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Second Trimester: You’re Getting an Ultrasound

You’ve reached your second trimester, and the most exciting stage of pregnancy! At approximately 20 weeks gestation, your doctor will order an ultrasound for your baby. This procedure may be done earlier, though most doctors will prefer you wait until the baby’s genitals are distinguishable. This takes place anywhere between 16 and 24 weeks. In addition, the heart completes its formation during weeks 18 to 20 of the second trimester, so doctors prefer to have the ultrasound completed during or after this time.

There are two types of ultrasounds, the transvaginal and the transabdominal. The first type is rarely performed outside of the first trimester of pregnancy, so if you are in your second trimester, you will most likely be having a transabdominal ultrasound. This procedure uses a special gel that is placed on your stomach, while a wand rubs over it, sending ultrasound waves into the womb and back. These waves help create the image of the baby that the technician will view on a monitor. The technician has the ability to record and photograph pictures on the screen, as well.

The transabdominal ultrasound requires you to drink quite a bit of water before the procedure is performed. This consumption of water, along with the pressure of the baby due to its size in the second trimester may make you uncomfortable, but your bladder needs to be full for the technician to get a good view of the baby. Luckily, the entire procedure lasts approximately no more than 20 minutes, so you’ll get to use the bathroom soon enough.

Things your ultrasound technician will look at include: all organs and bodily systems, the spinal cord and vertebrae, the umbilical cord location on the baby, cord vessels, the placenta and its location, the amniotic fluid, and the baby’s extremities – including genitals. If the procedure is done far enough along in the second trimester, the technician should be able to determine the sex of your baby. You will also get to see your baby’s heartbeat for the first time since hearing it in your doctor’s office.

In addition to just looking at the baby, the technician will also measure important parts of the baby’s body, including the head’s diameter, stomach’s circumference, and length of the extremities. All measurements put together will help give a more accurate time of gestation, which is important if a woman isn’t sure when she conceived.

Examining the placenta is a crucial part of the exam. If the placenta is located too close to the cervix, this can cause problems as the pregnancy progresses past the second trimester and nears delivery. In addition, it is important for the technician to verify that there is sufficient nutrients being delivered to the baby and that all cord vessels are intact and functioning properly.

There are many reasons why your doctor may order an ultrasound earlier than during the second trimester. This may include a suspicion of multiple babies, as some doctors will have if you start to “show” early, or grow larger than you should early in the pregnancy. While the standard of care calls for only one ultrasound per pregnancy, your doctor may either send you for a second ultrasound, or perform one in his own office, if he suspects there may be a problem with either your or the baby.

Rarely will a doctor perform these past the second trimester, just so you can see your baby again, but if he does, consider yourself lucky! You can rest assured that ultrasound procedures have been shown to be safe for both you and baby. The second trimester of pregnancy is an exciting one, and the ultrasound will show you the joy that awaits you as the birth nears.