Ultrasound imaging, also called ultrasound scanning, is a method of obtaining pictures from inside the human body through the use of high frequency sound waves. Obstetric ultrasound refers to the specialised use of this technique to produce a picture of your unborn baby while it is inside your uterus (womb).

The sound waves are emitted from a hand-held nozzle, which is placed on your stomach, and reflection of these sound waves is displayed as a picture of the moving foetus (unborn baby) on a monitor screen.

No x-rays are involved in ultrasound imaging. Measurements of the image of the foetus help in the assessment of its size and growth as well as confirming the due date of delivery.

In ultrasound, a beam of sound at a very high frequency (that cannot be heard) is sent into the body from a small vibrating crystal in a hand-held scanner head.  When the beam meets a surface between tissues of different density, echoes of the sound beam are sent back into the scanner head.  The time between sending the sound and receiving the echo back is fed into a computer, which in turn creates an image that is projected on a television screen.  Ultrasound is a very safe type of imaging; this is why it is so widely used during pregnancy.
 
What to expect?
After lying down, the area to be examined will be exposed.  Generally a contact gel will be used between the scanner head and skin.  The scanner head is then pressed against your skin and moved around and over the area to be examined.  At the same time the internal images will appear onto a screen.

Service types: Women’s imaging.

These procedures are done to evaluate the insde of the uterus (uterine vacity) for adhesions, fibroids or polyps. Saline is infused via a small tube into the uterus through the cervix and images are taken during the procedure.

The same procedure is also used to check whether the tubes are open as part of fertility investigations. Gel with microbubbles is instilled into the uterus and followed by ultrasound to see if the bubbles follow the tubes.