Free Limited Ultrasounds

Once you come in, you speak to our nurse about your pregnancy, and she will check your vital signs. We will start with a transabdominal ultrasound, and your nurse will apply a sound-conducting gel to your belly. 

If a transvaginal ultrasound is needed, you will be given instructions on how to undress and use the paper drape to keep you covered and comfortable. The transvaginal transducer will be appropriately placed to obtain as clear an image of your baby as possible.

All of our ultrasounds are performed by registered nurses that have been trained to provide limited obstetric ultrasounds. Each ultrasound is reviewed by a Medical Doctor who will diagnose the pregnancy.

An ultrasound is a medical procedure, and in order to perform it we need to confirm a pregnancy in-center. As with any medical procedure, there are eligibility criteria that must be met in order to have an ultrasound, and those are discussed at the time of your initial appointment. We are not able to schedule an ultrasound appointment before eligibility has been determined.

Ultrasound involves no exposure to radiation. The only side–effects for the mother may be some discomfort as the transducer is moved over your body to capture an image from different angles. 

The consensus in the medical community is that ultrasound is entirely safe for prenatal babies when administered properly using the lowest possible amount of ultrasound energy to successfully resolve an image. 

It should be noted that ultrasound images are subject to the interpretation of a physician. While they are clear in most cases and there have been amazing advancements in technology in recent years, there are limitations to what an ultrasound can reveal. For one thing, it is possible for an ultrasound to suggest the presence of birth defects when in fact there are none.

These are what our ultrasounds offer:

• Check for presence of an intrauterine pregnancy 
• Determine your baby’s gestational age and due date. 
• Check your baby’s heart rate. 
• Look for multiple babies (twins, triplets or more). 

Preliminary results are usually available immediately. To ensure that we meet the highest standards of care, each of our ultrasounds is reviewed by a medical doctor in order to diagnose a viable intrauterine pregnancy. If there are any modifications necessary to the preliminary results, you will be notified.

An ultrasound is not usually painful. There may be some discomfort for the mother during an ultrasound as the transducer is moved into position to obtain the desired images. For the baby, there is no pain or discomfort involved in an ultrasound procedure.

If your pregnancy is healthy, you can expect to get two ultrasounds. One will be scheduled (ideally) in the first trimester to confirm (along with other signs) the due date based on your baby’s growth and stage of development. Another is usually scheduled 18-21 weeks into the pregnancy to verify normal growth and the sex of your baby. While extremely common, prenatal ultrasounds are medical procedures and should only be completed for valid medical reasons. 

As early as the 14th week, though sometime around 18-21 weeks is perhaps a better bet. Being able to determine gender is not a guaranteed thing – it depends on the baby’s position and whether they are willing to stay still enough to be clearly imaged. Identifying the baby’s gender is generally done during the 20-week anatomy scan. Please contact your doctor or provider to schedule an anatomy scan, as Ava does not provide this service.