An ultrasound in pregnancy can be either done as a “routine” ultrasound, an anatomy sonogram, usually between 18-20 weeks or it is done for specific reasons which usually depend at the time of pregnancy. There are essentially three different types of ultrasounds, depending on how much information is required.

When Can Fetal Heart Beat Be Seen?

When can the fetal heart beat be first seen on ultrasound? ... read more »

When Is the Earliest an Ultrasound Can Diagnosis Pregnancy?

You may have had a positive pregnancy test but when will you be able to have an ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy? And what will that early ultrasound show? ... read more »

Ultrasound Ahead of Schedule

Some women are concerned when the fetus measures size-wize different on ultrasound when compared to their expected due date. ... read more »

The Gestational Sac In Pregnancy

The gestational sac is the structure surrounding the fetus early in pregnancy and its shape early in pregnancy (usually before 8-10 weeks) is important. ... read more »

Ultrasound Guide for Pregnancy

An ultrasound in pregnancy can be either done as a 'routine' anatomy ultrasound, usually between 18-20 weeks or it is done for specific reasons which usually depend on the time of pregnancy. ... read more »

Hadlock Ultrasound Measurements Based on Gestational Age

How big should your baby be now? Check out this chart which outlines Hadlock ultrasound measurements based on gestational age. ... read more »

At What hCG Level Can You See Pregnancy on Ultrasound?

Up to one in three women experience vaginal bleeding during the firest few months of the pregnancy, and many wonder how they can make sure the pregnancy is viable. ... read more »

How Many Weeks Pregnant Am I?

Want to know the age-old question "how many weeks pregnant am I?" Learn some simple rules of thumb to determine it. ... read more »

Fetal Ultrasound Measurements in Pregnancy

Fetal ultrasound measurements can show how the baby is growing and detect abnormalities. ... read more »

First Trimester Ultrasound Scanning Before 8-10 Weeks

First trimester ultrasound scanning can diagnose many different issues during pregnancy. ... read more »

Estimating Fetal Weight via Ultrasound

One of the most important reasons for prenatal visits and for doing an ultrasound examination is to estimate the fetal size of your baby. ... read more »

Fetal Echo Echocardiography

A fetal echo or fetal echocardiography is an ultrasound test performed to evaluate the heart of the fetus during pregnancy and is often done as early as 20-24 weeks or later in pregnancy. ... read more »

Ultrasound and Missed Abortion or Miscarriage

A missed abortion or miscarriage can be diagnosed on ultrasound (sonogram) with several different signs. ... read more »

Placenta Grade

Grading of the placenta can be done by ultrasound and by looking and how much calcifications there are in the placenta. A grade 3 placenta, for example, is normal at 40 weeks. ... read more »

Types of Ultrasound

The trusted transducer ultrasound is likely going to be a part of your prenatal check-up, but there may be a few additional ultrasounds in order that you will want to know about. ... read more »

Pyelectasis of the Fetus in Pregnancy

A pyelectasis is a dilatation of part of the kidney. At 21 weeks, the renal pelvis can often not be seen separately from the kidney. ... read more »

Amniotic Fluid Index in Normal Pregnancies

The amount of amniotic fluid is measured either by checking the largest pocket of fluid by ultrasound or by measuring the largest amniotic fluid pocket in each of four quadrants and then adding those up. This is called the AFI or Amniotic Fluid Index. ... read more »

Safety of Ultrasound In Pregnancy

Although certain harmful effects in cells are observed in a laboratory setting, abnormalities in embryos and offsprings of animals and humans have not been unequivocally demonstrated in the large amount of studies that have so far appeared in the medical literature purporting to the use of diagnostic ultrasound in the clinical setting. ... read more »

Fetal Nuchal Thickness

NT or nuchal tranlucency is measured around 11-13 weeks of the pregnancy to assess the fetus for risk for Down syndrome and other anomalies. ... read more »

Choroid Plexus Cysts

Choroid Plexus Cysts (CPC) are small fluid filled areas in the brain and they are a common ultrasound finding in the fetus during the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. ... read more »

Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH) and Grading of Severity

An intraventricular hemorrhage, or  IVH, is bleeding into the ventricles of the brain. In infants, intraventricular hemorrhages are labeled by how severe the hemorrhage is. ... read more »

Enlarged Ventricle

The ventricles are fluid-filled spaces in the brain. The two major ventricle are the lateral ventricles. A lateral ventricle that's over 10 mm in size is usually considered enlarged (ventriculomegaly). ... read more »

Ultrasound Safety During Pregnancy

Ultrasounds have been used for more than 50 years to take images of the human body for diagnostic use. During pregnancy, women are often given at least one ultrasound to record fetal growth, number, orientation and development. ... read more »

Keepsake Ultrasounds: Know the Risks

While ultrasound and Doppler fetal ultrasound heartbeat monitors are used by healthcare professionals throughout pregnancy, could the non-medical use of these devices be doing harm? ... read more »

Doppler Ultrasound During Pregnancy

Unlike ultrasound imaging used to give parents a picture of baby in-utero, Doppler ultrasound is used to view blood flow in the fetus. ... read more »

3-D and 4-D Ultrasound During Pregnancy

Ultrasounds, often referred to as sonograms, are digital images taken of a fetus in-utero. Typically, a 2-D ultrasound is used to determine fetal growth, organ development and gender. ... read more »

Gauging Placental Health via Ultrasound

The placenta is the organ that supplies all the oxygen and nutrients the growing fetus needs. ... read more »

Ultrasound Measurements In Pregnancy

During pregnancy many different ultrasounds measurements can be done. They can include the crown rump length (CRL), biparietal diameter (BPD), femur length (FL), head circumference ... read more »

Ultrasound During Pregnancy

An ultrasound (or sonogram) examination in pregnancy is a medical procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to scan a person creating pictures (sonograms) of the organs being examined. ... read more »

Check Your Baby's Fetal Growth and Weight Percentile

The growth of the fetus (and the percentile of the ultrasound sonogram) during pregnancy is dependent on many factors. Check your baby's fetal growth with this handy chart. ... read more »

Ultrasound And Nuchal Screen For Down Syndrome Risk

Around 11-12 weeks many doctors perform a transvaginal sonogram to measure the fetal neck (nuchal translucency) to assess the risk of Down syndrome. ... read more »

Corpus Luteum Size And Appearance On Ultrasound

Sometimes, the corpus luteum appears to not produce enough progesterone to support the pregnancy, possibly resulting in an early pregnancy loss. This is called 'corpus luteum insufficiency' or 'luteal phase defect (LPD). ... read more »

Risk of Miscarriage and Fetal Heart Rate

With vaginal bleeding, the risk of miscarriage is high before you see the fetal heartbeat and low without bleeding after you see the heartbeat. ... read more »

Introduction to Ultrasound During Pregnancy

An ultrasound or sonogram during pregnancy is used to assess the development of the fetus and to look at other structures such as the uterus, ovaries, and cervix. ... read more »

What Is an Anatomy Ultrasound During Pregnancy?

When the pregnancy hits the 20th week of gestation, an anatomy ultrasound is often ordered. This ultrasound is used to determine fetal anomalies, the baby's size and weight, and also to measure growth to ensure that the fetus is developing properly. ... read more »

Bright Spot Echogenic Focus And Down Syndrome

Occasionally a so-called 'echogenci focus' or bright spot is seen in the heart of the fetus. Does this suggest an increased risk of Down syndrome in the baby? ... read more »