Morphological ultrasound – what is it like? when to do?

The morphological ultrasound is some of the most exciting moments, both for its diagnostic value and for the possibility of seeing your baby. Move and grow within you.

An ultrasound is a non-invasive, ultrasound-based technique that allows you to see organs and structures inside the body. In addition, in the case of pregnant women they are used to examine the baby in the womb , providing valuable information about the well-being, position, age or weight of your baby. It also allows you to determine the status of the placenta and the quality and quantity of amniotic fluid, as well as possible complications or abnormalities that may affect your pregnancy .

In a normal pregnancy , three ultrasounds are usually performed:

• The first around 12 weeks. Confirms Pregnancy , determines the number of babies and gestational age and triple screening (screening test that measures the risk of your baby having some abnormalities).
• The second ( morphological ultrasound ) is performed at around 20 weeks. In addition, it analyzes the morphological characteristics of the baby to know if it is developing normally.
• The third is done around 34 weeks to check your baby’s status, amniotic fluid and placenta.

The morphological ultrasound allows you to assess whether the baby is developing within the appropriate parameters. In addition, it analyzes the anatomy and biometrics of your baby’s organs.

What is Morphological Ultrasound?

The morphological ultrasound is the test with which it is evaluated that your baby has all its organs and bones well developed in relation to its gestational age. A complete anatomical study is performed in which the organs are found to function normally.

In addition, their limbs are well formed, spine well aligned, face profile is normal and they have all fingers and toes. Also biometrics is studied by taking measurements of head diameter, femur and humerus length, nuchal translucency, etc., which are compared with percentile tables and allow you to verify that your baby’s growth is right.

In addition to the anatomical features that are measured other important things like the location of the placenta, umbilical cord insertion inside it, amniotic fluid, the length of the cervix or blood flow through the uterine arteries. All these parameters will provide us with information on how the Pregnancy can proceed.

What is the Range of Morphological Ultrasound?

Morphological ultrasound is suggested at 20 and 22 weeks of pregnancy to check for abnormalities in your baby. The word “morphology” means your baby’s “shape, structure and configuration”.

In addition to checking your baby for abnormalities, this morphology check checks for:

• Your baby’s heart is beating.
• Multiple pregnancy .
• Your baby’s size.
• Placental position.
• Volume of amniotic fluid around your baby.

Why is Morphological Ultrasound Done Between 20 and 22 Weeks?

The morphological ultrasound is done between 20 and 22 weeks because this is an ideal gestational age to assess the baby’s morphology: formation at younger ages, organs may not have finished or even be too small to be seen clearly and, at later ages, the image quality may be degraded. Also, at this stage of Pregnancy , if a malformation is diagnosed, the parents still have time to decide whether or not they want to continue with the Pregnancy . Beyond 22 weeks, the law only contemplates the interruption of pregnancy in very specific cases.

Can I Find out the Gender of the Baby on Morphological Ultrasound?

While a morphology ultrasound exam is never 100% accurate when determining your baby’s sex, with extremely good ultrasound machines and highly trained sonographers, the accuracy is very high. Scans are more accurate in diagnosing boys than girls. About 60% of pregnant women want to find out the sex of the baby in this test.

What Does Morphological Ultrasound Diagnose and How Accurately?

Morphological ultrasound is a non-invasive exam that identifies potential fetal malformations, both serious and minor, however, it can be the sign of something more serious. The diagnostic accuracy depends on the physician’s personal preparation and the type of problem, in equal parts.

A European study (Eurofetus study) has shown that the diagnostic ability of ECOG raffia is close to 88.3 percent in the case of malformations of the nervous system, and drops to 84 percent for the kidney, and 38 percent for those related to the heart. and the large blood vessels of the circulatory system.

If the test result indicates possible complications arising for the mother to a central level II, proceed with a more comprehensive, or, in certain cases, a more invasive and revealing ultrasound examination, such as amniocentesis or bars.

If the baby’s position allows it and the parents want to know, this ultrasound also serves to know the baby’s sex in most cases.

What Types of Abnormalities Can Morphological Ultrasound Detect?

Below is a list of different types of abnormality and the likelihood that the scan will identify each problem.

• Spina bifida (open spinal cord): 90% chance of detection;
• Anencephaly (Absence of the upper head): 99% chance of detection;
• Hydrocephalus (Excess fluid in the brain): 60% chance of detection;
• Major congenital heart problems: 25% chance of detection;
• Diaphragmatic hernia (a defect in the muscle that separates the chest and abdomen): 60% chance of detection;
• Exomphalos/gastroschisiss (Abdominal wall defect): 90% detection chance;
• Main kidney: Absent or abnormal kidney 85% chance of detection;
• Main limb: missing bones or very short limbs 90% chance of detection;
• Down syndrome : can be associated with heart and bowel problems 40% chance of detection;
• Cerebral palsy, autism and spasticity are never diagnosed

What if a Problem is Encountered?

This will depend on the nature of the suspected abnormality. More ultrasound scans are usually needed, particularly focusing on the concern.

• Some abnormalities resolve in pregnancy or after birth.
• In addition, abnormalities persist but are not of concern and do not affect the baby’s well-being or appearance.
• Some abnormalities will impact delivery – time, type and even place of delivery.
• Also, some anomalies will unfortunately not be compatible with a good Pregnancy result .

How Safe is Morphological Ultrasound?

Ultrasound scans use sound waves, not ionizing radiation like X-rays. In addition, there have been many long-term studies that have not shown any adverse effects of a scan before birth. Follow-up demonstrated normal growth and development, normal vision and hearing, and normal variation in school performance.

How Long Does the Morphological Ultrasound Take?

The actual scan time for your morphological ultrasound may vary depending on your baby’s position, gestational age and degree of bladder filling, however 1 hour is allotted for this scan. Occasionally, you may be asked to return later in the day or on another day for additional images. If this is necessary, your Sonographer will discuss this in more detail with you.

How to Prepare for the Morphological Ultrasound?

Normally, no special preparation is necessary to perform the morphological ultrasound, however, as a full bladder can help to improve the images and also to elevate the uterus, the obstetrician may advise drinking water before the exam, as well as avoiding completely emptying the uterus. bladder, if you feel like going to the bathroom.