What is a Prenatal Ultrasound?

A prenatal ultrasound transmits high-frequency sound waves through the abdomen. The echoes are then transformed into photographic images of your baby. During pregnancy, ultrasound will be used to evaluate the baby, the placenta, the uterine wall, and even your ovaries. Most major birth defects can be seen on ultrasound.

How is an Ultrasound performed?

The majority of prenatal ultrasounds are performed by scanning through your abdomen.  On occasion, a transvaginal ultrasound is necessary to improve the image quality or to assess different parts of your anatomy or of the baby’s anatomy. Very early in pregnancy, transvaginal ultrasound is the preferred method of evaluating pregnancies because the transducer can get so much closer to the image needing to be studied.

Ultrasounds are typically performed on all pregnant women at 20 weeks gestation. During that ultrasound, it will be confirmed that your baby appears normal and is growing properly. You will be able to see the baby’s heartbeat and see the body, arms and legs move. Gender can usually be determined at 20 weeks. Be sure to tell the sonographer performing the ultrasound whether or not you want to know the gender of your baby!

Is it Safe?

Studies have not found obstetrical ultrasounds to be harmful or hazardous in any way. Remember, ultrasounds do not use radiation – such as X-rays and CT scans. They use sound waves.

How Should I Prepare?

You should drink 4 to 6 glasses of water before your ultrasound, so that your bladder is full. A full bladder will help the doctor view the baby better on the ultrasound.  If you are having a transvaginal ultrasound however, you will probably be asked to empty your bladder before the exam starts.

What Happens?

You will lie on a padded examining table during the test and a small amount of water-soluble gel is applied to the skin over your abdomen. The gel does not harm your skin or stain your clothes.

A small device, called a transducer, is gently applied against the skin on your abdomen. The transducer sends high-frequency sound waves into the body, which reflect off internal structures, including your baby. The sound waves or echoes that reflect back are received by the transducer and transformed into a picture on a screen.

There is virtually no discomfort during the test. Because a full bladder is required for the test, you may feel some discomfort when the probe is applied over the bladder. You may be asked to hold your breath briefly several times.

An ultrasound takes 30-45 minutes to complete.

Will Insurance Pay?

Insurance will pay for the ultrasound if it is deemed medically necessary. If you have an ultrasound that is not medically necessary (for example, to simply see the baby or find out the baby's sex), your insurance company may not pay for the ultrasound.

What is a 3-D and 4-D Ultrasound?

3-D ultrasound is a picture of the outside surface of the baby. A moving picture interpretation is referred to as a 4-D ultrasound. It’s important for patients to remember that the 3D pictures are fun to have, but they typically tell us very little about the actual structures inside the baby. For that reason, 2D ultrasound is the most accurate method to evaluate the baby for birth defects.

AIUM Certified

In an increasingly competitive health care climate with limited resources, it is imperative that ultrasound practitioners demonstrate excellence in their practices. The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) Ultrasound Practice Accreditation Council has developed standards for the accreditation of ultrasound practices. MUSC Women’s Health is proud to say that the Prenatal Wellness Center has been accredited since 2001.

Why MUSC?

- We’ve demonstrated and maintained excellence with AIUM Certification.
- One of 7 registered sonographers will perform your ultrasound.
- A Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist will review your ultrasound and you will be informed of any birth defects or problems on the day of your visit.
- As a keepsake, you will receive a CD of ultrasound images of your baby and several paper prints as well.
- We make every attempt to remain on schedule and our goal is to have your visit completed within 75 minutes of your appointment time. However, unforeseen circumstances can arise which delay our progression. We will make every attempt to notify you if there is a significant delay. Most importantly, we guarantee that you will receive the time attention necessary to meet your needs.

by:  Jill Mauldin, M.D.

Request an appointment with a MUSC provider

Let’s talk about smoking during pregnancy. First and foremost, please don’t start… and if you are smoking, please try very hard to stop.

Smoking decreases the amount of oxygen that your baby needs to grow and it decreases the blood flow to the uterus and the placenta. As a result, your baby is more likely to weigh much less than it would if you were not smoking. Smoking during pregnancy also increases the risk that your placenta will separate from the uterine wall before your baby is born. That, of course, would be a serious emergency. We also know that babies born to mothers who smoke are at an increased risk of dying from SIDS.

I hope your doctor or midwife will discuss this with you. If not, bring it up with them! Here are some things you can do:

• Set a goal for yourself – such as to quit smoking within the next 30 days.

• Also, figure out what situations trigger your need to smoke and learn to avoid those situations or locations.

•  You should have a smoke free area in your home that you can retreat to for stress relief and relaxation; and

•  Ask a friend to quit smoking with you – that way, you can support each other through the process.

