Ultrasound images have many uses during pregnancy. Early on, they may be used to:
They also are valuable screening tools in helping to detect potential problems, including:
Many expectant parents look forward to learning the gender of their babies via ultrasound midway through a pregnancy.
Doctors employ ultrasound imaging in diagnosing a wide variety of conditions affecting the organs and soft tissues of the body, including the uterus and ovaries, such a:
Ultrasounds do have some diagnostic limitations, however; sound waves do not transmit well through dense bone or parts of the body that may hold air or gas, such as the bowel.