Excitement and curiosity that come along with pregnancy would tempt you to get an early pregnancy scan done. It is possible for you to do the baby scan as early as the 8th week of your pregnancy. However, this scan will not be able to determine the gender of your baby. That’s where you need to think about doing a gender reveal ultrasound during the 18 weeks of your pregnancy.
All these types of baby scans are done in the same way. Let’s take a look and learn more about how the scans are carried out. When you have all the information, you will be able to go ahead and get the scans done, without having any doubts in your mind.
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What exactly is an ultrasound scan?
The baby scan you do would be an ultrasound scan. This is where high-frequency sound waves are used to create off-structures located within the body. The ultrasound scan can effectively create an image of the moving baby inside the mother’s womb. Doctors often tend to use ultrasound scans on pregnant mothers. That’s mainly because of its effectiveness and safety. The ultrasound scan uses sound waves so you don’t have to worry about radiation which you get with x-rays and CT scans. In other words, an ultrasound scan will not cause any complications to both mother and baby when carried out by a qualified professional.
How is an ultrasound scan done?
You will need to visit your local hospital or a private baby scan clinic to do the gender scan. It is important to understand that there are two main types of scans available. They include transabdominal ultrasound scans and transvaginal ultrasound scans.
Transvaginal ultrasound scan
If you want to go through an early pregnancy scan at 6 weeks you should do a transvaginal ultrasound scan. To do this scan, your doctor will use a transvaginal probe. It is a transducer, which is positioned within the vagina. During early pregnancy, the fetus is usually located deep inside the pelvis of the mother. Sound waves don’t usually pass through the bone, and transabdominal scans can be relatively ineffective. That’s why you should go through a transvaginal ultrasound scan as you do an early pregnancy scan. However, doctors also tend to use this method later in pregnancy to determine the exact location of the placenta.
Transabdominal ultrasound scan
After the 8th week, you can do a transabdominal ultrasound scan and get effective results out of it. This method is more convenient. However, you should still visit a hospital or the office of a practitioner to do it.
As you go through the transabdominal ultrasound scan, a doctor will apply a clear gel on top of your abdominal skin. This gel will help a handheld device named a transducer slide over the belly. On the other hand, this gel will enhance the transmission of sound waves, which are emitted by the handheld device as well. There are situations where certain doctors tend to warm the gel. This will help to overcome the sensation of experiencing a cold feeling on the skin.
How to get ready for the ultrasound scan?
You don’t have to go through lots of preparations to do a gender scan. This is one of the most convenient and effective methods available to learn more about the baby developing within you.
There is no need to fast before you do the ultrasound scan. However, it is better if you can keep yourself fully hydrated as you go for the scan. That’s because a full bladder will help you to get a better view. In case your bladder is not full, the doctor will ask you to fill up the bladder with water.
