Ready for your big 20-week ultrasound? Ultrasounds are common procedures during pregnancy. It's a non-invasive prenatal test used to ensure that Baby is developing properly, to check the baby's estimated size and to see how the baby, placenta and umbilical cord are positioned. At the 20-week ultrasound, it's also an opportunity to learn the baby's sex... if Baby is willing to reveal that information to you.
The 20-week ultrasound is usually done with a special wand called a transducer that is used on the exterior of the belly. It allows the technician to "see" into the uterus, as shown above. Earlier ultrasounds may be conducted with a "transvaginal probe" because the baby is smaller.
What does the ultrasound show?
Ultrasound technology has improved a lot since its advent. If Baby cooperates, you can see fingers, toes, spines and even a little face! Also, you may be able to see the baby's anatomy. Make your intentions known about finding out the gender , so that the ultrasound tech knows not to spill the beans. If you don't tell, then you might accidentally find out — or worse, you might not be able to find out at all.
The ultrasound works by sending high-frequency sound waves that are used to produce images of what's inside you. You may not be able to recognize much of what you see, but the technician is trained to interpret the images. On most sonograms, the image is grainy black and white. The transducer — the part of the machine they rub on your belly — is moved around almost constantly, and the baby is swimming around, too!
Ultrasound cheat sheet
Spine
Girl or boy?
Little face
More to look for
Amniotic fluid will be one of the darker things on the scan, and the harder tissue — such as bone — will appear bright.
Preparing for the ultrasound
There really isn't much to preparing for the ultrasound. Usually, the sonogram imaging specialists will ask you to have a full bladder . Depending on how long you have to sit in the waiting room, you may want to bring a bottle of water so that you can unload and refill while you wait — so that you aren't too uncomfortable.
Why does your bladder need to be full? When your bladder is full, it acts as a balloon, pushing the uterus up out of the pelvis a bit, which helps the tech visualize the baby, umbilical cord, amniotic sac, placenta and uterus.
The sound of silence
Cold goo for you
The wand used to administer the ultrasound is slathered with a gooey gel that allows the wand to easily glide over your skin. Unless they have a special warmer on hand, get ready for a quick shock — the gel is cold. It will remain on your belly throughout the ultrasound. But don't worry, the ultrasound tech will likely clean off as much as possible after the exam, or at least give you the paper towels to do so.
The ultrasound technician will need to concentrate on finding the right images and measurements for the doctor. And depending on the tech, that could result in a lot of silence. "It was nervewracking at first, while the technician was just measuring and not speaking. We were relieved when she told us everything was perfect. We were not uncomfortable at all, just very excited to see our baby growing," said Jacqueline Alvarado of avocadoPR.
So, don't worry. Silence doesn't signal something bad. Chances are, the tech is just concentrating.
Speak up
While you do need to let the technician concentrate on doing her job, not knowing what's happening can be frustrating. Don't be afraid to ask questions about what you are seeing . "For one of my ultrasounds in my first pregnancy, the ultrasound technician turned the screen away for the entire 30-minute process, did not talk to me and only printed out a picture at the end. I was too shy to say, 'Can I see?' Knowing what I do now, I would have no problem doing that. Speak up, talk to your technician," said Brenda Mulligan, mother of two.
What to wear?
The technician will need to access your whole belly. Wear a loose fitting top that can be easily moved up and pants with enough give to be pulled down a bit. Also, do not wear a dress — or you will be in your skivvies for the exam.
There won't be a second chance to find out everything you want to know about what you are seeing. If you don't ask now, you probably won't have a chance to ask later since techs see many patients every day and won't be able to answer your questions. Feeling shy? Enlist your partner or whoever goes with you to advocate on your behalf.
Note: Only a physician can diagnose the content of the ultrasound, and at many practices, he or she is the only one who is allowed to report your Baby's gender.
Every ultrasound is different
Even if you've had an ultrasound before, you should know that every ultrasound is different. A variety of factors can influence the experience making it better or worse.
"Your experience can be completely different depending on where the ultrasound takes place and unfortunately, what kind of mood your ultrasound technician is in that day — how much they want to share with you on what they are seeing," said Mulligan.
Just relax. You will be reclining on a padded table or exam chair, the lights will be dimmed and it will be quiet. It's a perfect environment for "meeting" your baby for the first time!
Source: Mayo Clinic
More on ultrasounds
Accuracy of ultrasounds
Six common ultrasound questions and answers
What to expect from an ultrasound
Nancy J Price, a four-time pregnancy champion and eight-time ultrasound veteran, also contributed to this story.