What The Ultrasound Technician Is Looking For At Your First Ultrasound

During your first appointment of your pregnancy with your OB-GYN, you will likely receive an ultrasound from an ultrasound technician. This will help your OB-GYN to gather important information about your baby and will also give you the opportunity to see your baby for the very first time. While they will likely be very small and somewhat hard to see on the ultrasound, you will be able to see them. Depending on how far along you are and where your uterus is placed, you will either have a regular ultrasound of your stomach, or a vaginal ultrasound. This article will discuss with you exactly what the ultrasound technician is looking for when they give you that first ultrasound. 

The Size Of Your Baby

When looking at your baby, one of the key things that the ultrasound technician is looking for is it's overall size. By measuring the baby, they can find out exactly how far along your are. For example, if you have irregular periods, ovulate at different times, etc., this will help them to nail down a due date for you. They will measure the baby's head and body, and from there they can determine a due date for you. This information will then be given to your OB-GYN and will determine when your future appointments will be. 

The Rate Of Their Heartbeat

Another key thing that the ultrasound technician will be looking for is the heartbeat. Since the heartbeat is still too quiet at this point to be heard on a doppler monitor, an ultrasound is one of the only ways to both see and hear the heartbeat. You will be able to see the heart fluttering inside of your baby's chest on the screen, and then the ultrasound tech will use special technology that allows you to hear the heartbeat and to see that rate at which it is beating. The average beats per minute of a heartbeat for a fetus from 8-9 weeks ranges between 140-170 bpm.

Any Abnormalities 

They will also look to see if your baby is proportional and if the levels of amniotic fluid are good. Also, if your periods are regular and you do know what your expected due date should be, the ultrasound technician will measure your baby to see if they are the proper size for your expected due date. If anything does seem to be wrong, then your OB-GYN will likely be brought into the room for a second examination. 

For a professional ultrasound, contact a doctor's office such as Central Iowa OB/Gyn Specialists, PLC. 

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