What is Ultrasonography?

Ultrasonography is an imaging method that uses high-frequency sound waves. High-frequency sound waves, which the human ear cannot hear, are sent to tissues, and the sound waves reflected from the tissues are resolved in the ultrasonography device and turned into an image.

In this way, internal organs such as the liver, kidneys, and heart can be examined, and the fetus in the mother’s womb can be evaluated.

Is Ultrasonography Harmful to Maternal and Fetal Health?

The ultrasonography device is reliable. It does not harm maternal and fetal health. It works with sound waves. Both the mother and the fetus are not exposed to radiation, as they would be during an X-ray or tomography.

Vaginal ultrasonography is not a harmful procedure for the mother or the fetus. It does not lead to infection, miscarriage, or premature birth. On the contrary, it is used to assess the risk of miscarriage or premature birth. It can also be used in the first trimester to diagnose pregnancy, determine the number of fetuses, count the fetal heartbeat, and detect ectopic pregnancy.

Who Should Perform It?

The evaluation of the fetus by ultrasonography should be done by specialists using appropriate equipment. The evaluation is carried out when there is a medical necessity (indication) and at specific weeks of pregnancy.

Is Ultrasonography Necessary During Pregnancy?

Ultrasonography is part of the pregnancy examination. However, pregnancy monitoring is not done only through ultrasonography. The primary focus of pregnancy care is the mother’s health. Tests such as blood pressure and weight measurement, blood count, and urine analysis, which are important indicators of maternal health, are prioritized.

Why is Ultrasonography Performed?

Ultrasonography can be performed at specific weeks of pregnancy or when there is an indication based on the mother’s complaints.

First Weeks: Verification of pregnancy age, determination of the number of fetuses.
10-14 weeks of pregnancy: Determination of fetal age, nuchal translucency (NT), and nasal bone measurement, counting of fetal heartbeat, evaluation of placenta in multiple pregnancies.
16-18 weeks of pregnancy: Fetal structural assessment and anomaly screening.
22-23 weeks of pregnancy: Fetal structural assessment and anomaly screening, measurement of cervical (cervix) length, evaluation of the relationship between the placenta and the cervix, determination of fetal age.
32 weeks of pregnancy: Evaluation of fetal development, amniotic fluid, and fetal condition.

Outside of these weeks, ultrasonographic evaluation may be done at intervals deemed appropriate by your doctor in necessary cases. Some possible reasons include preterm labor, vaginal bleeding, and reduced fetal movement.

Can Ultrasonography Diagnose All Problems with the Fetus?

Ultrasonography provides important information about the fetus’s health. However, not all problems with the fetus can be diagnosed through ultrasonography.

In 3% of pregnancies, a structural anomaly is detected in the fetus. The severity of the existing problem and whether the disease presents structural symptoms in the baby is crucial for an accurate diagnosis. If an anomaly is detected after birth, it does not mean that the doctor missed it during pregnancy scans. Some structural problems can only be diagnosed in the later months of pregnancy. The likelihood of detecting an anomaly in ultrasonography varies between 28% and 80% depending on the operator’s experience and the technical specifications of the equipment.

Even in ultrasonography performed by specialists in perinatology (the science of pregnancy and related issues), it is not possible to diagnose anomalies with 100% accuracy. Ultrasonographic diagnosis is related to structural problems, while diseases at the cellular level, such as Mediterranean anemia or cystic fibrosis, cannot be detected through ultrasonography.

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