Q&A for How to Read an Ultrasound Picture

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How will I know the exact weeks of my pregnancy?

Lacy Windham, MD
Board Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist
Lacy Windham, MD, is a Board-Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist in Cleveland, Tennessee. Dr. Windham attended medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Her residency was completed at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia. She was the recipient of multiple awards during her residency training, including Most Outstanding Resident in Maternal Fetal Medicine, Most Outstanding Resident in Oncology, Most Outstanding Resident Overall, and Special Award in Minimally Invasive Surgery.

Lacy Windham, MD

Board Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist

Expert Answer

Measurements will be taken at the time of ultrasound, depending on the gestational age. Early gestations are measured by the crown-rump length, and later gestations are measured by an algorithm using head, abdomen and femur measurements. Determining an accurate gestational age is also dependent on how far along the pregnancy is. If you are dated by measurements that show you to be 6 weeks pregnant, this is extremely accurate. If you are measuring when you are close to your due date, this is extremely inaccurate.

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Question

What does fetus A/1 mean on USG?

Lacy Windham, MD
Board Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist
Lacy Windham, MD, is a Board-Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist in Cleveland, Tennessee. Dr. Windham attended medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Her residency was completed at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia. She was the recipient of multiple awards during her residency training, including Most Outstanding Resident in Maternal Fetal Medicine, Most Outstanding Resident in Oncology, Most Outstanding Resident Overall, and Special Award in Minimally Invasive Surgery.

Lacy Windham, MD

Board Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist

Expert Answer

If you are having a single pregnancy, it just refers to the baby. If you are having twins or triplets, it is a way to keep track of which baby is being measured.

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Question

How do I determine if a baby will be a boy or a girl based on a five-month scan?

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse
Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS

Registered Nurse

Expert Answer

The 20-week scan (5-month scan) is the best way to determine fetal development and growth. At this time, your healthcare provider can see the images of your baby to help determine if you are having a boy (penis is present) or a girl (no penis).

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Question

Which side of the image is the right side of my body and which side is the left of my body?

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse
Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS

Registered Nurse

Expert Answer

Most ultrasound images are mirror images, meaning you see the left side of your body on the left side of the screen or image. However, a transvaginal ultrasound is a straight shot (or "still" image). With a straight shot, the image produced will show the left side of your body on the right side of the image (just like a photograph). A transverse image or transverse view gives the view of a still image.

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