Prenatal Testing – 3D Ultrasound
A 3D ultrasound is one prenatal test that helps to ensure proper pregnancy health; because it can help to assess fetal growth and ensure that a woman’s health is good during pregnancy, an ultrasound is a vital tool in the process of prenatal testing and prenatal care.
What is a 3D Ultrasound?
A 3D ultrasound is a prenatal test that uses high frequency sound waves in order to produce high-resolution images of a developing baby.
In addition, 3D ultrasound technology is also the basis of 4D ultrasound imaging, in which 3D images are streamed in order to create a real time video in order to view fetal development.
An ultrasound is an important diagnostic tool; it provides your prenatal health care provider information about your baby’s health, as well as your own. In addition, it can help to detect any irregularities in your pregnancy so that they can be addressed properly.
You will generally have your first ultrasound (level one ultrasound) at 12 weeks; a follow up ultrasound (known as a level two ultrasound) will be performed between weeks 18 and 22 of your pregnancy.
Why Are 3D Ultrasounds Conducted?
This type of prenatal testing tool can help to assess the following about the mother’s pregnancy health:
- whether there is any irregular bleeding
- whether the pregnancy is a twin or multiple Pregnancy-info
- the presence of prenatal problems
- whether there are any ovarian inconsistencies
In addition, ultrasounds are also used to monitor the development of the fetus, including information regarding the number of developing fetuses, the position of the baby as well as its placental location. A 3D ultrasound also checks the following factors:
- age
- sex
- size
- cleft lip
- cleft palate
An ultrasound also checks fetal heart rate, which is approximately 140 beats per minute.
Pregnancy ultrasounds also help to evaluate fetal malformations, including such conditions as spina bifida.
3D Ultrasound Procedure
During an ultrasound, a film gel will be placed onto your abdomen. The ultrasound technician will then use a transducer (a handheld device) in order to produce images on a screen so that he may monitor your baby’s development and so that you can see the first images of your growing baby.
You will be required to have a full bladder for your pregnancy ultrasound in order to help produce a clear image of the fetus. In addition, you will be asked not to urinate for the period of 2 hours prior to an ultrasound. However, ultrasounds in the latter stages of pregnancy generally do not require a full bladder.
