Fetal ultrasound at how many weeks to detect fetal malformations?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Ly Thi Thanh Nha - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec International General Hospital Da Nang. Doctor Nha has strengths and experience in fetal malformation ultrasound, 3D, 4D fetal ultrasound.

Fetal ultrasound is a non-invasive method that uses sound waves to diagnose the fetus and some other organs such as the placenta, the mother's uterus during pregnancy. Thanks to fetal ultrasound, the doctor will capture the development as well as the health status of the baby.
The essence of the fetal ultrasound process is that the sound waves from the ultrasound machine are transmitted to the mother's uterus, the wave signals from the reflection of the baby's body as well as the mother's organs will be translated by the computer into The pictures. So when we have an ultrasound we can see the shape, movement and position of the baby.
Currently, the types of ultrasound are very diverse: 2D, 3D, 4D ultrasound or color Doppler ultrasound. Therefore, pregnant women can choose arbitrarily when they want to conduct fetal ultrasound.

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Common fetal malformations

Fetal malformation is one or more abnormalities in the form of a physical or genetic defect that causes adverse effects on pregnancy as well as on the baby at birth. Some of the most common fetal malformations today are:
Congenital heart disease in children Down syndrome Cleft lip, cleft palate Spinal fissure Deformity of limbs and genital organs Gender disorders or inability Developmental capacity Anomalies related to mental retardation, growth retardation According to statistics, about 90% of fetal malformations cannot be identified from clinical manifestations. Therefore, supportive intervention from modern mechanical devices is a really necessary solution in detecting fetal malformations.
Up to the present time, fetal ultrasound is considered an easy diagnostic method, relatively safe and affordable. Fetal ultrasound gives accurate diagnosis and detection of malformations from 85-90%. However, the true accuracy of fetal ultrasound also depends a lot on the equipment system and professional skills of the examining doctor.

In order to detect fetal malformations, there are 3 important golden times that mothers should conduct fetal ultrasound at the following times:
3.1 Fetal ultrasound at 12-14 weeks When the fetus is at 12-14 weeks is The most accurate time to calculate gestational age is by fetal ultrasound.
This is also the only time the doctor can measure the nape of the neck to predict fetal chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome, malformations of limbs, congenital heart, muscular hernia diaphragm,..
After 14 weeks, the above diagnoses will no longer be highly accurate. If at 18 weeks, the light at the nape of the neck increases, in addition to fetal ultrasound, the diagnosis of down will be further checked by amniocentesis of the pregnant woman.
It can be said that, from 12 weeks of age, your baby has developed relatively fully in terms of morphology and has reflexes such as bending and stretching the body, stretching the limbs... This is also one of the three ultrasound milestones. Important deformities are recommended by experts to perform. During this ultrasound, doctors will especially check and screen for early abnormalities of the brain, face, heart, digestive, urinary, extremities and the whole body.
However, because your baby is still quite small, so not all medical facilities have modern equipment to accurately diagnose fetal abnormalities at this stage. Particularly at Vinmec International General Hospital, having a high-end 4D ultrasound system such as the GE Voluson E10 plays an extremely important role in helping Vinmec doctors detect more than 95% of anomalies during this period. Packed with the latest technologies, the GE Voluson E10 enables enhanced image quality and penetration for outstanding high-resolution images and easy operation.
3.2 Fetal ultrasound at 21-24 weeks This is a very important fetal ultrasound. During this period, fetal ultrasound only helps detect abnormalities in external appearance such as malformations of organs, internal organs, cleft palate, cleft lip, .. Functional disorders cannot be detected. in this period.

3.3 Fetal ultrasound at 30-32 weeks Fetal ultrasound at 30-32 weeks, helps doctors detect late fetal abnormalities such as abnormalities in the heart, arteries or an area of ​​structure brain.
In addition, fetal ultrasound at this stage also supports the detection of growth retardation in the mother's womb - one of the causes of fetal distress or asphyxia after birth.
It is very important to have a pregnancy ultrasound at the right time and periodically to detect fetal malformations early, so that appropriate monitoring and treatment measures can be taken. The effectiveness of the ultrasound method for diagnosing fetal malformations depends a lot on the doctor's qualifications, as well as on modern equipment.
At Vinmec International General Hospital, with modern equipment with advanced ultrasound machines in the world and a team of experienced obstetricians and gynecologists, in diagnosis will be a reliable address for monitoring. obstetrics and early detection of fetal malformations.
In addition, Vinmec International General Hospital also provides a package of maternity services as a solution to help pregnant women feel secure because of the companionship of the medical team throughout the pregnancy. When choosing Maternity Package, pregnant women can:
The pregnancy process is monitored by a team of qualified doctors Regular check-up, early detection of abnormalities Maternity package helps to facilitate the process. birthing process Newborns receive comprehensive care.

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Important pregnancy ultrasound milestones