To confirm pregnancy is an ultrasound scan really needed? Is it safe? this is a concern many patients and family raise, let me share some information with all of you to emphasise the importance of imaging with ultrasound in early pregnancy
1. Ultrasound is not harmful to the mother nor the fetus in the womb, we are using only sound waves to image and not radiation (like in an x-ray or CT)
2. A urine pregnancy test confirms the presence of pregnancy hormone in the body but does not confirm if the pregnancy is normal and healthy
3. Incidence of ectopic pregnancy is growing and it is a life-threatening condition so it is mandatory to confirm that the pregnancy is inside the uterus, more so if the patient complains of any aches n pain in d abdomen
4. Establishment of heartbeat confirms that the pregnancy is destined to continue hence it is important to confirm pregnancy only after seeing the fetal heart with ultrasound at 6 to 7 weeks