Obstetric Ultrasound

• To confirm pregnancy
• Assess viability, location, and age of pregnancy

Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the body’s tissues, structures, and blood flow. A transducer/probe and ultrasound gel work in combination to absorb the reflected sound waves to produce images on the monitor.

The sonographer will request that you lay on the exam bed on your back. Warm, water-based ultrasound gel will be applied on the skin and/or the transducer. The sonographer will use the transducer on the skin moving it around as necessary to obtain images for the physician to interpret.

If the internal exam is necessary, you will be asked to empty your bladder and lay on the exam bed with your feet in stirrups.

You may be instructed in advance to arrive with a full bladder.

The benefits of Abdominal Ultrasound:

• Ultrasound images are shown in real-time
• The structure and movement of the body’s internal organs, as well as blood flowing through blood vessels are able to be seen and recorded
• The exam is painless
• No ionizing radiation is used for this procedure

Risks you should be aware of:

• There are no known risks for ultrasound