Fetal Ultrasound – Healthnile.com

Overview

Fetal ultrasound is a vital technique for examining an unborn baby during pregnancy. Healthcare providers use this imaging to gather details about the baby’s development, overall growth, and well-being. Ultrasound helps monitor several features, such as the amniotic fluid, placenta, and baby’s position.

A transducer sends sound waves that bounce off the fetus and create clear images on a monitor. These scans play a key role in prenatal care, offering both routine and specialized checks when needed.

Early Stages of Pregnancy Imaging

During the early weeks, ultrasound offers a first look at the developing fetus. Around 11 weeks, the fetus’s head is large and makes up about half its total length. At this point, healthcare providers can estimate gestational age, check for multiple babies, and confirm that the pregnancy is progressing as expected. Providers commonly use abdominal ultrasound, but sometimes a vaginal transducer gives better early, detailed images. Key points about early ultrasound:

Measures fetal length to help set the estimated due date.
Confirms if the pregnancy is in the uterus.
Checks for a fetal heartbeat.
Can identify more than one fetus (twins, etc.).

Heart Evaluation During Pregnancy

Between 18 and 22 weeks, providers often perform a detailed scan of the fetal heart. They can see all four heart chambers and how the valves work. If there are risk factors or concerns about the baby’s heart, providers may use specialized scans, like fetal echocardiograms or Doppler ultrasound.

What the Exam Checks For

Normal heart motion and rhythm.
Proper development of chambers and valves.
Presence of heart problems or irregular heartbeats.

Table: Typical Uses of Heart Ultrasound

Purpose	Tool/Technique	Timeframe
General screening	Standard ultrasound	18-22 weeks
Detailed heart review	Fetal echocardiogram	As needed
Blood flow checks	Doppler ultrasound	As required

Examining the Brain’s Development

A fetal ultrasound provides a view of brain structures, especially the cerebellum, at 18 to 22 weeks. The cerebellum helps control muscle movement and balance. Reviewing its shape helps identify problems like neural tube defects. The neural tube forms early and should close properly. If it does not, conditions such as spina bifida can arise, potentially causing problems in the spinal cord and surrounding bones.

Highlights

Checks normal brain growth.
Looks for neural tube issues.
Assesses the early signs of brain injuries or structural changes.

Assessing the Shape and Size of the Head

During the scan, providers look at the outline of the baby’s head. The skull appears as a bright line around the head area. Inside the skull, the midline—a white line—shows if the brain is split into two proper halves. Head measurements at this stage help track age and growth. Head ultrasound helps with:

Detecting abnormal head size or shape.
Estimating fetal age.
Finding early signs of certain genetic or growth concerns.

Observing the Hands in Fetal Scans

The appearance of open hands and fingers is a sign of normal development. Detailed images help confirm that the fingers and hand shape are forming as expected. Sometimes, the provider uses these images to check for clubbed or clenched hands, which may indicate genetic issues.

Key Points

Counts visible fingers.
Checks if hands can open and close.
Looks for hand abnormalities.

Visualizing the Eyes and Movement

Ultrasound shows parts of the eye, such as the lens. By about 23 weeks, the fetus starts to show rapid eye movements under closed eyelids. By 28 weeks, the eyelids begin to open. Providers can assess this development visually in some ultrasound images.

Notable Features

Lens and eyes become visible.
Eyelid activity indicates developmental progress.

Scanning the Neck and Upper Spine

Images of the upper spine, especially in the neck region, show the cervical vertebrae. These bones protect the spinal cord and help support the head. In mid-pregnancy scans, the health team checks if the bones are forming in the right order and if there are any gaps or malformations.

Exam Purposes

Sees if neck vertebrae are aligned.
Assesses bone growth and structure.
Detects certain birth defects early.

Viewing the Entire Spine

The spine appears as a long, structured line on the ultrasound. Because the spinal bones are dense, they show up clearly. Reviewing the entire length helps providers find signs of spina bifida or similar issues where the spine or neural tube did not close completely.

Why Examine the Spine?

Identifies open areas or abnormal curves.
Checks development from neck to pelvis.
Detects early signs of possible physical disabilities.

Looking at the Legs and Major Bones

The ultrasound may focus on long bones like the femur, which connects the hip to the knee and is the longest bone in the body. Providers also review the bones in the lower leg, such as the tibia and fibula. These checks make sure the baby’s legs are growing normally.

Highlights of Leg Assessment

Measures length and thickness of leg bones.
Looks for fractures or deformities.
Checks both upper and lower parts of the legs.
Reviews movement and position.

Examining the Umbilical Cord and the Baby’s Abdomen

The scan often shows where the umbilical cord attaches to the baby’s belly. The umbilical cord provides nutrients and carries away waste. This attachment spot should be normal. Healthcare professionals check for problems like omphalocele (when organs come out through the bellybutton) or gastroschisis (when the abdominal wall is split).

Reasons for Reviewing This Area

Ensures cord is properly attached.
Detects abdominal wall defects early.
Monitors blood flow between placenta and baby.

Note: Proper cord and abdomen evaluation can be crucial for planning safe delivery and immediate newborn care.

Three-Dimensional (3D) Ultrasounds

Three-dimensional fetal ultrasound can make images clearer and more detailed compared to standard two-dimensional scans. Providers sometimes choose 3D imaging to check for facial deformities, certain bone problems, or neural tube concerns that may be harder to see in ordinary scans. This technology uses several images from different angles to build a realistic picture.

What to Know About 3D Fetal Ultrasound

Gives detailed images of the face, limbs, and organs.
Can help find specific defects not visible on standard ultrasound.
Mostly used when providers need more information for a diagnosis.
Sometimes offered for keepsake images, but non-medical ultrasounds are not recommended by health professionals.

Table: Standard vs 3D fetal ultrasound

Feature	Standard 2D Ultrasound	3D Ultrasound
Image quality	Good	Higher, more detailed
Best use	Routine anatomy check	Special concerns
Common in prenatal care	Yes	Limited, as needed
For keepsake images	Not advised	Not advised

Important: Providers should only perform any type of fetal ultrasound when medically necessary and if they are qualified. Self-referred or non-clinical scans are not advised due to the risk of incorrect information and misuse of the technology.