Get to know the various benefits of ultrasound in pregnancy according to its type

Ultrasound is known as a mandatory examination that must be performed by pregnant women. In fact, ultrasound is not always related to pregnancy, you know. In addition to monitoring fetal development, the benefits of ultrasound can also help detect various abnormalities in the body, including those related to female reproductive organs. Anything, huh?

Various benefits of ultrasound according to its type

Hearing the word ultrasound, you may immediately think of a medical device that is often used for pregnancy checks. It is true, ultrasound is one of the medical tools used for pregnancy checks.

Not only that, the benefits of ultrasound can also help see abnormalities in a woman's body related to her reproductive organs, you know. This can be seen through 2 types of ultrasound, namely transvaginal ultrasound and abdominal ultrasound or abdominal ultrasound.

For clarity, let's peel them one by one.

1. Transvaginal ultrasound

Transvaginal ultrasound, also known as endovaginal ultrasound, is a method of examining the female reproductive organs by inserting a 5-7 centimeter long probe stick into the vagina. This probe will display an image of the organs in your body on the monitor screen.

The main purpose of transvaginal ultrasound is to detect early pregnancy, usually done when a woman realizes or suspects pregnancy for the first time. If it is true that you are pregnant, this medical examination can also help detect whether the pregnancy is normal or if it is a pregnancy outside the womb.

The benefits of transvaginal ultrasound are also used to detect abnormalities, such as myoma, cysts, or other problems in the female reproductive organs. Starting from the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes (fallopian tubes), ovaries (ovaries), to the cervix (cervix).

In addition, the benefits of transvaginal ultrasound can also detect abnormalities in the baby in the womb, both lethal (dangerous) and non-lethal. Among them:

Detect the risk of miscarriage and the odds.
Detects an ectopic heart, which is a condition when the heart grows outside the baby's body.
Measuring the need for additional nutrition to support the baby's growth and development.

2. Abdominal ultrasound

Basically, an abdominal (abdominal) ultrasound procedure is not much different from a transvaginal ultrasound. Abdominal ultrasound is an examination that is carried out through the outside of the stomach, by applying gel to the entire abdominal area. Then, a stick called a transducer will be moved to a certain abdominal area to capture images of the organs in it.

The benefits of abdominal ultrasound and transvaginal ultrasound are not much different. Both function to check the progress of pregnancy or detect certain health problems.

Generally, abdominal ultrasound is performed at 8 weeks of gestation and above. So far, most people think that abdominal ultrasound only serves to monitor the baby's weight and sex. In fact, this examination can also detect any abnormalities in the body shape and chromosomes in babies. For example, Down's Syndrome, Edward's Syndrome, or Patau's Syndrome, and checks the organ function and well-being of the baby in the womb.

These chromosomal abnormalities can usually be detected from 11-13 weeks of gestation over 6 days and are called first trimester screening. Once the pregnancy begins to get bigger, then this transvaginal ultrasound can be used to see the baby's body shape, whether normal and perfect or not.

11-12 weeks of age: the fingers, cranium, spine, bladder and stomach begin to appear.
16 weeks of age: begin a complete cardiac and cerebellum evaluation.
28 weeks of age: evaluation of blood flow in the cord and head of the baby to assess placental function.

Is the ultrasound procedure safe?

It should be noted that this ultrasound examination is classified as safe to do. This means that ultrasound will not cause miscarriage or bleeding in women. So, this also breaks the myth that says that ultrasound procedures can harm the health of both the mother and the fetus in the womb.

But indeed, there is a slight discomfort you will feel when undergoing a transvaginal ultrasound procedure. This sensation occurs when an ultrasound device is inserted into the vagina, causing a little discomfort.

Meanwhile, on abdominal ultrasound, the discomfort comes from the pressure on the abdominal cavity. Don't hesitate to talk to your doctor any time you feel uncomfortable.

Which must be prepared before undergoing ultrasound

Actually, there are no special preparations that you have to do before undergoing an ultrasound. The most important key is to remain relaxed and calm during the examination.

As I said before, you might feel a little discomfort while having an ultrasound, whether it's a transvaginal ultrasound or an abdominal ultrasound. But I make sure, this discomfort can be overcome very well. Especially if you focus more on the results obtained after the ultrasound is complete.

To help you calm down, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Breathe well so that your muscles relax and make you feel more comfortable. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be to deal with anxiety and discomfort.

So, do women have to hold urine or fast before ultrasound? You don't have to bother holding your urine or fasting before the ultrasound. Unless the mother's body tends to be large or has a thick abdominal wall, this can complicate abdominal ultrasound so that ultrasound still has to be done via vaginal or transvaginal ultrasound.