Pregnancy is a period that needs to be carefully monitored for the health of the mother and baby. Various medical tests and examinations play a critical role in monitoring the health of both mother and baby. One of these is ultrasound. But is ultrasound really safe? Does ultrasound during pregnancy have any negative effects on the baby? Here is what you wonder about the safety of ultrasound during pregnancy!
What is Ultrasound and Why is it Used?
Ultrasound is a medical test that uses sound waves to visualize the internal structure of the body. During pregnancy, ultrasound is used to monitor the baby’s development, see its organs, listen to the heartbeat and follow the course of the pregnancy. Ultrasound also allows you to assess the baby’s position, amount of water, location and genetic test results.
Does Ultrasound Harm the Baby?
No, ultrasound during pregnancy does not harm the baby if it is performed correctly and by qualified doctors. Ultrasound does not contain any radiation because it works using sound waves. Therefore, there is no risk of ultrasound harming the baby.
Ultrasound is widely used as a safe method to monitor the health of the mother and baby during pregnancy. However, research on the risks of ultrasound shows that the ultrasound devices used today are safe and have no adverse effects on the fetus.
The Role of Ultrasound in Pregnancy
Ultrasound is an important part of a series of screening tests during pregnancy. Ultrasounds at different stages of pregnancy are necessary to monitor the healthy development of the baby and the health of the mother. Here are some important roles of ultrasound during pregnancy:
- Monitoring the baby’s development: The baby’s height, weight, organ development and heartbeat are monitored by ultrasound.
- Estimating the due date: Ultrasound is used to accurately estimate the duration of pregnancy.
- Detecting Possible Problems in Pregnancy: For example, conditions such as placenta problems and multiple pregnancies can be detected early with ultrasound.
- Finding out the sex of the baby: A sex determination ultrasound can be performed after the 18th week of pregnancy.
- Checking the birth position: Ultrasound can be used to monitor whether the baby is in the correct position during labor.
Scientific Research on the Safety of Ultrasound
There have been many scientific studies on the safety of ultrasound and these studies show that ultrasound devices used in pregnancy are generally safe. Today’s ultrasound devices use low-frequency sound waves that are reflected back from the body. This does not cause any harm to the baby or the mother.
Limited Use of Ultrasound
Although ultrasound can be useful during pregnancy, excessive and unnecessary use is not recommended. Ultrasound should only be performed when necessary and on the advice of a doctor. As with any medical test, overdoing it and performing unnecessary tests can pose a health risk.
Recommendation: Have ultrasound tests as often and as needed as recommended by your doctor.
Are There Side Effects of Ultrasound?
Because ultrasound is widely used as a safe test method in modern medicine, side effects are very rare. However, some expectant mothers may experience mild discomfort during the ultrasound, but this is usually limited to the short duration of the test.
Skin irritation: The gel applied during ultrasound may cause minor skin irritation, but this is temporary and does not cause any serious side effects.
Conclusion: Ultrasound is a Safe Method in Pregnancy
Ultrasound is an important method used to safely monitor the health of the expectant mother and baby during pregnancy. Scientific research shows that ultrasound during pregnancy is safe and does not cause any harm when performed correctly. Therefore, do not neglect regular ultrasound examinations during pregnancy and have these tests in line with the doctor’s recommendations.