Modern medicine involves a variety of diagnostic procedures. The equipment can help the doctor to correctly diagnose and prescribe timely therapy. A separate breakthrough in medicine was ultrasound diagnostics. It is especially relevant for the fairer sex.
The presented article will tell you about what an ultrasound in gynecology is. When to do better and how to prepare for it, you will learn further. You can also find out all about the methods of the procedure and the places of its implementation.
When is this study scheduled?
When is it best to do an ultrasound in gynecology? The answer to this question is simple. The procedure must be performed if there is evidence. They are determined by a specialist. Therefore, if you have any complaints, then you need to go to the gynecologist and get recommendations. Ultrasound diagnosis is prescribed in the following situations:
- menstrual irregularities (long, irregular periods, breakthrough bleeding);
- pain in the lower abdomen;
- discomfort during intercourse;
- hormonal disorders;
- infertility;
- pain in the mammary glands;
- discharge from the genital tract with an unpleasant odor and unusual consistency;
- suspicion of various pathologies;
- preventive examinations and so on.
Venues for the procedure
Further from the article you will learn more information about ultrasound in gynecology (when is the best time to do). Ultrasound diagnostics can be carried out in private clinics or public institutions.
When contacting a private institution, you will quickly be provided with the necessary services. However, you will have to pay a certain amount for this. Usually the examination costs from three hundred rubles to three thousand. If you decide to use the services of state hospitals, then money will not be required. However, you need to have a policy and passport with you. You need to sign up for a diagnosis with a doctor. In some cases, you have to wait in line.
Diagnostic Methods
Before you learn more about gynecological ultrasound, when it is best to do, examination methods should be studied. The procedure is carried out in two ways. Which will be preferable, depends on the situation and the patient's condition. Sometimes a specialist needs to inspect in two ways. This is often required during pregnancy. Consider in detail the methods of examination.
Vaginal sensor
This device has the shape of a thin cylinder. At the very end is the so-called camera. The sensor is inserted into the vagina and transmits the image of the genitals of the pelvis to a specialist. After that, the doctor fixes the necessary indicators and draws up a protocol. This diagnostic method is usually chosen for non-pregnant women who have sex. Also, this method is also used for expectant mothers in the early stages to establish the fact of conception. Often in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, a vaginal probe is diagnosed. It allows you to assess the condition of the cervical canal and cervix. Often this method is necessary when there is a threat of abortion or isthmic-cervical insufficiency.
Alternative way
There is another survey method. It is called transabdominal. Usually, several types of sensors are located on the same ultrasound diagnostic device. The device for transabdominal ultrasound has a flat shape. With its help, the picture is transmitted to the screen through the abdominal wall. Before the manipulation, the doctor must apply a conductive gel to the desired part of the patient’s abdomen. This method of examination is preferable for virgins and pregnant women, as well as for those representatives of the weaker sex who cannot be examined by a vaginal device.
The transabdominal diagnostic method in a non-pregnant state may give a less accurate result than its alternative, since the uterus and ovaries are usually located in the pelvic cavity. It can be difficult for a sensor to get results from hidden areas.
Gynecological ultrasound: when is it better to do?
The specialist is always engaged in determining the date of the study. The doctor will tell you about all the nuances. Much depends on your individual situation. So, the usual preventive examination is carried out at the beginning of the menstrual cycle. Tracking ovulation is carried out approximately in the middle of the period. If you need to establish the fact of pregnancy, then the end of the cycle is selected. Separate diagnostic periods are for pregnant women. Consider all situations and find out on which day it is better to do an ultrasound (gynecology).
Preventive examination or suspected pathology
Routine gynecological ultrasound when is better to do? Ultrasound diagnostics in normal mode is carried out immediately after the end of menstruation. Doctors most often fix the fifth or seventh day from the first bleeding. It is during this period that all defects can be considered as much as possible. After all, the thickness of the endometrium at this time is minimal. A specialist can see various neoplasms: fibroids, polyps, cysts. It is worth noting that the ovaries at this moment have a minimum size, they should not have neoplasms. But some women have cysts that may be functional or pathological.
Despite the standard recommendations, in some cases, doctors choose other periods for examinations. Much depends on the length of the patient’s cycle. If it has an average duration, then specialists adhere to standard standards. With a short female cycle, it is recommended to conduct an examination from the third day, since ovulation can already occur by the seventh day. With a long period, you can postpone the ultrasound and perform it on time from 5 to 10 days.
In case of suspected pregnancy
If the patient thinks she is pregnant, when is it best to do an ultrasound in gynecology? The answer to this question will be unanimous. Experts say that the study can show a positive result only after two weeks from the alleged menstruation. Some devices have more accurate and modern devices. Such sensors show the presence of a fetal egg in the uterus after one week of delay.
In accordance with the duration of the female cycle, the day of the examination is selected: 35, 42 or 49.
Folliculometry and its features
If you need to track the growth of the follicle and determine ovulation, when is it best to do an ultrasound in gynecology? You yourself most likely will not be able to pick the right days. Since in this case, it all depends on the length of the cycle. At the appointment, the doctor will ask you to remember the dates of the last 3-6 menstruation. Based on the data obtained, the average cycle time is calculated. After that, the most favorable day for the start of folliculometry is determined.
For women with a short cycle, this is the fifth day, with an average duration of ten. A long period (up to 35 days) involves the start of an ovarian examination on day 17. After the first examination, the doctor will be able to determine for you the following days of folliculometry. Usually it is carried out every 2-3 days. But given the size of the follicle, it can be prescribed after a few hours. A feature of the manipulation is that the examination provides only an examination of the ovaries. The doctor will not pay attention to other indicators.
Do I need training?
You already know in which cases when it is better to do an ultrasound in gynecology. Preparation for the procedure is very simple. Moreover, it depends on the diagnostic method. In both cases, you must remember when was the last menstruation. The doctor needs to be informed about the first day and the duration of the bleeding.
Vaginal examination
If you are recommended a vaginal examination, then be sure to specify what you need to take with you. Some clinics do not provide free condoms that are worn on the sensor. In this case, you will have to purchase a latex product in advance.
Perform hygiene procedures: wash with soap. Do not use any vaginal gels. This may reduce diagnostic accuracy. Empty your bladder just before the examination. On the day of the procedure, it is necessary to complete an act of defecation.
Ultrasound through the abdominal wall
In this type of examination, much depends on the condition of the patient.
- If the diagnosis is carried out in a non-pregnant woman, then you must definitely drink a glass of water a few minutes before the ultrasound. The bladder should be slightly full.
- When the examination is prescribed to a pregnant woman, on the contrary, you need to urinate before the procedure. So the doctor will be able to correctly determine the position and parameters of the fetus.
- If the diagnosis is prescribed to the expectant mother, who has scars on the uterus, then the bladder should be full.
Expert Advice
You have already learned a lot about the procedure called ultrasound in gynecology (when is the best time to do it). Types of research and methods of its implementation are presented to your attention. Experts give the following recommendations:
- tell the doctor what is bothering you;
- do not take any medications before manipulation;
- if you use hormonal contraceptives, then tell about this;
- Do not try to decrypt the received data yourself;
- go after the diagnosis to the gynecologist for further appointments and recommendations.
To summarize
If you need an ultrasound in gynecology, when is it best to do, it is better to check with the gynecologists about the types of ultrasound diagnostics and preparation methods. Only a doctor can sensibly assess your condition and talk about the need for research or its absence. If even nothing bothers you, then you need to regularly visit specialists. In the absence of evidence and complaints, diagnosis should be carried out once a year. After menopause, it is recommended to do this more often. Watch your health, all the best to you!