13 Week Pregnancy Ultrasound

Every stage of your pregnancy journey has its significance. From the first day, even before you knew you were pregnant, until the day of your delivery, every day your child is growing and developing into a fully formed person. If you are in your 13th week, then you should celebrate the moment as you have come a long way. By now you will start noticing that a lot of the initial struggles in your body have come down significantly. Be it morning sickness, mood swings etc. you will be relieved, and you will also start getting used to your new state of being. At this stage, you will not be able to see that “evident” pregnancy bump, but you can notice how you have started putting on a little weight. Some of your clothes might begin to feel tighter. However, let this not bother you too much.

An ultrasound in the 13^th week can tell you a lot about your baby that is growing fast. This is the time when you really get acquainted with her, and you can’t wait to watch the baby at 13 weeks pregnant ultrasound results. Thanks to technology, you don’t have to wait too long to get a glimpse of your little one. An ultrasound will give you a picture of the baby in your belly. And if this is the 13^th week, then you will be able to see her quite well.

Why you Need 13 Week Ultrasound Scan?

Reasons to go for ultrasound:

• You will start identifying the baby’s body parts as this is when your little one develops more defined organs.
• In fact, the 13-week scan can even give the doctor an idea of the gender of the baby.
• The 13-week foetus ultrasound at this point will also give you a clearer picture of the developments.

How should you Prepare for the Scan?

This is one of the most significant ultrasounds during your pregnancy. Your doctor will advise you to drink lots of water before the scan as it is essential to keep your bladder full during the ultrasound. This will help the technician detect a more transparent image of the foetus in your belly.

How Long Does 13 Week Scan Take to Complete?

A 13-week scan can take around 15 to 30 minutes and can go up to 45 minutes if the baby is lying in an awkward position. This will also depend on the expert who conducts the scan and even on the baby’s position in your belly.

How is Thirteenth Week Ultrasound Performed?

The process that you need to go through is straightforward.

• At first, the sonographer will apply a little gel on your belly.
• After this, he will use a transducer device on your belly. The purpose of applying the gel is to make sure there is a good connection between the skin and the transducer device.
• The device will be adjusted based on the image of the baby that is seen on the screen.
• Don’t worry as there will be no pain during this process. You might feel a little pressure during the route.

What Can be Seen in the Scan?

This scan that is done in the 13^th week will show you a lot of minute details that you hadn’t seen in the earlier months of your pregnancy. During this stage, the things that are identified in the baby are heartbeats, physical development of body parts, the shape of the baby and a lot more. In the earlier scans, you would have wondered why the baby’s head was slightly more prominent when compared to the rest of the body. However, this time you will be at peace. You will notice the size of the head growing proportionate to the body. The scan will also indicate any abnormalities that are seen in the baby and other details of development. During the 13th week ultrasound, down syndrome can also be detected by identifying the fluid in the back of foetus’ neck.

What if Any Abnormalities Are Detected on the Ultrasound?

If there are problems detected during the ultrasound, your doctor will talk with you to give you more clarity on the situation. Sometimes doctors will even ask you to take a few more scans or other specific tests to ascertain the full extent of the abnormalities.

An ultrasound will help you connect with your little one in your belly. All this while you could feel the life inside of you, but now you get to see your baby develop and come to life. These are significant moments in your pregnancy journey. If there are abnormalities that are detected, don’t let it dishearten you too much at this point, instead talk to your doctor and see what can be done about it.