Detecting Fetal Abnormalities Through Ultrasound
Birth defects can have life threatening consequences for the fetus. Many birth defects can be detected during pregnancy by an ultrasound. Some of these abnormalities include abdominal wall defect, orofacial cleft, anencephaly, and down syndrome. Although at this time ultrasound is the safest way to observe a fetus, risks are still associated with it.
Ultrasound
An ultrasound is a test that sends sound waves into the woman’s abdomen or vagina in order to create an image to observe how the fetus is developing within the womb (“Pregnancy Ultrasound,” n.d.). Some of the many names for an ultrasound include pregnancy ultrasound, babi, obstetric ultrasonography, and an obstetric sonogram. The ultrasound can be done in either a hospital, doctor’s office, or a clinic (“Pregnancy Ultrasound,” n.d.). An ultrasound can performed transabdominally or transvaginally. A transabdominal ultrasound is performed over the woman’s abdomen and usually takes about 30-60 minutes. A transvaginal ultrasound is when the transducer is inserted into a woman’s vagina and it typically takes 15-30 minutes. A transducer is a handheld tool which is also called a probe. This is placed against the mother’s abdomen and helps to create the image of the fetus during a transabdominal ultrasound. During a transavigal ultrasound this probe is inserted into the woman’s vagina (“Fetal Ultrasound,” n.d.). The test is performed by using a gel which is water-based and a probe, or transducer, to transmit the sound waves. The sound waves hit the baby and in return create an image. A full bladder is often used to help create a good image. The only discomfort to the mother would be when pressure is placed onto her...
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...r Disease Control and Prevention. (November 6, 2013d). Facts about Down
Syndrome. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/ downsyndrome.html Contact a Family. (2012). Abdominal Wall Defects. Retrieved from http://www.cafamily.org.uk/medical-information/conditions/a/abdominal-exstrophies/ Fetal Ultrasound. (n.d.). WebMD. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/baby/fetal- ultrasound Pregnancy Ultrasound. (2010). In MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia online. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003778.htm
Rodgers, Carolne. (2006). Questions about Prenatal Ultrasound and the Alarming Increase in Autism. Midwifery Today, 80. Retrieved from www.midwiferytoday.com/ articles/ultrasoundrodgers.asp Women’s Ultrasound Melbourne. (n.d.). Detection of Down Syndrome with Ultrasound at
12 Weeks of Pregnancy. East Melbourne, US: Author.
As an ultrasound technician/sonographer I will have the ability to see dangerous defects within the human anatomy and begin a lifelong profession with many benefits. The Ultrasound was first invented in the early 1900’s and was surprisingly not used to produce photos of a fetus. In 1917 Paul Langen a marine life scientist used a form of ultrasound equipment in his attempt to detect submarines. After many failed attempts at using high frequency sound waves Dr. Ian Donald and his team in Glasgow, Scotland invented the first ultrasound machine in 1957. Dr. Donald even tested his machine on patients within a year of completing the invention, by the late 1950’s ultrasounds became routine in Glasgow hospitals.
I have always been fascinated with the medical field ever since I was little, my first choice for electives were always health science and anatomy classes. After my cousin, Deanna, had her first child and receive her first ultrasound, I knew that was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. The ultrasound technician had made her feel so comforted and just made the entire experience enjoyable for everyone; I’m eager to be able to start my life with a job that I know I will love. Anytime that I meet someone who is in the field themselves, I always ask questions and listen to what they do throughout the day to get some real insight on what being a technician really entails.
During pregnancy an echocardiogram of the fetus can be done to produce images of the heart by sending ultrasonic sound waves to the vital organ. These sound waves create an image for the physician to analyze the babies heart function, structure sizes, and blood flow. A positive diagnosis before birth has shown to improve chances of survival, and will allow for appropriate care to be readily available at birth. If a baby is born without being diagnosed with the heart defect, some symptoms previous noted such as low oxygen levels can be suggestive of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The baby may not display any symptoms or signs for hours after birth because of the openings allowing for blood to be pumped to the rest of the body. However, listening to the babies heart can revel a murmur indicating an irregular flow of blood in the heart. If a murmur is heard, or signs of the defect are observed, diagnostic tests will be ordered and performed. An echocardiogram is still the go-to test once the baby is born to evaluate the heart. The echocardiogram will diagnose the newborn, by revealing the underdeveloped left ventricle, mitral and aortic valve, and the ascending aorta commonly seen in
In Japan there is not a lot of emphasis on prenatal care. It is thought to be adequate for the mother to be seen 3-4 times throughout her pregnancy. An ultrasound of the baby is sometimes deemed necessary by her midwife or obstetrician. The ultrasound is only used for the purpose of taking a closer look at the mother’s reproductive anatomy or the anatomy of the baby. In the Japanese culture it is considered taboo and quite rude for the ultrasound technician or medical provider to tell the mother the sex of her baby.
