Ultrasounds

An ultrasound is much more than just making a beautiful picture of your baby during pregnancy.

With an ultrasound we monitor your child’s development and growth professionally. It is not only a valuable addition to the pregnancy check-ups, but besides a special and beautiful view inside the abdomen also provides your obstetrician/gynaecologist with important information on all the phases of and around the pregnancy.

We carry out your ultrasounds with the latest ultrasound technology and all our sonographers are highly trained and experienced in the field.

Early Pregnancy Ultrasound
With this ultrasound we check whether the pregnancy is in the uterus, whether it is a single or multiple birth and/or whether the heart is beating. In addition, we check whether the uterus and ovaries look normal. Please note that all ultrasound scans before the 10th week of pregnancy are usually done internally, that is vaginally, in order to get the best image.

Please note: If you have not received a referral from the midwife or GP, but would still like to visit us, this is always possible. However, you will have to pay the costs of the ultrasound yourself in advance.

Dating Ultrasound
With this ultrasound we determine your due date and gestational age.

In most cases, this ultrasound is done through the abdominal wall. The quality of the transabdominal ultrasound may not be sufficient, for example due to poor image quality or other factors. In those cases the ultrasound will be performed vaginally (through your vagina). The best time for this ultrasound is between 10 and 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Blood Loss
This ultrasound checks whether your pregnancy is intact and vital. The cause for the blood loss and whether there may be a miscarriage are investigated.

Depending on the gestational age and the possible cause, this ultrasound is performed through your abdominal wall or vaginally (through your vagina).

NIPT

You can opt for the NIPT if you want to find out during the pregnancy whether your child has Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome or Patau syndrome.

People with Down syndrome have an intellectual disability. A person is born with it. In some it is more serious than in others. It is not possible to tell in advance.

Edwards syndrome and Patau syndrome are far less common than Down syndrome. They are very serious conditions. In most cases the child will die before or around birth.

The NIPT can also find other conditions. These are called incidental findings. You choose whether you want to know them. For more information see: https://www.pns.nl/nipt

First Trimester Screening / 13-Week Ultrasound
The 13-week ultrasound is a medical examination for physical abnormalities in your child and is part of the prenatal screening. This ultrasound can be performed if you are between 12+3 and 14+3 weeks pregnant.

You decide whether you want the 13-week ultrasound. This examination is very similar to the 20-week ultrasound.

Please note: You can only opt for the 13-week ultrasound if you participate in the IMITAS scientific study.

More information:
13-week ultrasound
download the RIVM brochure
www.pns.nl

Anatomy Scan / 20-Week ultrasound

The 20-week ultrasound is also referred to as structural ultrasound examination (SEO). It is part of prenatal screening.

The main purpose of this ultrasound is to detect spina bifida (split spine). Nowadays, other congenital defects can also be detected. The anatomy scan is part of the prenatal screening, It takes place between 18 and 21 weeks of pregnancy and preferably between 19-20 weeks.

More information:
20-week ultrasound
download the RIVM brochure
www.pns.nl

Fetal Growth Scan
This ultrasound is used to check the growth of your child during a certain period of pregnancy. In this way, an estimate can be made of whether your child’s growth is average, (too) slow or (too) fast. In general, this ultrasound is always performed through your abdominal wall.
Placenta Scan
This ultrasound is intended to determine the location of the placenta in relation to your cervix.

You will only receive this ultrasound if there is reason to believe that the placenta is close to the cervix (‘low-lying’). In general, this ultrasound is always performed vaginally (through the vagina). The best time for this ultrasound is between week 30 and 32 of the pregnancy.

Gynaecological Ultrasound / IUD Placement Check
If you experience symptoms such as heavy blood loss, abdominal pain and/or pain during sexual intercourse, for example after an IUD has been put into place, you can use this ultrasound to check gynaecological issues.

This ultrasound is always performed internally/vaginally.

Prenatal screening

During pregnancy and shortly after the birth of your child, you will be offered various screenings (examinations). These are the NIPT, 13- and 20-week ultrasounds. On this page you’ll find all information about the screenings.

For more information about these screenings:check this video or visit www.pns.nl.

Please note!
Your sonographer must be able to concentrate fully on you and the examination. That is why we urge you to bring a maximum of ONE other person and preferably NO children to your ultrasound examination.