Typically, 1 scheduled examination is scheduled for the 12th week of pregnancy. Already at this stage, the woman’s condition and how the pregnancy is progressing in general are easily assessed. Moreover, ultrasound reveals pathological changes in the fetus. This is important because if abnormalities are detected, termination of pregnancy may be necessary, and in the first trimester the doctor will prescribe a medical abortion, which is not dangerous to the woman’s health.
The main tasks of the first planned ultrasound:
• Determination of a special parameter - the thickness of the collar zone (the area between the soft tissues covering the spine and the inner surface of the skin, filled with fluid). Measuring this indicator allows us to identify the development of chromosomal pathologies - Down syndrome, etc.;
• Measuring the coccygeal-parietal size. The indicator determines the size of the fetus and the exact gestational age;
• Diagnosis of fetal cardiac activity – the main indicator of viability;
• Detection of multiple births;
• Assessment of the presence and development of the child’s organs;
• Determination of the expected date of birth;
• Establishing the correspondence of fetal size to gestational age.
Also, the first examination allows you to assess the location of the placenta and determine the condition and tone of the uterus. Often, the first scheduled ultrasound is a significant event for a couple, since they can see their unborn child for the first time.