Ultrasound

What is an ultrasound?

A pelvic ultrasound provides images of your pelvic organs, including the cervix, vagina, Fallopian tubes, ovaries, and the uterus. The procedure involves the application of a wand to your abdomen and lower pelvis, or through your vagina, to send ultrasound waves into your body. The waves bounce off your organs and any structures within to transmit images to a computer to be evaluated.

Do ultrasounds hurt?

Ultrasounds are not painful. You may have slight discomfort during a vaginal ultrasound as the transducer, or wand, is inserted into the vagina. The transducer is always thoroughly disinfected before use and covered with a latex or plastic disposable sheath before being inserted into your vagina.

You cannot hear, see, or feel the sound waves emitted by the ultrasound. They move at too high a rate. No radiation is emitted during an ultrasound, so it’s safe during pregnancy (unlike an X-ray.)

Why would I need an ultrasound?

The doctors at OB/GYN Specialists routinely schedule ultrasounds to check the development of your fetus during pregnancy. You may also need an ultrasound to evaluate your reproductive organs if you present with abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain, or infertility.

The ultrasound offers important information, including:

• The size, shape, and position of the uterus and ovaries
• Length and thickness of your cervix
• Presence of any masses or fluids in your uterus, ovaries, or Fallopian tubes
• Blood flow through your pelvic organs
• Changes in the shape of your bladder

An ultrasound can identify changes or masses in your pelvic region, but can’t tell the doctors what these masses are. Ultrasound cannot definitively diagnose cancer or other diseases.

You may need an ultrasound if you present with symptoms that suggest fibroids or pelvic inflammatory disease. The doctors may also use it to check the presence and position of an IUD or to monitor the size of ovarian follicles during infertility treatment. The doctors may also use pelvic ultrasound to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy, in which a pregnancy occurs outside of the uterus.

If you need an ultrasound to evaluate pregnancy or pelvic organ symptoms, trust OB/GYN Specialists for an expert test. Call the office, or book an appointment online.