5 times of ultrasound that cannot be missed

Ultrasound should not be done for fun, or to know how many grams the fetus has gained. Illustration photo

Although there is no data to date showing that frequent ultrasounds will harm the fetus. Pregnant women should not abuse them but should follow the doctor's ultrasound instructions.Doctor Le Tieu My, My Duc Hospital (HCMC) said,

Ultrasound is a technique that uses high-frequency sound waves, emitted from a device and transmitted through the skin, passing through the abdominal wall to record internal images by echo. Ultrasound is different from X-ray in that ultrasound rays are not radiation. This is the main factor to confirm the safety of ultrasound for the fetus.

Through ultrasound, the doctor can observe: How many fetuses are in the uterus; Is the placenta in a normal position; Are the body size and organs on the baby's body such as the face, nose, arms, legs, or heart, liver, lungs, etc. normal? In addition, ultrasound can help calculate the date of birth relatively accurately if the ultrasound is done early.

In particular, ultrasound has different values ​​at each gestational age. If for some reason, only one ultrasound can be performed, the pregnant woman should choose an ultrasound when the fetus is around 22-23 weeks to evaluate the fetus as a whole.

Normally, pregnant women should have an ultrasound at the following times:

When your period is about 2 weeks late: Ultrasound to determine whether you are pregnant or not, whether the fetus is in the uterus or not. If the embryo is found in the uterus, the doctor will also evaluate the fetal heart activity.

When the fetus is about 12 weeks old: This is an important stage for ultrasound to measure the nuchal translucency. The results of this translucency thickness along with a blood test will help assess the risk of abnormalities in some of the fetus' chromosomes such as Down syndrome, if any.

When the fetus is about 21-23 weeks old: This is an extremely important ultrasound to conduct a comprehensive examination to screen for birth defects in the baby.

Last 3 months of pregnancy: Depending on the condition of the fetus, the doctor will order an ultrasound, mainly to assess whether the fetus is developing according to the gestational age or not, or to detect late-appearing abnormalities.

It is worth noting that ultrasound can only predict about 80% of malformations. Because there are small malformations, late manifestations, or functional defects (such as deafness) that cannot be diagnosed by ultrasound. Therefore, when pregnant, along with ultrasound, pregnant women may need to perform many different types of tests to screen for fetal abnormalities.

"Ultrasound should not be done just to check the baby's gender, to record images or videos of the baby 'for fun', or to have an ultrasound every week to see if the baby is gaining weight or not... Instead, pregnant mothers should spend time 'talking' to their children, thinking about beautiful things...", Dr. Le Tieu My emphasized.

According to PNVN