example, the harm of X-rays has been proven. Of course, you shouldn’t fanatically do an ultrasound every day, weekly, but you shouldn’t ignore this study because of its mythical harm either.

So you have a delay. The test shows the long-awaited two lines. I really want to do an ultrasound to make sure everything is fine. But there is no need to rush; at this time, even the most modern device will not be able to “see” anything. To reassure yourself, you can first take (hCG). In the future, this analysis will help the doctor correlate the level of the hCG hormone and ultrasound data at an early stage.

The first ultrasound examinations during pregnancy are done with a vaginal sensor for greater accuracy. No special preparation is required.

Why is it necessary to do an ultrasound early?

Purpose Ultrasound in the first weeks of pregnancy is:

• establishment of embryonic gestational age;
• diagnosis of multiple pregnancy;
• establishing the uterine localization of the fertilized egg;
• diagnosis of pregnancy complications (tone, threatening and incipient miscarriage);
• assessment of the yolk sac, chorion;
• assessment of the vital activity of the embryo;
• study of the size and structure of the fertilized egg and embryo.

What will the ultrasound diagnostician see during the examination? At what stage is the embryo visible?

1. 4 obstetric weeks, or 2 weeks from conception
2. hCG is 30-170 units.
3. Ultrasound. A lush endometrium is determined in the ovary, which produces progesterone and other substances necessary for pregnancy until the placenta forms and takes on this role. It is very difficult to see the fertilized egg in the uterus; its size is no more than 1 mm.

1. 5 obstetric weeks, or 3 weeks from conception
2. hCG is 750-3100 units.
3. Ultrasound. At this time, using a good device Ultrasound shows fertilized egg, you can determine the number of fertilized eggs, their location, and the size of the uterus. You shouldn’t worry too much if you haven’t found a fertilized egg in the uterus at 5 obstetric weeks; you need to redo the ultrasound in a few days.

1. 8 obstetric weeks, or 6 weeks from conception
2. hCG is 28,000-128,000 units.
3. Ultrasound. The CTE of the embryo at this stage is 13-19 mm, weight is about 2.5-3 grams. The baby's heart beats almost twice as fast as the mother's heart, the heart rate is 130-160 beats per minute. The embryo becomes more and more like a little man, it makes chaotic movements, but because... its size is still too small, mom doesn’t feel it yet

Ultrasound in the 3rd trimester is performed to assess the development of the fetus and the readiness of the mother’s reproductive organs for childbirth. The procedure is included in the mandatory plan and is no different from previous studies.

The 3rd trimester ultrasound is the last ultrasound examination for the entire period of gestation and is prescribed at 30-34 weeks of pregnancy.

During ultrasound diagnostics, doctors look at:

• location of the fetus in the uterine cavity;
• volumes of the baby’s head and abdomen;
• presentation;
• length of the femurs;
• the size and weight of the child;
• location and maturity of the placenta;
• development of the internal organs of the fetus.

In the third trimester, an ultrasound examination is an additional examination of the mother and embryo to exclude serious congenital pathologies and developmental delays. It also allows you to find out, with an accuracy of up to a week, how far along a pregnant woman is.

How to prepare for your last ultrasound

The screening procedure in the third semester does not require special preparation, however, there are several general recommendations.

To prepare for the last ultrasound you need:

• bring wet wipes with you to wipe off excess gel from the skin;
• take a diaper with you if the examination takes place in a clinic;
• if necessary, take activated charcoal to reduce bloating;
• Do not drink too much water before the procedure - this may reduce the quality of the study.

In the video you can see how a baby’s fetus looks on an ultrasound at 32 weeks, as well as the degree of formation of its organs. The author of the video is Alena Ponomareva.

Norms of baby development and interpretation of results

The norms of baby development and interpretation of the results concern:

• weight and main dimensions of the fetus;
• umbilical cord blood flow;
• placenta;
• amount of amniotic fluid;
• heart rate frequency.

The general condition of the expectant mother’s body is assessed separately.

