Pregnancy is a beautiful time in a womans life. When you are pregnant you feel excited to meet your baby.. You also need to make sure that you and your baby are healthy. One of the important things to do when you are pregnant is to have the right pregnancy scans at the right time.
Pregnancy scans are like checks to see how your baby is growing. They use waves so they are safe for you and your baby. These scans help doctors see if your baby is healthy if there are any problems and if you need to do anything to help your baby.
Lets talk about the ten pregnancy scans that every pregnant woman should know about.
1. Early Pregnancy Scan (6–9 Weeks)
This is the scan you have when you are pregnant. It happens between 6 and 9 weeks.
This scan does a things:
It confirms that you are pregnant and that the baby is inside your uterus.
It checks if the babys heart is beating.
It estimates how along you are in your pregnancy.
It checks if you are having one baby or more than one.
It makes sure that the baby is not growing outside of your uterus.
This scan is nice because it gives you a sense of what’s going on with your baby. It also helps your doctor figure out when your baby will be born.
2. Dating Scan (8–13 Weeks)
This scan helps your doctor figure out how along you are in your pregnancy.
This scan is important because:
It confirms when your baby will be born.
It measures your baby to see how big they are.
It checks if your baby is growing like they should be.
It checks if you are having than one baby.
Knowing how far along you are in your pregnancy helps your doctor plan for the rest of your pregnancy.
3. Nuchal Translucency Scan (11–14 Weeks)
This scan is one of the big tests you have when you are pregnant.
It checks for:
Down syndrome
Edwards syndrome
Patau syndrome
Some heart problems
During this scan your doctor measures the fluid behind your babys neck. This helps them see if there are any problems with your babys chromosomes.
If your doctor finds any problems you can start making plans for what to do
4. Early Anomaly Scan (13–16 Weeks)
Some problems with your baby can be found before you have your anomaly scan.
This scan checks:
Your babys brain
Their spine
Their arms and legs
Their skull
Their tummy
Their heart
This scan is especially important if you have had problems with your pregnancy before or if you are at risk for having a baby with problems.
5. Detailed Anomaly Scan (18–22 Weeks)
This scan is like a check-up for your baby.
It checks:
Your babys brain
Their face
Their spine
Their heart
Their lungs
Their kidneys
Their
Their bladder
Their hands and feet
The placenta
The fluid around your baby
Your doctor also checks to see if your baby is growing like they should be. They look for any problems with your babys body.
This scan is really important because it helps your doctor see if your baby has any problems that need to be fixed before they are born.
6. Cervical Length Scan (16–24 Weeks)
Not every pregnant woman needs this scan but it is important for women who’re at risk for having their baby too early.
This scan:
Measures your cervix to see if it is getting short
Checks if you are at risk for having your baby too early
Helps your doctor figure out if you need any special treatment
If your cervix is getting too short your doctor can give you special treatment to help prevent your baby from being born too early.
7. Fetal Echocardiography (18–24 Weeks)
This scan is like a heart check for your baby.
You might need this scan if:
You have a family history of heart problems
You have diabetes
Your babys heart looked funny on a scan
You got pregnant using special medicine
Your doctor thinks your baby might have a heart problem
This scan helps your doctor see if your baby has any heart problems. If they do your doctor can start making plans for how to help your baby.
8. Growth Scan (28–32 Weeks)
As your pregnancy goes on your doctor needs to check if your baby is growing like they should be.
This scan checks:
Your babys weight
The size of their head
The size of their tummy
The length of their leg
Where the placenta’s
How much fluid is around your baby
If your baby is not growing like they should be your doctor can keep a closer eye on them.
9. Doppler Scan (30–36 Weeks)
This scan is like a check of the blood flow between you, the placenta and your baby.
You might need this scan if:
You have blood pressure
You have diabetes
Your baby is not growing like they should be
You are having twins
You are not feeling your baby move as much as you should
You are at risk for having problems with your pregnancy
This scan checks the blood flow through vessels. If the blood flow is good it means your baby is getting the oxygen and food they need.
10. Biophysical Profile and Late Pregnancy Well-being Scan (36–40 Weeks)
As you get close to having your baby your doctor needs to check if your baby is healthy and strong.
This scan checks:
If your baby is. Moving like they should be
If your babys muscles are strong
If there is enough fluid around your baby
If your babys heart is beating like it should be
This scan helps your doctor see if your baby is ready to be born. If they are not your doctor can keep an eye on them.
Why are pregnancy scans so important?
Pregnancy scans do more than just give you a picture of your baby. They help your doctor:
Check if your baby is growing like they should be
Find any problems with your babys body
Check if the placenta is
Measure the fluid around your baby
Check the blood flow between you, the placenta and your baby
Find any problems with your pregnancy
Plan for a safe delivery
Give you the treatment you need if there are any problems
If your doctor finds any problems early it can make a big difference for you and your baby.
Are pregnancy ultrasounds safe?
Yes they are. Doctors have been using ultrasounds for a time and they are safe as long as they are done by someone who knows what they are doing. Ultrasounds use sound waves, not radiation so they are safe for you and your baby.
What should you do before your pregnancy scan?
To get the results:
Follow your doctors instructions
Drink water if you need to
Bring any previous scan results or medical records
Wear comfortable clothes
Get to your appointment on time
If you do these things your scan will go smoothly and your doctor will be able to get all the information they need.
What to remember:
Every pregnancy is different and having the right scans at the time is important for keeping you and your baby healthy. From the scan, to the last each one gives your doctor important information that helps them take care of you and your baby.
Do not skip any of your scans even if you feel fine. Going to all of your scans helps your doctor find any problems early so you can get the help you need and have a baby. If you are pregnant talk to your doctor about when you should have your scans. Going to all of your appointments. Having the right scans is the best way to have a healthy pregnancy and a happy baby.
