How Does an Ultrasound Work?

If you’ve never had an ultrasound, you may picture the image on the screen without knowing how it gets there. Unlike an X-ray, an ultrasound doesn’t use radiation. Instead, it uses sound waves to produce images of structures inside your body.

During pregnancy, those images provide information that isn’t available from a test result alone.

Hope Pregnancy Resource Center offers no-cost, confidential pregnancy testing and limited OB ultrasounds. Contact us to schedule an appointment if you think you may be pregnant or have recently received a positive test.

The Technology Behind the Image

An ultrasound uses a small device called a transducer. The transducer sends high-frequency sound waves into the body. As those waves encounter different tissues and structures, they create echoes that return to the transducer. The ultrasound machine converts that information into images.

For an abdominal ultrasound, gel is applied to your abdomen, and the transducer is moved across your skin.

Early in pregnancy, a transvaginal ultrasound may provide better images. For this type of scan, a transducer is placed inside the vagina.

What the Person Performing the Scan Looks For

An early pregnancy ultrasound has a different purpose than the detailed anatomy ultrasound typically performed later in pregnancy.

This scan can be used to estimate how far along you are, determine whether the pregnancy is located inside the uterus, and look for signs that the pregnancy is developing.

Pregnancy location is particularly important. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube. This pregnancy cannot develop normally and requires immediate medical treatment to prevent complications like life-threatening bleeding.

Why Timing Can Affect What You See

If an ultrasound is performed very early, there may be limits to what can be seen. Certain structures become visible as pregnancy progresses, so an early scan may need to be repeated when there isn’t enough information yet.

This doesn’t necessarily indicate that something is wrong. Your healthcare provider can determine whether additional evaluation or another ultrasound is needed based on the findings and your symptoms.

Your Appointment at Hope

Your pregnancy confirmation appointment at Hope Pregnancy Resource Center begins with pregnancy testing. If appropriate, a limited OB ultrasound can provide more information about the pregnancy.

Both services are no-cost and confidential. We’re here to answer your questions and treat you with respect.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment and learn which services are appropriate for you.