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Ultrasound during pregnancy.

Article Excerpt
Ultrasound imaging, also known as sonography, uses inaudible sound waves to produce images of the different structures in your body. During an ultrasound examination, a small, hand-held device called a transducer is pressed against your skin. It generates high-frequency sound waves that pass through your body, sending back echoes as they bounce off organs, vessel walls and tissues. Special computer equipment then converts these echoes into an image.

Because ultrasound uses sound waves instead of radiation, it is a safe way to image a pregnant woman and her unborn child. Obstetrical ultrasound is used to assess the baby's well-being and position, diagnose multiple gestations (twins, triplets, etc.) and estimate a delivery date. If the baby is old enough and positioned correctly, its sex also can be determined. However, it's important for you to know that not all abnormalities can be identified by ultrasound.

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Patient Preparation

You should wear a comfortable two-piece outfit on the day of your examination. If you are in the early stages of pregnancy, you might be asked to drink several glasses of water before the procedure because sound waves travel more easily through the fluid in your bladder. You also might be advised to avoid drinking carbonated beverages before the examination because...

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