This article will tell you everything about the ultrasound colour Doppler test and its significance during pregnancy.
Pregnancy is a very exciting phase for a couple. They ensure and ascertain the best for the health of their growing baby. The evolving technology has ensured a comfortable and risk-free life. Technology has made certain non-accessible things possible. The Color Doppler test as an imaging technique is often prescribed for pregnant women. This helps record your baby's heart rate, check the blood flow and monitor your fetal growth.
During the third trimester, it can help rule out certain complications in the mother and baby. This test can yield information in high-risk pregnancies.
What is a Color Doppler Ultrasound?
During pregnancy, the color doppler ultrasound is one of the most prevalent yet intrinsic types of Doppler ultrasound imaging technique that identifies and traces the blood flow and speed of the blood circulation in the vessels.
The radiology imaging technique involves a combined use of ultrasound pulse-echo with ultrasound Doppler imaging techniques for a clear understanding and status of the baby’s growth in the mother.
Unlike the standard Doppler scan imaging, the color doppler uses a connected computer to adjust the emitted sound waves into varying colors to produce a final-colored image. The colored image gives a clear path and understanding of the blood flow through the different blood vessels in the fetal heart and the other principal organs in the body.
The colored tracing with the doppler technique also identifies the fetus’ solid tissues, especially the heart walls, to check for proper development and any prevalent anomalies or congenital disabilities in the developing fetus.
What is the Significance of Color Doppler Ultrasound During Pregnancy?
A colour Doppler ultrasound technique can show the flow path of your blood and obstructions in developing fetus blood circulation.
This scan is usually prescribed two times during your pregnancy. It is generally done during your 10-12 weeks of high-risk pregnancies. This test helps check any developmental abnormalities in your growing fetus.
31-40 weeks of your gestation helps analyze any intrauterine growth retraction risk in your baby. The third-trimester phase scan helps check and prevalent heart-related abnormalities, pulmonary development, or any other risks of blood circulation obstructions.
Placenta accreta is a condition that can be diagnosed using this scan technique. This is a condition where the placenta gets tightly bound to mother’s inside of the womb. It leads to incomplete placenta delivery after birth. Color doppler scans help your doctor to scrape out the placenta remains. It helps eliminate future complications.
How is the Colour Doppler Test Performed During Pregnancy?
Constant poking and prodding in pregnancy can be a reason to worry. A colour Doppler scan is a painless and safe procedure to diagnose such symptoms. It is a needleless technique and doesn’t need any special preparations.
You need to wear a hospital gown before the test. The further steps are given below:
- The scan takes around 30-60 minutes.
- After wearing a hospital gown, you will be asked to lie down on the scan table.
- The area to be examined needs to be clothes-free. You will be asked to lift your gown to expose the needed part.
- A special ultrasound gel will be applied to the area to be examined.
- A transducer probe is used that transmits sound waves to your abdomen/required area. These help in generating scan images on your computer screen.
- These soundwaves are converted into images, which help trace the path of blood flow. It also helps check blood movement in the fetus.
- Your doctor or technician covers all the necessary areas to be examined.
- Once the scan is completed, you can wipe off this gel and change into your own clothes.
What Should I Check in the Color Doppler Ultrasound Results?
After your Colour Doppler ultrasound, your reports will take between a day to a week. The duration of y our scan may vary depending on various conditions including hospital or clinic location, etc.
The test can be helpful in diagnosing various situations:
- Like intrauterine growth restriction risk.
- Probability of any underlying premature birth risk.
- Like imbalanced or inappropriate growth of fetus or fetuses in the case of twins or multiple pregnancies.
- Including deformity, malformations or underdeveloping foetuses, especially during multiple pregnancies.
- Placenta accreta
- Risks of developing high blood pressure in the mother
Is Color Doppler Ultrasound Safe?
The colour Doppler ultrasound scan can help diagnose certain abnormalities during your early or later pregnancy stages. This scan is conducted in absolute conditions where women is at high-risk pregnancies. It can help rule out certain blood-flow-related complications. In case of multiple pregnancies or for placental complications diagnosis, colour Doppler scans are used.
This diagnostic technique is completely non-invasive and safe. Any high-risk pregnancies can be monitored using color Doppler test to rule out complications.
Conclusion
Colour Doppler Ultrasound tests are often used during pregnancy. They can help rule out several abnormalities including the risks and anomalies occurring in your growing fetus. This test yields better-resolution scan images and gives clearer results than the traditional ultrasound scans. If your OBGYN has recommended you to get a colour Doppler, Ganesh Diagnostic is a highly reputed and recommended stop for getting your test done. They ensure the well-being of the mother and the baby.
