What is Ultrasound Scanning?

Ultrasounds use high-frequency sound waves that are inaudible to the human ear. These are transmitted through the abdomen using a transducer to look at the inside of the stomach. Basically, echoes are recorded and then transformed into video or photographic images of the baby.

Ultrasound is used on pregnant women to view images of their baby, amniotic sac, placenta and ovaries. Generally, these scans are performed on the surface of the skin. A gel is used as a conductive medium to improve the quality of the image. An alternative to this common scan is a transvaginal ultrasound. This involves a tubular probe that is inserted into the vaginal canal. Although this is a far less common procedure, it produces a much clearer image.

There is no set preparation to follow prior to the test although doctors often recommend 4 to 6 glasses of water before. The reason for this is so the bladder is full which, will help the doctor view the baby better on the ultrasound.