1. |
Does ultrasound scan cause harm to my baby? |
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There is no evidence to suggest that the normal
ultrasound scan will cause abnormality to the baby. |
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| 2. |
Does Doppler scan cause harm to my baby? |
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There is no scientific evidence to suggest that
Doppler application is harmful to the baby. Somehow, one should know
that Doppler application such as in Spectral Doppler, may cause
biological effect such as heating. |
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| 3. |
How often can an ultrasound scan be done during the whole course of pregnancy? |
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There is no fix maximum or minimum number of
ultrasound scan for
each pregnancy.
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| 4. |
Can ultrasound scan slone detect Down Syndrome? |
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No, abnormalities that are detected by ultrasound
scan will suggest the presence of the syndrome but will not confirm
it. Further examinations and evaluations need to be undertaken when
the scans suggest Down Syndrome. |
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5. |
I had a detail scan done at 32 weeks of my pregnancy as I didn't know that the scan should be done at 20 weeks. Does this make any difference? |
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There are advantages to do the scan at 20 weeks.
At this time of the pregnancy, all the major organs have developed.
The liquor volume is also good and this provides a good window for
the scan.
At 32 weeks, the liquor is reduced due to the
increased size of the fetus. The bones are also more mineralized
(hardened) and this will cause more shadowing that will reduce the
views of other internal organs. |
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6. |
Can an ultrasound scan be able to tell me whether my child will have high IQ and EQ? |
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Ultrasound scan will not be able to determine the
child's later level of IQ or EQ. It can tell the normal anatomical
development of the brain but not the functionality. |
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| 7. |
What is 4D ultrasound scan? |
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A 4D ultrasound scan is a live 3D scan with
movement all the time. The baby's movements can be seen, for
examples, baby sucks his thumb and yawns. |
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8. |
Can the shape of a gestational sac determine the gender of my baby? |
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Some parents believe that if the gestational sac
is sausage-like, it will be a baby boy; if it is oval in shape, it
will be a baby girl. This is not true. |
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9. |
I do not drink a lot of water during my pregnancy. Is this the cause of my low liquor volume? |
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There is no correlation between drinking little
water and low liquor volume. Decrease in liquor volume is due to
several factors such as low production of urine from the baby's
kidneys because of the abnormality of the baby's urogenital system
or decreased placental functions.
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10. |
When will I be able to feel my baby's movement? |
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You will be able to feel your baby's movements
(quickening - signs of life) at about 18 weeks of gestation.
However, primigravidas (first pregnancy) may feel the movements one
or two weeks later. Mothers with thick abdominal wall will also feel
the movements one or two weeks later. |
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11. |
When is the earliest time an ultrasound scan will be able to determine my baby's gender? |
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Baby's gender can be determined by ultrasound
scan as early as 17 weeks. Baby in a good position (tummy faces
upward) and with good liquor volume will allow you to see your
baby's gender earlier. |
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12. |
I had my amniocentesis done at 16 weeks of pregnancy. Do I need to do the detail scan at 20 weeks? |
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Amniocentesis provides chromosomal information of
the baby. Baby with normal chromosome can have anatomical defects
which can not be detected by amniocentesis. These defects will be
detected during ultrasound scaning. So, it is advisable to have both
tests done if you are a high risk mother.
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13. |
I had my detail scan done at 20 weeks and my baby is structurally normal. Does this mean that my baby has no risk of abnormality throughout the pregnancy? |
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No. Certain abnormalities will not be detected at
20 weeks but become apparent at 30 weeks of pregnancy. In such cases, a repeat
scan is necessary after the 20-week scan. |
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14. |
Can ultrasound scan determine the size of my baby at birth? |
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Ultrasound scan can determine the size of the
baby (±0.5kg) which is more accurate then by
hand palpitation. |
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