Transvaginal Ultrasound: What It Is, How It Works, and When It’s Needed

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All you need to do is to envisage a soft flashlight, it is sound and looks into your body without having to cut anything open. In general, a transvaginal ultrasound is a special form of taking the picture in the womb, ovaries and those surrounding it, with the help of high-pitched sound waves, which we are unable to hear.

Basically, how is it different from the routine belly ultrasound?

Yes, according to Punarjan, one of the best ovarian cancer treatment hospitals in hyderabad, the difference is in where the “microphone” goes: whereas for a routine pregnancy scan, the doctor rubs a handheld wand over your tummy, in transvaginal scans, the wand is long-just about as thin as the width of a tampon-covered with a smooth plastic sleeve and some clear gel, and set into the vagina with care. Due to the fact that it comes very close to the organs, the resulting pictures become sharper-so, as though you are leaving a phone camera and a good camera.

What Really Does Happen to the Sound Waves?

The wand produces tiny bursts of sound with an extremely higher frequency of a dog whistle. These sound waves pass through your tissues till they reach an obstacle-say, the wall of your uterus or a developing follicle in your ovary. Where there is a surface of soft tissue and fluid within a cyst the waves echo back in a sort of a canyon echo. The wand picks up those reflected echoes, and a computer translates them into black-andwhite moving pictures on the screen.

But what of the inside of the cells themselves?

What the majority of people never get told is that each and every cell in your body which is alive, is shaking a little every minute like jelly on a plate. It makes the sound wave squeeze and release those cells millions of times a second as the sound wave goes through it. Densities such as the muscle wall of the uterus-squeeze less and reflect a stronger echo. Softer- or liquid-filled objects- such as a follicle with fluid preparing to give out an egg-squeeze more and produce weaker echoes. What you are looking at on the screen is in fact a map of the squishiness or firmness of the trillions of cells in that very position. It is a magic voice, touching life on the smallest level and showing us an image.

Does It Hurt or Feel Weird?

The vast majority of women indicate that it is like period pressure-nothing sharp. You might feel the wand move a little, as the doctor angles it to see different sides. You stay in control; you can ask them to stop or slow down anytime. A full bladder isn’t needed-actually, it’s better if it’s empty-so no uncomfortable “hold it” wait, like with belly scans.

When Do Doctors Choose This Scan Instead of Others?

Doctors select the close-up view for when they require more detail:

Very early in pregnancy, at 5–6 weeks, when the tiny baby’s heartbeat is still hiding deep inside.
To check for the reason behind heavy, painful, or missing periods.
To examine ovarian cysts or fibroids which can be particularly difficult to see by feeling the tummy.
During fertility treatments, to count how many egg sacs are growing each month to ensure that an IUD is in the correct position.
Sometimes after miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy to gently see what’s happening inside.

Is It Safe for Me and for a Baby If I’m Pregnant?

They are waves of sound so gentle that even brand-new pregnancies get this scan every day around the world. There’s no radiation as there is with X-rays, and decades of use show no harm to eggs, embryos, or mothers. In the end, a transvaginal ultrasound is just a better pair of glasses for your doctor-letting them see tiny details with sound instead of surgery. It’s quick-10 to 15 minutes-usually private, and gives answers without big procedures. And if your doctor suggests one, that’s because getting a clearer picture can help you feel better faster. If you want to learn more, log on to www.punarjanayurveda.com.