You can take comfort in knowing that, as you visit with our specialists for further tests, we are providing the highest level of diagnostic expertise in the region.
Obstetrical ultrasounds at the Fetal to Newborn Care Center are performed using sophisticated technology considered to be among the most advanced in the United States. Our team is comprised of registered and accredited perinatal sonographers, specially trained in perinatal sonography by Jiri Sonek, MD, a world leader in the field of maternal-fetal medicine and perinatology.
Upon your referral to our maternal-fetal medicine specialists you will be scheduled for a more extensive ultrasound to rule out an anomaly or determine a diagnosis.
Once a diagnosis is made our physicians will confer with your primary OB/GYN and determine the best care plan for the remainder of your pregnancy. You will then be connected with our compassionate nurse navigator who will guide you through the next steps in your individualized care plan, answering any questions you may have, scheduling any additional testing and appointments, and coordinating your ongoing care.
- What can an ultrasound detect?
- First Trimester Ultrasound
- Second Trimester Ultrasound
Although most OB ultrasounds are perfectly normal, some detect complex conditions or abnormalities. In addition, an obstetrical ultrasound is necessary to confirm your correct due date – information that is critical for your doctor’s decision making in high-risk pregnancies. Ultrasound is the only way multiple gestations can be identified, and to obtain key information on how the placenta(s) have developed.
Some of the other conditions detected by ultrasound may include:
- Abdominal wall defects
- Abnormal growth
- Abnormal kidneys
- Anencephaly
- Club feet
- Facial clefting
- Heart defects
- Skeletal dysplasia
- Spina bifida
- Spine and head malformation
It is very important to have a skilled registered and accredited sonographer, and an experienced maternal-fetal medicine specialist, performing and interpreting the obstetrical ultrasound.
The technology associated with obstetrical ultrasound has advanced significantly within the past 10 years. It is now more common for pregnant women to not only have an ultrasound between weeks 20 and 22 but to also have one during their first trimester sometime between weeks 11 and 13.
Thanks to these technology advancements, potential conditions and abnormalities can often be discovered in the first trimester. Physicians worldwide typically use five markers to identify these conditions. Dr. Jiri Sonek, a physician at the Fetal to Newborn Care Center, is credited with discovering two such markers – the nasal bone and the fronto-maxillary facial angle markers.
During your first trimester, an ultrasound can often help your physician assess your baby’s risk of chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome or other birth defects. It also identified multiple gestations and important information about the development of the placenta that cannot be obtained at a later gestational age.
Because of our team’s extensive expertise in maternal-fetal medicine, Miami Valley Hospital is internationally recognized as a leader in first trimester ultrasound.
After your first trimester ultrasound(s), you may need to be re-evaluated during your second trimester. Unfortunately, no test can identify all birth defects or conditions; however, an extensive ultrasound in the second trimester can typically help detect birth defects of the heart, brain, digestive system, skeletal system, and spinal cord, which may not be detected in the first trimester
By identifying these fetal conditions before birth we can work with you to determine the best care plan for you and your baby. Our nurse navigator will help you understand what the next steps involve and what will need to happen in order to treat your baby before and immediately after birth.