
After conceiving you might be excited. That’s obvious and normal but at the same time, you might be scared as well as you may not know how your baby is inside your womb. For that, ultrasound scans are necessary but you are then again unsure whether it is safe. If you have conceived for the first time, read this write-up and you’ll have a lot of your doubts cleared.
Are ultrasound scans safe during pregnancy?

All kinds of medical methods do have risks. However, there isn’t any evidence available to date that had shown that ultrasound scans, especially when done properly by a trained technician in Leicester have harmed any mother or her unborn child. Moreover, ultrasound scans do not use any radiation, which other methods like X-rays usually use. So, it can be said that ultrasound scans are safe during pregnancy but it must adhere to ALARA (As Low as Reasonably Achievable) principle – the less the exposure the better it is. 2D scans are safest in pregnancy and are usually done. But if you want, you can also pay privately and do a 3D or 4D well-being scan in Leicester.
When can an ultrasound scan in pregnancy be done?

The NHS offers at least two ultrasound scans during pregnancy. The first scan is called the dating scan. It is done between eight and fourteen weeks – it mostly falls around twelve weeks. Through this scan, the EDD (estimated due date) is known based on the measurement of the baby. How well the baby is developing in the womb is also checked. The scan can even include Down’s syndrome screening but that also only with your consent.
The second scan done by the NHS is called Anomaly Scan. It is done in between eighteen to twenty-one weeks of pregnancy. This is done to check if the baby is normal or not – eleven physical conditions of the baby are checked including the baby’s heart, bones, face, brain, spinal cord, and abdomen.
More scans may be offered by the NHS depending on how complicated the case of pregnancy is. In such a case, there isn’t any specific number of ultrasound scans that are to be done. The main intention of having a scan done is to ensure that both the mother and the baby are safe and sound.
There is also an early pregnancy scan, which can be done privately. The NHS doesn’t offer it. It is usually done between six and eight weeks.
Is it necessary to do ultrasound scans?

It is not mandatory to do ultrasound scans in pregnancy. Only if you think you want to know how well your baby is developing inside your womb or want to know the physical conditions of your unborn baby, it is only then you can opt for it. In fact, there are many couples in Leicester who opt not to have ultrasound scans done – your choice, in that case, would be respected. You will just be offered the scans by the NHS and then it would be your decision to opt for it or not. You will be given a chance to discuss this with your maternity team before you take any final decision.
Ultrasound scan is a painless process that takes about 20-30 minutes. When having it done, you can know your EDD, whether you are having only one baby or more, check how well your baby is developing inside and have a look at your unborn child – and all these without having any side effects.