•  If you are having a particularly hard time, discuss with your physician whether the nicotine patch or another medication is appropriate to help you stop smoking.

Making the choice to stop smoking is one of the biggest things that you can do as a mom to actually improve the outcome of your pregnancy.   Your baby will be healthy and you will feel much better.

by:  Jill Mauldin, M.D.

Request an appointment with a MUSC provider.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can be harmful to you and your growing baby. The degree of harm very largely depends on the amount of alcohol you drink and how often you drink. When you are pregnant, the baby inside of you is exposed to what is in your bloodstream. While a little bit of alcohol may not affect you, it may hurt your baby. In adults, the liver breaks down the alcohol; but your baby’s liver is not yet able to break down the alcohol – so the effects are more harmful.

Keep these things in mind:
1. Drinking alcohol increases the chance of having a miscarriage or having a preterm delivery.
2. Alcohol may also cause the baby to be too small. It’s a condition called intrauterine growth restriction.
3. There is an increased risk of birth defects – particularly of the heart and brain. Children that have been exposed to alcohol during their mother’s pregnancy may have problems with memory, learning, speech and behavior – a condition called fetal alcohol syndrome. You may not be able to see many of these problems until later in life.

Here are some warning signs that suggest you may have a drinking problem:
• Drinking alone, when you feel angry or sad.
• Drinking in a regular pattern – for instance, every day or every week at the same time.
• Thinking a lot about drinking and planning activities around your ability to have a drink.
• Drinking to relieve pain or stress or drinking more than you told yourself you would.

If you see these warning signs in yourself and cannot stop drinking on your own, talk to your doctor.  They can suggest ways to help you.  Your baby will thank you!

by:  Jill Mauldin, M.D.

Request an appointment with a MUSC provider.

FREE talk
January 7, 2009
9:15 a.m.
Citadel Mall
2070 Sam Rittenberg Blvd
Dillards common area


Whether you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, pregnancy presents unique challenges. Dr. Jill Mauldin, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and medical director of the perinatal service line, will address various issues related to diabetic pregnancy. 

For those interested in pregnancy and other women's health topics, this is a great opportunity to get information from a highly skilled physician.  These talks will be given on the first Wednesday of every month.  No registration required.

Request an appointment with a MUSC provider.

Whether you’ve been caught by surprise or this was meticulously planned, pregnancy is a very exciting time. But those first few months – or maybe even longer – can be more than a little trying when you feel nauseous throughout a good portion of the day.  You’ll learn very quickly that it’s not just as the name would suggest: ‘morning sickness.’


Here are some easy things you can do to feel better: 

- Eat small frequent meals. Instead of 3 regular meals, break that up into 6 smaller meals. You’ll probably feel better if you always have a little something in your stomach.
 
- Avoid fried and spicy foods by choosing some stomach-friendly options. Lean protein – such as turkey - is usually tolerated very well. Other examples are starchy carbohydrates, such as breads, potatoes and bananas.
 
- Do not lie down for at least 2 hours after eating and have a few bites of saltine crackers before getting out of bed in the morning.
 
- Carbonated clear sodas – such as Sprite and Ginger Ale - may help your nauseated feeling. Popsicles are another good choice. 

If you still feel nauseous and need more relief, try taking Vitamin B6 10-25mg up to four times a day. Some studies have found it to be beneficial in relieving nausea. Combining a dose of Vitamin B6 with the sleep agent Unisom is also effective if you are on your way to bed. You might also try drinking ginger tea several times a day or taking ginger in a pill form 2 to 3 times a day.

Finally, if you still don’t feel better, if you have lost more than 10% of your baseline weight or if you are unable to keep sips of water down, talk to your health care provider. The doctor may be able to provide a prescription medicine that is stronger, but may be more helpful in combating your nausea. Your provider can also screen you for any other serious problems that may be going on.

by:  Jill Mauldin, M.D.

Women Speak is a health blog written by physicians and other health care providers from Women and Infant Services at the Medical University of South Carolina. We’re excited about what we do and hope to pass that excitement and passion on to you as we discuss those health issues particularly important to women and their newborns.

As we go forward, you’ll see topics addressing questions that we hear from patients during our clinical practice.  If something is hot in the media pertaining to our topics of interest, we will be ready to address them as well. And, of course, we’ll also feel obliged to blog about some things that we just think you should know.

Thanks for joining us as we get started on this journey. You may comment following the blogs or write to us at:

Women & Infant Services
c/o Women Speak
96 Jonathan Lucas Street, Ste, 634
MSC 619
 Charleston, SC 29425

Jill Mauldin, M.D.
Associate Professor and Perinatal Service Line Medical Director
Medical University of South Carolina