Ultrasound examination
The latest diagnostic capabilities of modern ultrasound devices have enabled us to meet with our baby before it is born. Its growth and development is monitored throughout pregnancy, using 3D and 4D ultrasound machines.
Modern ultrasound devices have the ability to show the fetus in three dimensions with time, which is the fourth dimension. These examinations are recorded and each patient receives a video of the examination and/or photos of the baby.
In the first trimester:
Pregnancy can be seen 3 weeks after the fertilization, or 5-7 days after the missed period. The first ultrasound examination during pregnancy is important for several reasons:
- -to determine the place of pregnancy, i.e. whether the pregnancy is in the womb or outside of it (which is undesirable finding)
- to determine the viability of pregnancy
- to determine probable due date.
After the fourth week of gestation we recommend the NACE test
After this first ultrasound examination, if the pregnancy is without complications, the next examination takes place between 12th and 13th week of gestation. This is the period when all organs are definitely formed.
In the second trimester:
The biometrics of the fetus, heart function (frequency), the movements of the fetus, age and the position of the placenta, amniotic fluid, and the length of the cervix are monitored.
– Second expert ultrasound: enlarged fetal biometry, measurement of size and assessment of the appearance of brain structures (cerebellum, ventricles, and blood vessels), facial appearance, and a detailed examination of the heart and fetal echo in the 20th week of gestation.
In the third trimester:
Fetal biometry, the position of the fetus, heart function, the movements of the fetus, the appearance of the placenta, the amount of amniotic fluid, and the length of cervix.
Early detection of congenital anomalies of the fetus
Detection of fetal anomaly is the imperative of ultrasound diagnosis during pregnancy. The sooner they are detected, the greater possibility of termination of such pregnancy if the anomaly of the fetus is serious.