How many times can you do ultrasound in pregnancy?

Every caring future mother worries about the state of her unborn baby. And if earlier it was possible to determine whether a child feels well, it was possible only with the help of an obstetric stethoscope and other indirect methods, now the method of ultrasound examination is widely used in obstetrics. Typically, a woman is very interested in how many times you can do ultrasound during pregnancy, so as not to harm the baby.

Optimum amount of ultrasound in the period of gestation

Although it has not yet been proven that ultrasound examination has a negative effect on the fetal development of the baby, it is still not necessary to do it every week just to look at the baby or take a photo. If you turned to your gynecologist with the question of how much ultrasound can be done during pregnancy, most likely, he will tell you the following:

1. At very early term (before the tenth week inclusive), when only the formation of fetal organs and systems occurs, it is necessary to expose your child to ultrasonic waves only on strict indications: for example, if you are suspected to have an ectopic or undeveloped pregnancy, a discrepancy in the size of the uterus, you experience pain in the lower abdomen or you are troubled by spotting.
2. A good doctor knows how many times ultrasound can be done during pregnancy according to the WHO protocol. The first examination is carried out at 11-13 weeks to prevent any pathology of development. At this time, all the basic systems of the body have already been laid, and the fetus has a sufficient length, ranging from the coccyx to the crown of 45-74 mm, and is well visualized. Therefore, it is possible to exclude serious chromosomal abnormalities, gross developmental malformations and clarify the compliance with the expected date.
3. Solving for yourself the dilemma, how many times you can do ultrasound to pregnant women, remember that it is recommended to do it at 20-22 weeks. At this time, all deviations in the structure of organs and systems of your crumb are visible, which have already formed almost completely. Particular attention is paid to the study of the cardiovascular and nervous systems.
4. Very often when studying the problem, how many times it is possible to undergo ultrasound during pregnancy, experts recommend not to abandon the examination and at 32-33 weeks. Thus, the delay in the intrauterine development of the baby, the violation of blood flow (for this purpose Doppler is carried out) is excluded, the position of the fetus in the uterus is determined.

If the doctor has any suspicions regarding the development of the fetus or the condition of the pregnant woman, it is mandatory to make an unscheduled ultrasound by the indications.