Why In-House Ultrasound Is Key to Women’s Health Care
If you’re like many women, taking responsibility for your health care is like juggling yet another ball along with work, home, and family responsibilities. Your women’s health appointments are important and need to be high priority on that seemingly unending list of things to do.
When you need an ultrasound as part of your care, the last thing you want to do is make another appointment and drive to another place on a different day. That’s why we have in-house ultrasound — so you have one less thing to squeeze into your schedule.
Our OB/GYN Brandon M. Lingenfelter, DO, PhD, shares his thoughts on why in-house ultrasound is important to women’s health care, starting with a quick primer on what ultrasound is and how it’s used.
Versatile diagnostic tool
Ultrasound, or ultrasonography as it’s sometimes called, is a diagnostic test that allows us to see inside the patient’s body. Ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of soft tissues and organs, such as the uterus, ovaries, and bladder.
During an ultrasound test, a device called a transducer produces sound waves that bounce off soft tissues and organs. The sound waves bounce back to the transducer and are interpreted by a computer that creates an image that appears on a video monitor.
When a woman comes in for her first prenatal visit, oftentimes we can use ultrasound to check the baby’s heart rate, determine the fetus’ gestational age, and in the case of multiple births, count the number of fetuses. Another way we use ultrasound is to check on a baby around the 18-20-week mark, which many women associate with the gender reveal.
Ultrasound is also used for gynecological health issues, such as checking for an ovarian cyst or a uterine fibroid, helping to diagnose abnormal uterine bleeding and pelvic pain, detecting the early signs of cancer, and helping to evaluate and treat infertility issues. In these cases, we often use transvaginal ultrasound, where the transducer is placed inside the vagina to get a better image of your reproductive organs.
Safe for both Mom and the unborn baby
One big plus is that ultrasound is a noninvasive and safe way to examine both a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. Since ultrasound uses sonar technology, not radiation, and there are no known side effects, it’s a win-win all around. There’s enough to worry about, whether you’re pregnant or just trying to get to the bottom of a health issue. With this great diagnostic tool we can get some answers for you, so that you can stop worrying and start feeling better.
In-house testing is convenient and easy
Being versatile and safe are great assets for any diagnostic test, but what really seals the deal for most patients is saving time by not having to run somewhere else for your ultrasound. For our patients’ convenience, the practice houses our own ultrasound services, so we can do your test and give you the results the same day.
To learn more about in-house ultrasound and our other services, contact our practice in Princeton, West Virginia. Book your appointment online or call our office today.