At 10 weeks pregnant, you will be advised to go in for an ultrasound scan that can determine your baby’s progress and your own health. Typically, you can expect a quick 15-min check for heartbeat, abnormalities, and organ functioning. But there are a few more details that at 10-weeks an ultrasound can reveal.
Let’s take you through what you can expect to see during a 10 week pregnant ultrasound.
At 10 Weeks Pregnant, Ultrasound Can Reveal A Lot About Your Baby
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At this stage in your pregnancy, its important to only keep a tab on your own health, but also that of your growing baby. And the only to do is is through an ultrasound. This type of scan essentially reveals not just good news, but any bad news you need to prepare for. But generally speaking, here’s what you can expect to see.
1. Your baby’s progress
Your doctor will ask you to undergo a 10 weeks pregnant ultrasound to help predict your due date and the normalcy of the baby’s growth.
Usually, at this stage of development, the baby weighs around 4-5gm and measures around 3.1 cm. So, these measurements will help your doctor determine the baby’s health.
2. Your baby’s heartbeat
The ultrasound at this stage can also help check for your baby’s heart speed and general well-being. This is a crucial step towards your baby’s growth as it gives you the indication that there is nothing to worry.
3. Abnormalities (if any) in the foetus
At 10 weeks pregnant, ultrasound can also reveal more details about any abnormalities in the foetus, for instance, Down Syndrome.
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4. Baby’s spine development
Your doctor will conduct a 10-weeks ultrasound to check for normal spine development. You may know that at this stage, your baby begins to develop his/her spine. Hence, this will be a crucial ultrasound to determine your baby’s growth.
5. Your baby’s position
An ultrasound at this time will help to rule out ectopic pregnancy and determine the location of your baby.
It is important to determine where your baby is located. That’s because in rare cases of ectopic pregnancy, the embryo gets implanted on the fallopian tubes, instead of the womb, which can be dangerous.
6. Normal organ functioning
Around the 10th week, the skin of the foetus will be translucent, hence the ultrasound will determine the internal organs and their normalcy. Your doctor will be able to determine the normalcy of your baby’s internal organs.
What To Expect During An Ultrasound?
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A typical ultrasound usually takes 15-minutes to half an hour to perform and requires you to have a full bladder. Hence, don’t pee before the ultrasound and consume lots of water for an easy ultrasound experience.
At the 10th week of your pregnancy, the ultrasound may show the baby’s movement, skin, heart beating, bulging forehead and the framework of your baby’s spine. You may also experience and see your baby’s toes and fingers.
There could be a chance that you do not spot any movement of the baby. In that case, you don’t have to worry because there are chances that your baby might be asleep in the womb. Your sonographer will tell you if everything is fine or there is something to worry about.
If any abnormal changes occur in the 10th week, your doctor will help to figure out the next step.
It’s important to note that there have been no links to ultrasound causing birth defects, childhood cancer, and developmental problems. So you won’t have to worry about it if your baby is growing healthily.