Important Tests during pregnancy help check the baby's growth and health, as well as the mother's well-being.
Transvaginal Ultrasound: Over the past 10 years, the making of this transvaginal Ultrasound test has been increased in pregnant women, mainly to know the abnormalities of the fetus and pre-term delivery.
Obstetricians are suggesting to do this test for most pregnant women as it gives a more detailed view of these pelvic organs.
While reading about this Transvaginal Ultrasound, you may get many questions like how this procedure is done, when it will be done, what it is, and for whom it will be done. Right?
Dont worry we are going to discuss every question that you want to know about this Transvaginal Ultrasound during pregnancy.
- What is a Transvaginal Ultrasound? | Purpose of Transvaginal Ultrasound
- How To Prepare For an Endovaginal Ultrasound?
- Procedure of Transvaginal Ultrasound in Early Pregnancy
- What Type of Results Do you Found After the Transvaginal Ultrasound
- Risk Factors Involved in Transvaginal Ultrasound Test
- Difference Between Pelvic Ultrasound vs Transvaginal Ultrasound
- How much time does it take to complete this Transvaginal Ultrasound procedure?
- Is a Transvaginal Ultrasound painful?
- Do I need to shave for a Transvaginal Ultrasound?
- Who will perform this Transvaginal Ultrasound?
What is a Transvaginal Ultrasound? | Purpose of Transvaginal Ultrasound
Transvaginal Ultrasound is also known as Endovaginal Ultrasound where this test uses high-frequency sound waves for detailed images of pelvic organs.
Learn About: Prenatal Screening Tests
It is a safe, painless, and straightforward way for your healthcare providers to check the pelvic organs rather than a traditional abdominal Ultrasound. This ultrasound will be done during early pregnancy.
As the device was inserted into your vagina to take the images of the pelvic organs, that is why we also call this test an endovaginal ultrasound test.
Normally, in pregnancy, your care provider will check the cervix, vagina, pelvic, and others to diagnose the conditions like fibroids, cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease, and also your doctor might suggest this test if you are having
- Bleeding in early pregnancy
- Infertility
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Complications of miscarriage
- Examine placenta for abnormalities C
- Confirm the early pregnancy
- To calculate the due date very specifically
- To know some types of cancer
- Monitor the heartbeat of the fetus
- Accessing the Uterus or Ovary
How To Prepare For an Endovaginal Ultrasound?
When your doctors suggest you take this endovaginal ultrasound test, you may need to prepare for it from your side and go to the hospital.
All these need to be done only under the instructions of your doctor, not your own. As it is an ultrasound test, based on their instruction clear your bladder, or drink the water to be partially full.
Because if your bladder is full it will be very helpful to take pictures of pelvic organs. And you need to drink water before 1 hour of this test begins.
And if you are spotting and you need to clear your vagina for the ultrasound. You need to dress up with the clothes that will be easy to slip up. Relax your mind, and calm your nerves as it is a simple and painless procedure.
Procedure of Transvaginal Ultrasound in Early Pregnancy
Once your doctor declares the date of this Endovaginal Ultrasound, you need to come to the hospital with good preparation. Then, your healthcare provider or sonographer will start the procedure, you will lie down on the examination table and bend your knees.
After that, your healthcare provider will cover the transducer with a protection, and then insert it into your vagina by lubricating it with some gel. At the time of insertion, you may feel some pressure.
Once it is inserted, the sound waves, bounce off your internal organs and take pictures of it. Also, the transducer will be moved by your doctor to see the organs in all the ways.
Even sometimes saline infusion sonography will be made to know the abnormalities if you have any as the saline water stretches the uterus slightly.
What Type of Results Do you Found After the Transvaginal Ultrasound
Once after complete this Transvaginal Ultrasound, the results will be given to you on the same day. And your healthcare provider will discuss the results.
If this Ultrasound was done by a sonographer then these scans will be reviewed by a radiologist before giving it to the doctor. Your doctor will look into those reports and tell you the exact problem that you are facing, maybe,
- Cancer of the reproductive organs
- Routine pregnancy
- Cysts
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Placenta previa
- Fibroids
- Mosses
- Pelvic infection
- Miscarriage
And then, the doctor will provide you the treatment for certain problems that you have.
Risk Factors Involved in Transvaginal Ultrasound Test
When you think about the risk factor that will be in this Transvaginal Ultrasound procedure, there will be no risks involved in this procedure, as it is safe and painless.
But you may feel some discomfort while inserting the transducer and you may see the vaginal discharge of the lubricating gel that was involved while insertion.
Apart from this, if you have any other discomfort that you have during the test, you can just tell your provider, or technician about this. And this test will not be suggested if you have a low-lying placenta during pregnancy.
Difference Between Pelvic Ultrasound vs Transvaginal Ultrasound
When you want to know about the difference between Pelvic Ultrasound and Transvaginal Ultrasound, then as you have known about transvaginal ultrasound, now you need to know about Pelvic Ultrasound.
Pelvic Ultrasound is nothing but both Transvaginal and Transabdominal Ultrasound. Transabdominal Ultrasound is the procedure done by the transducer that takes an image under the abdomen which is also called external pelvic ultrasound.
Then External Pelvic Ultrasound, Transvaginal Ultrasound will provide you a better image of the pelvic organs.
FAQS on Transvaginal Ultrasound Test in Pregnancy
1. How much time does it take to complete this Transvaginal Ultrasound procedure?
To complete this tranvaginal ultrasound test procedure it takes nearly 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Is a Transvaginal Ultrasound painful?
We can say that this Transvaginal Ultrasound is not so painful. As the transducer is designed to curve the vagina's shape it will not be painful.
3. Do I need to shave for a Transvaginal Ultrasound?
No, it is not needed to shave for the transvaginal Ultrasound, but it can be done if you are not comfortable.
4. Who will perform this Transvaginal Ultrasound?
This test will be performed by the specialist sonographer or your health care provider, or an ultrasound technician may do this procedure.
Conclusion
Mainly this Transvaginal Ultrasound Test procedure will be done for the early pregnancy and also will be done in the first trimester in case of unpleasant symptoms in pregnancy.
While you are talking about this Test and procedure, ask your doctor each question that you doubt this procedure. And still for more interesting articles on different tests during pregnancy, you can follow our website sowmyahospitals.com.