Pregnancy ultrasound
A scan that uses sound waves to make pictures, here of the baby inside the womb. MedlinePlus says it is used to monitor the health and development of a fetus, and that a routine scan between weeks 18 and 22 of pregnancy is common, with more scans at other times if there are concerns. Doppler is one type of ultrasound and shows movement, including the beating heart of a fetus. A normal scan does not guarantee a healthy baby, and not all birth defects show up on an ultrasound.
- Technology
- In this atlas
Overview
Technical summary
Parent technology page for dating, anatomy, growth and Doppler scans. The description follows the MedlinePlus Ultrasound medical-test page (NLM public-domain text). Doppler ultrasound of the umbilical artery and fetal echocardiography are filed under it. Evidence about specific uses sits in other records: universal third-trimester scanning in the POP cohort (see the late-detection page), Doppler in high-risk pregnancy (Cochrane) and AI reading of blind sweeps (idea page).
How it works
Sound waves bounce off structures inside the body and the device turns the echoes into images on a screen (MedlinePlus). Doppler is a type that shows movement, including the beating heart and movement of a fetus.
Strengths
- MedlinePlus says ultrasound has not been linked to any health harms and is generally considered safe when trained sonographers use it correctly.
Limitations
- MedlinePlus says normal results do not guarantee a healthy baby, and not all birth defects will show up on an ultrasound.
Required infrastructure
- An ultrasound device, and a sonographer: MedlinePlus says exams are often done by a health care professional with special training.
Claims and evidence
No claims are published for this technology yet.
Record details
- Record id
maternal:obstetric-ultrasound- Content hash
4b7802808e98a5025306dc8f2dcdffbf0240037a764e490b73e38f5609bef14d