Fetal fetometry by week: table

Only a doctor can correctly decipher fetometry data, but there are standard norms that are worth paying attention to.

In the table you can see the standard sizes of the baby depending on the week of pregnancy:

Week of pregnancy	Fruit weight, g	Coccygeal-parietal size (CTR), cm	Chest circumference - OG (GDK), mm	Thigh length (DB), mm	Biparietal size (BPR), mm
11	11	6,8	20	7	18
12	19	8,2	24	9	21
13	31	10	24	21	24
14	52	12,3	26	16	28
15	77	14,2	28	19	32
16	118	16,4	34	22	35
17	160	18	38	24	39
18	217	20,3	41	28	42
19	270	22,1	44	31	44
20	345	24,1	48	34	47
21	416	25,9	50	37	50
22	506	27,8	53	40	53
23	607	29,7	56	43	56
24	733	31,2	59	46	60
25	844	32,4	62	48	63
26	969	33,9	64	51	66
27	1135	35,5	69	53	69
28	1319	37,2	73	55	73
29	1482	38,6	76	57	76
30	1636	39,9	70	59	78
31	1779	41,1	81	61	80
32	1930	42,3	83	63	82
33	2088	43,6	85	65	84
34	2248	44,5	88	66	86
35	2414	45,4	91	67	88
36	2612	46,6	94	69	89,5
37	2820	47,9	97	71	91
38	2992	49	99	73	92
39	3170	50,2	101	75	93
40	3373	51,3	103	77	94,5

Umbilical cord blood flow examination

Ultrasound Dopplerography, or Dopplerography, is one of the ultrasound diagnostic methods that allows you to effectively determine the speed of blood movement through the vessels of the umbilical cord. The doctor can make a conclusion about the functioning of the cardiovascular system based on the results of an analysis of the heart, umbilical cord and uterine artery.

In the last trimester of pregnancy, this is especially necessary, since it allows you to find out how blood flows through the umbilical cord to the placenta and to the fetus.

Attention to the placenta!

The need to undergo an ultrasound in the third trimester of pregnancy is also due to the fact that it shows the condition of the placenta. The maturity of this organ determines the timing of the onset of labor: if the ultrasound protocol shows that its maturation has occurred earlier, the obstetrician makes a decision on premature birth.

During the last ultrasound, you can check the condition of the placenta in the later stages of its development:

1. Stage one. Usually lasts from 30 to 34 weeks. In the normal state, compactions appear in the body of the organ; the average wall thickness ranges from 23.5 to 41.6 mm.
2. Stage two. Fixed at 34–39 weeks. Some depressions are permissible in the structure, and calcium deposits become noticeable. The placenta wall is up to 44 mm.

The length from the outlet of the small pelvis to the lower edge of the organ is no more than 70 mm. The degree of maturity of the placenta should be 1.

The amount of water surrounding the child

During an ultrasound, the doctor checks:

1. The amount of amniotic fluid. If there are not enough of them, the baby will become dehydrated.
2. Water quality Normally, they should be transparent, and only towards the end of pregnancy can they become cloudy.

During an ultrasound scan of the third trimester, amniotic fluid normally takes up a volume of about 400 ml. Closer to week 37, their content in the uterus should be from a liter to one and a half.

Baby's heart rate

During an ultrasound, diagnosticians always listen to the baby’s heartbeat: this proves that the fetus is moving and actively moving in the womb.

Wherein:

• from the 11th week of pregnancy until the birth of the baby, its heartbeat should be from 140 to 160 beats per minute;
• An alarming symptom is a decrease in heart rate to 85–100 beats/min, or an increased value of up to 200 beats/min.
• In addition to the frequency of beats, the parameters of their rhythm and the peculiarity of the location of the heart in the chest are determined.

Condition of female reproductive organs

During the third trimester of pregnancy, ultrasound assesses the condition of the mother's uterus. Its length and tone are measured, and the general condition of the organ is determined.

An important indicator is the length of the cervix. Normally this figure is 30 mm. The external and internal os of the organ must be closed.

Photo gallery

The photo shows screening images made using ultrasound examination.