Ultrasonography of a fruit

Ultrasonography (ultrasonography) of a fruit is the main diagnostic method during pregnancy. How many time to do to the pregnant woman of ultrasonography of a fruit, the gynecologist, watching her defines. The purposes of performing ultrasonography of a fruit differ, depending on on what duration of gestation it is carried out.

Usually, the number of planned (obligatory) ultrasonography does not exceed 5 times:

1. For definition of the pregnancy – approximately on the term of 5 - 7 weeks;

2. For fetation assessment in a womb, and also a condition of a placenta of mother and an exception of malformations. Ultrasonography of heart of a fruit – on the term of 11 - 13 weeks is carried out;

3. For an exception of malformations, assessment of a condition of a placenta and amniotic liquid in it, and also for sex determination of the child. Surely the fruit sizes are determined by ultrasonography and ultrasonography of heart of a fruit – on term 19 – 21 week;

4. For determination of approximate weight of the child and a condition of an umbilical cord, and also commensurability of the size of his head and patrimonial ways of mother. The fruit sizes are determined by ultrasonography – on term 32 – 34 weeks;

5. For preparation for childbirth to expect possible complications – just before childbirth, with the first pains or at a bursting of waters.

Main types of ultrasonography of a fruit and as they are carried out

There is such ultrasonography main methods of a fruit as:

1. Transabdominal (the sensor is located on the woman's stomach);

2. Transvaginal (the sensor is entered into a vagina).

Both types of the procedure are absolutely painless for the woman, and ultrasonography is not harmful to a fruit.

Transvaginal ultrasonography is more exact method. Recently as very widespread ways of obtaining additional information on pregnancy are considered three-dimensional and four-dimensional ultrasonography of a fruit.

For three-dimensional or 3D-UZI the difficult computer program which provides the space image of a fruit which basis is made by two-dimensional (flat) pictures is used. In fact, three-dimensional ultrasonography allows to receive the exact photo of a fruit. Now such way of diagnosis is used for early detection of malformations of a fruit which could be missed during usual ultrasonography. For example, by means of ultrasonography of heart of a fruit it is possible to reveal defects in an organogeny.

Four-dimensional or 4D-UZI of a fruit allows to see the volume image of the child in real time, at the same time its movements and work of all internals are visible.

Future mothers are often disturbed by a question whether ultrasonography is harmful to a fruit. And so, modern devices ultrasonography are absolutely harmless to mother and future kid. Besides, they allow not only to determine the fruit sizes by ultrasonography, to make ultrasonography of heart of a fruit, but also to print out photos, and also to record video.

For performing ultrasonography of heart of a fruit the dopler of ultrasonography is used. This device gives the chance to conduct a blood circulation research in blood vessels, in heart of the child and in an umbilical cord, and also in vessels of a placenta of mother. Data a dopler of ultrasonography are important for identification at an early stage of potential problems with health of the child:

• Heart malformations;
• Anomalies of blood vessels;
• Problems with a placenta.

Dopler doctors recommend to carry out ultrasonography by everything to pregnant women on duration of gestation in 12 and (or) 20 weeks.

The gynecologist can appoint unplanned ultrasonography in the following cases:

1. Bloody allocations from a genital tract;

2. Pains in the bottom of a stomach.

Frequent repetition of ultrasonography for a fruit not harmfully and at all does not harm normal development of the child.

In order that it is correct to determine the fruit sizes by ultrasonography, to authentically estimate results of ultrasonography, having carried out interpretation of ultrasonography of a fruit, the pregnant woman needs to know the basic rules of preparation for this procedure. First, it is necessary to find out what type of ultrasonography is appointed (through a vagina or through a stomach). The way of preparation for ultrasonography depends on it:

1. When performing transabdominal ultrasonography approximately in 2 hours it is necessary to drink at least 1 liter of water and not to visit a toilet prior to a procedure;

2. When performing transvaginal ultrasonography the bladder had to be empty therefore, before the procedure it is necessary to descend in a toilet.

Besides, the woman before the procedure does not need to be nervous and ask a question whether ultrasonography is harmful to a fruit.

Interpretation of ultrasonography of a fruit

Norms of the indicators and parameters used for interpretation of ultrasonography of a fruit can vary, depending on duration of gestation. Interpretation of ultrasonography of a fruit is made by the doctor, by means of special tables.

The fruit sizes are determined by ultrasonography by the following indicators:

• Circle of a head of a fruit (HC);
• Biparietal diameter (BPD);
• Fruit length from a darkness to a sacrum (CRL);
• Length of a femur of a fruit (FL).

At interpretation of ultrasonography of a fruit the amount of amniotic liquid (amniotic waters) is defined. The aberration of this parameter, in the big or smaller party, can demonstrate disturbances of development of a nervous system or kidneys of a fruit, and also a signal of a pre-natal infection.

Much attention at interpretation of ultrasonography of a fruit is paid to a condition of a placenta (afterbirth). Ultrasonography determines the following parameters of a placenta:

1. Thickness;

2. Maturity degree;

3. Features of its attachment;

4. Condition of its development (for example, presentation).

Sex determination of the child by means of ultrasonography is done, usually, on the third planned ultrasonography (after the 20th week of pregnancy). The accuracy rate at sex determination by this method makes no more than 90%.

At interpretation of ultrasonography of a fruit there is possible a detection of the following anomalies of development:

• Hydrocephaly is accumulation in a head cavity of cerebrospinal fluid that threatens normal development of a brain;
• Anencephalia – total absence of a brain (the deadly diagnosis);
• The myelomeningocele is hernia of a spinal cord which seriously threatens development of a head and spinal cord of the child;
• Back of a bifid – process of splitting of a backbone. It threatens normal development of a spinal cord in the child;
• Fusion (atresia) of a duodenum – anomaly which demands urgent operation directly after the child's birth thanks to what it is possible to recover passability of intestines;
• Fruit malformations with ultrasonography of heart – deviations in its structure, than blood circulation in the child's heart is broken. It is important to reveal it that, in case of dangerous defect, to perform operation right after childbirth;
• The Down syndrome is a chromosomal disease at which multiple malformations and a delay of intellectual development of the child are observed.