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Ultrasound in pregnancy Q&As

Published by Bupa's health information team, November 2008.

Answers to questions about ultrasound in pregnancy

This section contains answers to common questions about this topic. Questions have been suggested by health professionals, website feedback and requests via email.

What happens if my ultrasound scan shows an ectopic pregnancy?

An ectopic pregnancy must be treated because it's a life-threatening condition and the embryo will not survive.

Explanation

An ultrasound scan can show an ectopic pregnancy as early as six weeks. An ectopic pregnancy is when the embryo attaches outside the womb, usually to the fallopian tube and in rare instances to the ovary or cervix.

An embryo that attaches outside the womb is usually unable to develop normally and can damage or rupture the organ that it's attached to. This can cause severe internal bleeding and put the mother's life at risk. For this reason medicines or surgery is used to end a confirmed ectopic pregnancy.

Most ectopic pregnancies are treated using a medicine called methotrexate. This stops new cells from being produced and so stops the growth of the pregnancy. Methotrexate is usually given as an injection.

The embryo can be surgically removed using keyhole or open surgery. In keyhole surgery, special instruments are passed into the abdomen through small cuts. These instruments are used to examine and remove the ectopic pregnancy. For open surgery the surgeon makes a single cut into the abdomen and removes the embryo. Treating ectopic pregnancy by surgery is usually done as a medical emergency.

Further information

Sources

  • Sepilian VP, Wood E. Ectopic pregnancy. E-medicine. www.emedicine.com, accessed 2 November 2007
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How soon can an ultrasound scan determine whether my baby is a boy or girl?

An ultrasound scan can check the sex of your baby from 16 weeks of pregnancy.

Explanation

Ultrasound can check the sex of your baby from four months of pregnancy. However, it is not completely accurate because it depends on the position of your baby and the skill of your technician. Some hospitals will not tell you the sex of your baby unless it is for medical reasons.

If you need to know the sex of your baby for medical reasons, you may be offered amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS). These tests can help determine the sex of your baby and check for a range of genetic disorders.

Amniocentesis involves taking a sample of amniotic fluid that surrounds your baby in the womb. Amniocentesis has a small risk of causing a miscarriage. For this reason, it's usually only offered to women when screening tests show they may be at a higher risk of having a baby with a genetic disorder, or women over 35 years old as the risk of Down's syndrome increases with age.

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) involves removing tiny tissue samples from the placenta. CVS is usually done at 10 to 13 weeks of pregnancy. The procedure has a slightly higher risk of miscarriage compared to amniocentesis. It is also not as accurate as amniocentesis.

Further information

  • The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
    020 7772 6200
    www.rcog.org.uk

Sources

  • Amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. www.rcog.org.uk, accessed 8 November 2007
  • Haemophilia gene carrier. The Haemophilia Society. www.haemophilia.org.uk, accessed 7 November 2007
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What is the purpose of my 12 week ultrasound pregnancy scan?

You will usually be offered an ultrasound scan at about 11 to 14 weeks of pregnancy. It's often called a dating scan because it's done to check how many weeks pregnant you are and estimate your expected due date. During this scan your baby can be screened for Down's syndrome.

Explanation

How far you are into your pregnancy can be determined by measuring your baby's length from top of head to rump. This is called the crown-rump length (CRL). On average your baby is about 4 to 5 inches long at 11 to 14 weeks of pregnancy. Your baby's face is well formed and his or her eyelids are closed. Your baby can open and close his or her mouth and frown. The arms and legs are long and thin and the baby can make a fist and curl toes. Your baby's sex organs are developed but they are too small to see on the scan.

The amount of fluid present behind your baby's neck can be measured to assess the risk of Down's syndrome. This is called the nuchal translucency test. The more fluid present the greater the risk. People with Down's syndrome have an extra chromosome 21. They have physical and mental characteristics such as learning difficulties, common facial features and heart problems.

If the test indicates a higher risk, you will be offered definitive tests such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS).

Further information

Sources

  • Fenwick E. Understanding pregnancy. 2nd Ed. The British Medical Association. Family Doctor Publications, 2002
  • Chamberlain G, Morgan M. ABC of antenatal care. 4th ed. BMJ Publishing Group, 2002
  • Antenatal care. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), March 2008 www.nice.org.uk
  • Medical Encyclopedia: Fetal development. MedlinePlus. www.nlm.nih.gov, accessed 9 November 2007
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Related topics

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This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Dr Naim Boutros, MRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Medway Maritime Hospital NHS Trust, and by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.

Publication date: November 2008

 

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