Baby: Doppler Ultrasound
Doppler ultrasound is based on the principle of the Doppler effect. It is often used to monitor the health of a fetus because it can not only provide a picture of the unborn child, it can also monitor the childs heart rate and serve as an early warning system to detect any fetal abnormalities.
During an ultrasound, low-level sound waves are sent through the mothers abdomen toward the fetus. Any movement that these waves encounter change their frequency; the frequency becomes higher if the object they reflect from (the fetus) is moving toward them, and lower if the object is moving away from them. The ultrasound machine translates these changes in frequency into sounds or pictures that provide valuable information about the health of the baby.
By monitoring fetal heart rate and providing physicians with a clear picture of the fetus and the womb, doppler ultrasound is an invaluable tool in determining the health of a pregnancy. Ultrasounds are most often used for the following reasons: confirmation of pregnancy, detection of vaginal bleeding early in a pregnancy, measuring the age and size of a fetus, early detection of fetal malformation, determining whether the placenta is situated correctly, detection of multiple pregnancies, and measuring the amount of amniotic fluid present in the womb.
There have been numerous advances in doppler ultrasound in recent years. Color flow mapping allows physicians to monitor fetal blood flow in real time, with different colors corresponding to different directions of blood flow. While traditional ultrasounds offer blurry and sometimes indeterminate pictures of the fetus, the new 3-D and 4-D ultrasounds show parents much more lifelike renderings of their babies, even allowing them to watch their babys movements and facial expressions. These new ultrascans not only provide parents with an opportunity to get to know their child sooner, they also help physicians detect anomalies like cleft palate and spina bifida much earlier than ever before.
Benefits of Using a Home Doppler Ultrasound
The peace of mind that seeing and hearing their unborn child provides to parents has caused a recent trend toward providing doppler ultrasounds tailored for in-home use. Many businesses are now offering hand-held models that can be used easily and accurately anytime. Many parents describe hearing their babys heartbeat as a joyful and reassuring experience; the in-home models allow them not only the security of being able to monitor their child on their own, they also allow them to share their joy and excitement with loved ones.