What Do Private Baby Ultrasound Scans Show?

Ultrasound scans are incredibly useful, both as a diagnostic tool for health professionals and as an insight for parents into the development of their baby. Ultrasound scans provide a lot of information, including:

• The size of the baby: the scan images help to give an idea of the size of the baby, which can be used to predict a due date accurately and check the baby is growing as expected.
• The number of foetuses: ultrasound scans show how many babies you are expecting; if you are having twins, for example, this will usually be picked up at your first scan.
• The development of the baby: ultrasound scans help to chart the development of the baby; if there are any issues, they can be detected early, which may mean that they can be treated or that special arrangements can be made during labour and after birth.
• The position of the baby: the position of the baby is important, particularly in the latter stages. If the placenta is low or the baby is breech (the baby is lying feet or bottom first, rather than head down), the position may be altered or a Caesarean section may be recommended.
• The baby’s heartbeat.
• Abnormalities: ultrasound scans can highlight abnormalities related to the growth and size of the baby or structural abnormalities. A scan at 20 weeks can show a range of different abnormalities, from spina bifida and a cleft lip and palate, to defects in the digestive system and heart problems.

Ultrasound pregnancy scans can also be used to determine the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the baby, assess the risk of Down’s syndrome and other genetic conditions, including Edwards’ syndrome and Patau’s syndrome, determine the cause of any abnormal bleeding and help with additional tests, which may be carried out, such as amniocentesis and CVS (chorionic villus sampling); in this case, the ultrasound scans help to guide doctors by showing the position of the placenta and the foetus.

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