The first ultrasound is one of the most important because it is when the doctor will be able to see the general state of the embryo. That's why it's good to know what to expect from an ultrasound at 12 weeks pregnant, given that until that date is when it is recommended to carry out this first study.
While many women do their first ultrasound as soon as they find out they are late, general recommendations indicate that is the ideal time to do it, then it will be possible to confirm the correct advance of the pregnancy.
Why the 12-week ultrasound is important
In the pregnancy week 12, that is, when three months have passed from the Date of the Last Menstruation or LMP, the fetus is already large enough for technology to allow its development to be appreciated and thus record any possible anomaly or alteration. A perfect moment for analysis.
By week 12 (with a range from week 11 to week 13, 6), the embryo is expected to measure between 45 and 84 mm, from head to rump. The size allows a better observation of the characteristics of the fetus. There are several things that are evaluated in that first record. ¿What to Expect from an Ultrasound at 12 Weeks Pregnant?
Among other things, the time of gestation is evaluated, since the time of pregnancy does not always coincide with that estimated by the date of the last menstrual period. To know the pregnancy with precision, the cranio-rump or cranio-caudal length (CRL) is measured with a margin of error of only 7 days. But that's not all, one of the central aspects of this study lies in knowing the proper development of the embryo, or what is called embryonic vitality. In a 12 weeks pregnant ultrasound, it is checked if the embryo is alive and if it follows a good general development.
One or more embryos
La 12 week ultrasound It also analyzes whether there is a single embryo or whether it is a multiple pregnancy. And, in that case, to know if the future babies share a placenta or the amniotic fluid sac. Which in turn allows to know if it is a risk pregnancy or not. Another thing to expect from the ultrasound at 12 weeks of pregnancy is to know the general state of the mother and the pregnancy, being able to rule out possible abnormalities of the maternal genital tract.
The uterine arteries are also tested to see if the pregnant woman can develop pre-eclampsia during pregnancy. Is first ultrasound of pregnancy, also addresses the so-called study of fetal anatomy, which analyzes possible fetal abnormalities. This study will be complemented with the ultrasound at week 20, which analyzes in greater depth the morphology of the embryo.
The baby's gender on the 12 week ultrasound?
Once the ultrasound indicates that everything is going well, a classic question of rigor arrives: is it possible know the sex of the baby? Although there are cases in which the ultrasound at 12 weeks of pregnancy allows to know the sex of the baby, this is not something too frequent. In general, you have to wait until the fifth month for the sex to be seen. Even so, and depending on how the baby is positioned, in some cases it is possible to achieve some anticipation.
