safety of your fetus

The third forum of the Educational Media Unit under the slogan (Towards a Safe Childhood) with ultrasound 4 stages of examination to reassure you of the safety of your fetus The ultrasound examination technology is one of the best safe ways to detect the health of the fetus and ensure that the pregnancy is free from some complications such as the delivery of the placenta, the causes of bleeding and pregnancy Multiple, note that these complications require careful follow-up and may require birth in a specialized hospital, and some may require cesarean delivery.

Dr. Samir Abdullah, consultant obstetrician, maternal and fetal medicine and head of the Ian Donald International Institute for Ultrasound Diagnosis in Riyadh, confirmed that there are some special cases in which the fetus is treated before birth by transferring blood to the fetus through the umbilical cord for cases of fetal anemia or by injecting treatment in Amniotic fluid for cases of fetal thyroid gland enlargement and enlargement, or giving the mother a drug, and then it reaches the fetus through the placenta in cases of rapid heartbeat of the fetus.

Note that birth defects that suffer from about 2-4% of live births occur for various reasons, such as genetic diseases or chromosomal defects, which constitute 15-20%, in addition to other causes such as mother''s diseases such as blood sugar or taking some medications during pregnancy or infections. While 65-75% of them are of unknown cause, it is recommended to do an ultrasound examination for all pregnant women

To avoid many of the risks that could fall to the mother or the fetus during pregnancy.

Ultrasound examination is performed in 4 different stages during the months of pregnancy, and they are divided into:

The first stage

Between 6 and 10 weeks Viability and Dating Scan The importance of this stage in conducting an ultrasound scan is:

Diagnosis of a live fetus inside the womb.

Determine the age of the fetus.

Diagnosing twins'' pregnancy and classifying them according to the following

Two placentas and two gestational sacs.

Placenta and gestational sac.

Examination time: 5-10 minutes.

The second phase

Between week 11 and week 14, where the NT method is used, and this examination is very important because it provides initial and early information about the health of the fetus, in which the volume of fluid is measured in a specific area under the skin of the back of the neck of the fetus, as an increase in this size may indicate the presence of an abnormality in the chromosomes Such as Down syndrome or to the presence of a congenital defect (congenital heart disease) or to the presence of other defects.

Duration of the examination: between 5 and 15 minutes.

third level

Between week 18 and week 22 at this stage we need to perform two types of ultrasound

The first type: detailed anatomical scan, which is a careful examination of the fetus’s organs to ensure the safety of the fetus and the absence of basic congenital defects, which entail certain procedures that help us in the early diagnosis and treatment of some of these ailments during pregnancy or arranging the necessary procedures before birth for the safety of the fetus, which includes determining the time and place It is appropriate for childbirth and the provision of medical staff treating these cases.

During this period, the cervical length is checked to detect the possibility of premature labor.

Examination time: 30 to 45 minutes

Type 2: detailed x-ray of the fetus''s heart (Fetal Echo)

It is an accurate examination of the fetus’s heart in which the performance of the heart, valves, arteries and veins connected to the heart is examined and the presence of a large hole in the septum between the right and left ventricle is ruled out.

Note that early diagnosis of these congenital heart defects is of great importance, because some of them require birth in hospitals that have special expertise and equipment for diagnosis and treatment in the first hours or days after birth.

Examination time: 30 to 45 minutes

The fourth stage

Between the 23rd week until the end of pregnancy

At this stage, the fetus’s growth is ascertained as required and the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus and the placenta and fetus are examined. These are among the reasons that determine the natural or cesarean delivery method.

Examination time: 20 minutes.

In the case of B.P.P and Duplex Doppler, fetal growth retardation is used.

The blood flow in the umbilical cord, the arteries and veins of the fetus, the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus, the movement of the fetus, the movement of the fetus’s breathing, the breathing of the fetus are examined to determine the best time of delivery for the fetus.

Safety of ultrasound examination

Ultrasound is safe for you and your baby because it does not contain harmful ionizing radiation like a conventional x-ray.

In the end, we wish you a safe pregnancy, and remember that your fetus has examinations that must be adhered to for its safety as well.