Nursing Career Articles
The Need Of Diagnostic Ultrasound

It was estimated by the journal of Obstetrics and gynecology that in the year of 1990 there were over 50 percent of the pregnant women which had undergone diagnostic ultrasound. But the New England Journal of Medicine sustains that appreciatively 80 percent of the pregnant women aren't presenting any risks in their pregnancy, which means that they do not need any diagnostic ultrasound. As well, it is good to mention the fact that the costs of ultrasounds are about $1 Billion per year.

If you are told by your doctor that you need a diagnostic ultrasound, you should first inform upon the procedure, if there are any risks included, and the potential benefits of the test. Also, take into consideration that you have to know before the procedure begins if the diagnostic ultrasound is going to affect your care that you would otherwise receive and how. Also, you have to know if you really need the test or not, even though it may not affect your care. After being informed upon all the aspects of the diagnostic ultrasound, aspects including the need of the test, the risks and benefits as well, you may sign or not the consent for the procedure.

Nowadays, the ultrasounds are being used as a standard procedure for every pregnant woman. Common uses of ultrasounds feature the diagnosing and detecting uterine pregnancy, noting pelvic inflammatory disease, cysts, tumors uterine cancer. Also, through the use of ultrasounds, there can be compared the fetal age and weight, note the placement of the placenta, amount of amniotic fluid that is present. Even more, ultrasounds are able to diagnostic certain birth defects such as neural tube defects. They are used during an amniocentesis in order to verify the baby's position so the placing of the needle can be done properly.