How many times should I do B-ultrasound during pregnancy and when should I do it? Is it harmful to do it too often?

We all know that after a woman becomes pregnant, her body will become more special and she needs to go to the hospital for prenatal checkups frequently. Prenatal checkups include many things, and B-ultrasound is a very important part of the examination. Almost all pregnant women will do B-ultrasounds. So how many times should you do B-ultrasounds during pregnancy? Let's take a closer look!

How many times do you need to do B-ultrasound during pregnancy?

We can see that about 5 ultrasounds are needed during the entire pregnancy. In the early stages of pregnancy, if you are worried about the development of the fetus, some pregnant women will choose to do more. In the second trimester, due to different fetal development, sometimes you may need to increase the number of prenatal examinations for close monitoring.

What ultrasound scans are required during the entire pregnancy?

1. 6 weeks of pregnancy

Most pregnant mothers only find out they are pregnant at this time. They can go to the hospital for a B-ultrasound to confirm the location and size of the gestational sac and whether there is a fetal bud. Of course, it is also okay not to take a B-ultrasound and wait until the file is established before taking a B-ultrasound.

2. 12 weeks of pregnancy

The early pregnancy is almost over, and the fetus is relatively stable. The pregnant mother can go to the hospital to create a file, and then undergo routine examinations and B-ultrasound. At this time, the main purpose is to confirm the survival of the fetus, and do NT by the way to see if there are any abnormalities in the development of the fetus.

3. 24 weeks of pregnancy

B-ultrasound at this stage is very important, which is what we call four-dimensional color ultrasound for large-scale fetal abnormality screening. Its main purpose is to see whether there are congenital defects in fetal development, and to check for congenital heart disease, cleft lip and palate, anencephaly, polydactyly, Down syndrome, etc.

4. 32 weeks of pregnancy

At this time, the pregnant mother's belly is already quite large. The purpose of the B-ultrasound check is to see whether the fetal position is correct, whether the amount of amniotic fluid is appropriate, whether the fetal umbilical cord is around the neck, the baby's development, etc., so as to make preventive preparations in advance for a smooth delivery in the future.

5. 40 weeks of pregnancy

When the due date arrives, a final B-ultrasound is done to check the fetal development, mainly the fetal engagement in the pelvis, fetal position, placenta, fetal size, etc. to see if they meet the conditions for a normal delivery.

What is the impact of the number of ultrasounds during pregnancy?

Each B-ultrasound during pregnancy is for the current development of the fetus and cannot represent the future. The fetus is developing dynamically throughout the pregnancy, so pregnant mothers should have prenatal checkups on time to keep abreast of the fetus's development. B-ultrasound examination is an ultrasonic examination and will not affect the development of the fetus.

What should I pay attention to when doing B-ultrasound during pregnancy

It is recommended to do B-ultrasound in early pregnancy after 8 weeks. Before 8 weeks, some pregnant mothers cannot clearly see the fetal heartbeat and fetal bud, so it is not very meaningful to do it. When doing fetal anomaly screening in the second trimester (22-26 weeks), it is recommended to eat a full meal before going, so that the fetal movement will be better and the fetal clearance will be smoother; when doing B-ultrasound in the third trimester, it is mainly to understand whether the fetus has developmental delay, the amount of amniotic fluid, and the umbilical cord around the neck. If the number of weeks around the neck in the late stage is more than 2 weeks, the fetal movement should be counted on time and closely monitored.

After the major fetal anomaly screening, if there is an abnormality in the fetal heart or the doctor suspects there is an abnormality, a cardiac ultrasound is required to further understand the situation.