Diagnostic medical sonography is a profession where sonographers direct high-frequency sound waves into a patient’s body through the use of specific equipment to diagnose or monitor a patient’s medical condition. As described by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this examination is referred to as an ultrasound, sonogram, or echocardiogram. The high-frequency sound waves emitted from the handheld device, called a transducer, bounce back creating an echo and therefore produce an image that can be viewed on the sonographers computer screen. This image provides the sonographer and physician with an internal image of the patient’s body that will be used in the diagnosis. The most familiar use of ultrasound is used in monitoring pregnancies and is provided by obstetric and gynecologic sonographers, who also provide imaging of the female reproductive system. Other types of sonography include; abdominal sonography, breast sonography, musculoskeletal sonography, neurosonography and cardiovascular sonography. Due to the vast nature of uses in sonography, most professionals study one field that they choose to specialize in. Diagnostic medical sonography is a rapidly growing field because of the increase in medical advances. The area of Cleveland, Ohio has continued to rise in the medical field with great strides, providing better career prospects with the availability of numerous employment positions.
Taylor, J. Of sonograms and baby prams: prenatal diagnosis, pregnancy and consumption. (May 2000) Feminist Studies.
A career is a long time employment role which centers around the passion of ongoing goals that one wants to achieve.For my career, I will choose to become an Obstetric sonographer.Obstetric sonographers are people who perform ultrasounds on the pelvic region of female patients and fetuses.medical sonographers typically need to obtain an associate or bachelor's degree in sonography from a college or university. Basic skills that are required are to have solid technical skills for being able to function the equipment and getting practicable images, the physical skills of good hand-eye coordination to move appliances on the patient’s body in correlation to what appears on the screen, endurance to stand for long periods of time and the capacity
In general, ultrasound waves produced by an instrument called transducer are sent into a patient. Some of the waves are absorbed, but the other portion of these waves are reflected when tissue and organ boundaries are encountered. The echoes produced by the reflected waves are then picked up by the transducer and translated in a visible picture often referred to as ultrasound. In the paragraphs that follow, the physics of how the transducer functions, what the ultrasound waves do, and how the image is formed will be explained.
Ultrasound Technicians are very valuable in the world of health care. Also known as Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, an Ultrasound Technician uses special machines and equipment that operates on sound waves to determine or diagnose medical problems for patients. There are specializations within this field in which some individuals explore. For instance, areas of specialization includes but not limited to; pregnancy, heart health, gynecology, and abdominal sonography. Although each specializing branch has its own distinctive function, they all involve probing the body to facilitate doctors with diagnoses.
Understanding transducer theory as well as function is vital in performing clinical ultrasound tests on patients. A transducer can be defined as any device that converts one form of energy into another. Transducers are not just something used in the ultrasound world. There are many different kinds of transducers in the world. Some examples of transducers that we come in contact with in the real world are microphones, speakers, lasers etc. (Miele).
Electronic Fetal Monitoring Technology has had a very prominent influence on electronic fetal monitoring since its appearance in the 1960’s and 1970’s. For many years, fetal monitoring was simply done by listening to a fetal heartbeat through a stethoscope. Dramatic changes in the heartbeat, such as a long period or a drop in the rate or intensity, could be detected,. Now, not only is the electronic fetal monitor used on the outside of the womb by strapping electrodes to the mother’s abdomen but electrodes can also be inserted during the first stage of labor and placed directly on the baby ’s head.
Medical ultrasound mechanisms produce ultrasound waves and accord the imitated echoes. Brightness mode (B mode) is the frank mode that is normally used.[2] The B mode gives a two dimensional (2D) black and white picture that depends on the anatomical locale of the slice. The body can be imaged in disparate planes reliant on the locale of the probe. These slender slices are of less than 1 mm every single and can be sagittal, coronal, transverse, or oblique. Sound waves are emitted from piezoelectric crystals from the ultrasound transducer. Piezoelectric crystals are fabricated from physical that adjustments mechanical signals to mechanical vibrations and adjustments mechanical vibrations to mechanical signals.[2] As ultrasound waves bypass across assorted body tissues, they are imitated back to the transducer crafting an picture on the ultrasound screen.[3] Aural impedance is described as the confrontation for propagation of ultrasound waves. This varies according to the density of the physical ultrasound passes through. After the physical is extra solid, nex...
...f a bed rest you'll need calm down your stress levels. The test is very simple. The pregnant woman will sit in a comfortable chair have 2 belts attached to her stomach, and clicks the beeper when she feels a movement. The printed just runs out the stress levels. This is also called the Braxton-Hicks contractions (Braxton-Hicks contractions 1).
[IMAGE] * Ultrasound Ultrasound was another application of physics which I saw in QueensElizabethHospital . The use of ultrasound which I saw was the ultrasound scan. This is mainly used for pregnant women to see if the foetus has any abnormalities, or check on progress and growth. The rays in ultrasound have a very high frequency which is above the human audible range. Here you can see an image made using ultrasound to see a foetus's progress, growth and if the foetus has any abnormalities.[IMAGE] Gamma camera.
Newborn screening is the practice in which the harmful or potentially fatal conditions that can affect the infant's health or survival are detected. This process can prevent death or health problems and protect the infant against certain diseases and medical conditions. Newborn screening started in 1960's when many states in U.S.A. established a newborn test program for phenylketonuria (PKU) by using the Guthrie method, a system for the collection and transportation of blood samples on filter paper. Many Infants showed developments while receiving treatment. This success led to the addition of tests for other metabolic diseases. Over time, tests were added for endocrine disorders and now newborn screening program include more than 50 individual conditions.