Pregnancy is one of the most important stages in the life of a woman who wants to become a mother. She carries for nine months in her womb, this being with whom she will be forever linked. The first meeting with the baby is during an ultrasound. But the mother-to-be will have to wait a few weeks to be able to see him. Explanations.
You are pregnant ! This is great news and you can't wait to meet your little one. However, nature is not as fast as we would like it to be. It does take a little longer for the embryo to appear on the first ultrasound than we think … if it does!
Naturally, for many women, a simple positive pregnancy test is not enough to ensure that they are going to be mothers and many of them want to do their first ultrasound above all to check the condition of the fetus and see its shape. in their belly. And, of course, that only comes with time.
Read also: Girl or boy: When can we find out the sex of the baby?
See also: Ultrasound of pregnancy
First weeks of pregnancy
Without a doubt, the first clue that you will find out that you are pregnant is that you are not having a period. While they can be irregular at times, going unchecked is a vital indication that something is going on in your body.
If you are in doubt, never hesitate to take a pregnancy test. This is one of the most reliable ways to tell if you are pregnant. However, many women are still wary of its accuracy as they are not sure whether they are using it in the right way or at the right time to determine that they are pregnant.
Again, impatience wins, as many women are using it earlier than they should. This type of test measures the amount of chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG) in the urine – this is the pregnancy hormone – which begins to rise after the embryo is implanted. Implantation, also called implantation, takes place about 7 to 8 days after fertilization. So, if you take the pregnancy test right after sex, it may be negative.
In general, the concentration of this hormone reaches a high level about 15 days after the onset of the first symptoms of pregnancy (pinkish discharge, tender and swollen breasts, aversion to severe pain, lower back pain and colic, dizziness or vomiting, between other). After this period, it is ideal to perform the pregnancy test with the first urine in the morning, as it has a higher concentration of hCG, following the instructions of the test itself.
These types of instruments are 99% reliable. Once you have urinated on the test strip (it should still be in contact with the liquid for about 5 seconds), cover it again so that it does not come into contact with another substance. After 3-5 minutes you will get your result. Usually if only one line comes out the test is negative and if two lines come out it is positive although this depends on the manufacturer. Don't worry about the intensity of the color.
To confirm this pregnancy, you will then need to take a blood test. It also measures the level of the hormone hCG, about 6 to 8 days after fertilization and implantation of the egg in the uterus. If you are pregnant, you will need to go to your gynecologist for an antenatal consultation, so that he can assess your condition and know the date of conception. He must also verify that it is not an ectopic pregnancy.
Endovaginal ultrasound
Unlike a normal pregnancy, in which the fertilized egg implants and takes place in the uterus, ectopic pregnancy is characterized by the fact that the egg nestles in other areas where it cannot. not develop, such as the fallopian tubes, ovaries, abdominal cavity or even in the lower part or the cervix, which is directly connected to the vagina.
Logically, these pregnancies cannot continue because they could not develop normally, however, the resulting symptoms are the same as those of a normal pregnancy. Usually the most common are pelvic pain, vaginal bleeding, shoulder pain due to blood pooling in one of the tubes, and even fainting.
Therefore, in addition to the pregnancy test and blood test, an endovaginal ultrasound is recommended. This will allow the doctors to see the exact location of the fertilized egg or embryo. This is one of the most effective tests to determine your condition, since it involves inserting a probe into the vagina that produces sound waves which are translated into pictures. It is usually inserted with liquid gel or a condom so as not to irritate or damage the pregnant woman's vagina.
Thus, doctors or gynecologists can visualize internal organs (uterus, ovarian tubes, cervix and vagina) to detect the location of the embryo or the presence of polycystic ovaries, make a diagnosis of possible disease and identify the first signs of a potential miscarriage. However, endovaginal ultrasound can also be used as an adjunct to abdominal ultrasound throughout pregnancy to determine the position and condition of the fetus.
See also: The great story of my pregnancy in ultrasounds
Either way, endovaginal ultrasound can be done within days of a positive pregnancy test, as this is usually the first reliable ultrasound system used to confirm that a woman is pregnant, as it is very difficult (if not impossible) to detect the embryo in its early stages with abdominal ultrasounds, so it is not very useful until it is past the first trimester of pregnancy and reaches three months.
This is why the gynecologist opts for endovaginal ultrasounds in the first trimester of pregnancy and they can never pose a risk to the fetus, as it is a safe and non-invasive diagnostic method that does not affect the development of the fetus or mother.
Thus, an endovaginal ultrasound can determine if this pregnancy is developing normally, that there is no risk of miscarriage, and that the embryo is developing correctly where it should be (that is, – say that it is not an ectopic pregnancy).
Abdominal ultrasound
At the end of the first trimester, when the embryo reaches the 12th week, it becomes a fetus, so its shapes already identify it as a baby. Its size having increased, it is now possible to perform ultrasound of an abdominal nature since it is possible to detect it, as well as to continue to assess the state of the uterus, the sac and the amniotic fluid or the placenta. It's time for the dating ultrasound but also for the first meeting with the baby!
It is recommended that you wait up to 12 weeks after your last period, as in many cases early ultrasounds are not enough to monitor the fetal heart rate and may needlessly frighten parents.
In addition to checking that the heart is beating and following a normal rhythm, the gynecologist can, during the first abdominal ultrasound, inform you if you are expecting one or more children, that is to say monozygotic twins (the two embryos in the same sac) or dizygotic twins (each in a different sac) and the development of the fetus, as well as any malformations of the latter. This ultrasound makes it possible in particular to date the pregnancy.
During these nine months, you will have two more abdominal ultrasounds to make sure the baby is growing and developing well:
- that of the second trimester (between 22 and 24 weeks of amenorrhea), called morphological ultrasound
- that of the third trimester (between 31 and 33 weeks of amenorrhea), called "fetal well-being" ultrasound
When is nuchal translucency measured?
As we have seen above, most mothers want to reach the end of the first trimester of their pregnancy for an ultrasound because this is when images of the fetus can be seen more accurately and an ultrasound scan. abdominal is helpful. But many also have fears and worries about the baby's growth, as the first few weeks are crucial in determining how the birth will take place and how the development of the fetus unfolds.
One of the most common concerns is related to a chromosome abnormality and more specifically the possibility that the baby has Down syndrome and develops Down syndrome. To determine the risks, it is necessary to measure the nuchal translucency.
This takes place on the dating ultrasound. The healthcare professional measures the thickness of the fetal neck, an area of tissue at the back of the neck. If the area is thicker than normal (more than 3 millimeters), the specialist may offer you an amniocentesis to detect a possible chromosomal abnormality.
Also read: What are the best pregnancy apps?
Breathe and be patient
You have no choice, you will have to be patient even if you do not always understand what all these procedures are used for or all the information you are given.
Week after week, your gynecologist, doctor and midwife will give you all the information you need to make sure these names don't seem so complicated as the big day approaches. The only thing left for you to do is make the most of every moment of motherhood and take it with philosophy, because just like mothers, no two pregnancies and two children are the same!
As the months go by, you will realize that there is no such thing as a perfect mother, but prepared moms. This is why it is important to follow the advice of health professionals to welcome this baby in the best conditions.