Ultrasound
Having an ultrasound examination can be one of the most exciting parts of being pregnant. It’s the time when you get to actually see your baby and are able to visually track how it’s developing. Dr O’Neill uses bedside ultrasound routinely as part of her antenatal care. This means at every appointment you will have the opportunity to see how your baby is growing and developing.
The function of a bedside ultrasound changes through the course of your pregnancy:
● In the early part of pregnancy, bedside ultrasound gives reassurance of the baby’s heartbeat and ensures the pregnancy is progressing nicely.
● Later in your pregnancy, Dr O’Neill uses ultrasound to assess aspects of pregnancy well-being, including fetal growth, amniotic fluid and the placenta.
However, it must be noted that a bedside ultrasound is not a comprehensive examination and does not replace the formal scans that are performed in an ultrasound practice. Bedside ultrasound examinations have limited scope and are not assessments of fetal abnormalities.
There are two formal ultrasounds that are performed routinely in pregnancy. One at 12-14 weeks gestation and another at 18-20 weeks gestation. Dr O’Neill may also refer you for a formal ultrasound in the third trimester.
Dr O’Neill recommends formal ultrasounds in pregnancy are performed by a specialised obstetric ultrasound practice. She refers to the following practices: