Ultrasound Specialist

What is an ultrasound?

An ultrasound is an imaging study that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the inside of your body, including your uterus and unborn baby. A 2D ultrasound makes a flat, black and white image. A 3D ultrasound provides even more detail, allowing you to see the outer contours and shape of your uterus and baby from several angles. A 4D ultrasound allows even more detail by creating real-time video images of your baby, including the movement of organs and limbs as well as blood flow.

In addition to viewing unborn babies, the team at Contemporary Women’s Care uses ultrasounds to examine your uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and other pelvic organs to diagnose reproductive health conditions such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or polycystic ovary syndrome.

How should I prepare for an ultrasound?

Your OB/GYN gives you instructions before your ultrasound. However, in general, you may need to have a full bladder during your ultrasound, which can make the images clearer. You should wear comfortable clothing, that you can easily lift away from your stomach during the ultrasound.

What should I expect during an ultrasound?

Contemporary Women’s Care provides ultrasounds at both locations in Winter Park and Lake Nona. You recline on a treatment table, and an ultrasound technician applies a clear gel to your abdomen. The gel helps the sound waves travel through your body.

Then the technician glides a handheld transducer over your abdomen. The transducer transmits the soundwaves and collects them as the waves bounce back off your organs and send the information to a computer that generates the images or videos.

If you have an ultrasound early in your pregnancy or to get information to diagnose another condition, you may need a transvaginal ultrasound to get the most precise and detailed images. During a transvaginal ultrasound, your technician inserts a small transducer wand into your vagina, which reduces the amount of tissue the sound waves need to pass through to reach your reproductive organs.

Are 3D and 4D ultrasounds safe?

All ultrasounds are safe. Doctors have been using ultrasounds to monitor pregnancies for over 30 years. The 3D and 4D ultrasounds use the same frequency and intensity of sound waves as 2D ultrasounds. They don’t emit any radiation or cause side effects that could interfere with your pregnancy or health.

Call Contemporary Women’s Care or schedule your ultrasound appointment online today.