How is baseline ultrasound done

The next ultrasound in the IVF process is the early obstetric ultrasound. This transvaginal ultrasound usually takes place about two to three weeks after the embryo transfer, once a patient has gotten two positive pregnancy results. During this ultrasound, Dr. Dorsett will be looking for a fetal heartbeat, a yolk sac, and a gestational sac. If all of these elements are present, the patient will likely be released to a regular caregiver for prenatal care.

If these elements are unclear, we may schedule a second ultrasound for a week later. If you are having a difficult time becoming pregnant and are interested in exploring your fertility treatment options, schedule an appointment with Dr. Janelle Dorsett at your earliest convenience. Dorsett can answer any questions you may have about the IVF process, or any of our other fertility services. Janelle Dorsett and our warm, highly trained team provide the tools you need to start or add to your family.

Dorsett is a board-certified fertility specialist and is an associate clinical professor at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. She is a member of the:. Schedule a consultation to learn more by sending us a message or calling our office at Some images are of models, not actual patients.

Sitemap Privacy Policy Login. Book a consultation. Patient Login. Book a Consultation. Call Us. IVF Fertility Clinic. Baseline Ultrasounds. Written by Vicken Sahakian. When is a baseline ultrasound performed?

What is the baseline ultrasound looking for? When our doctors observe the results of the baseline ultrasound, they will be looking at several key criteria, including the following: The orientation of the uterus The thickness of the uterus lining The measurement of any follicles Whether there are cysts or fibroids present Measurement of serum estradiol levels What to expect in your baseline ultrasound There are two phases to a baseline ultrasound: an abdominal ultrasound and a vaginal ultrasound.

Learn more about baseline ultrasounds and IVF At Pacific Fertility Center, our doctors offer a range of services and treatments that help patients overcome infertility and realize their dreams of parenthood. Previous Story. Next Story. A step-by-step IVF timeline with an egg donor and a surrogate.

The IVF process for gay couples. Subscribe by Email. No Comments Yet Let us know what you think. Further evaluation may require a sonohysterogram or a hysteroscopy. The lining of the uterus, the endometrium, thickens and changes as your menstrual cycle progresses. The ultrasound technician will look for healthy indications that the endometrium is at the stage it should be, based on the day of your exam. They will also measure the thickness of the endometrium.

The endometrium should be thin before ovulation and thicker after ovulation. However, a fallopian tube may be seen with a regular 2D ultrasound if it is swollen or filled with fluid, which can occur with a hydrosalpinx. To evaluate whether the tubes are open or closed, your doctor will most likely order an HSG.

However, with a specialized ultrasound known as a hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography HyCoSy , your doctor may be able to detect whether the tubes are blocked or not.

By gently pressing on the reproductive organs with the transvaginal transducer, the technician can see if the organs move freely and as they should, or if they seem to adhere to each other. The tech may also use the ultrasound wand to gentle push at the ovaries, to see how they move around in the pelvic cavity. Adhesions may prevent the reproductive organs from freely moving. Adhesions can form from a previous pelvic infection or from endometriosis.

Your doctor can also assess the blood flow to your reproductive organs with an ultrasound. If they are using color Doppler, the technician may be able to evaluate blood flow around a cyst or mass. Ultrasound scans are an important part of fertility treatment monitoring, and can be used at different times and for more than one purpose. Ultrasound is also frequently used to monitor gonadotropin cycles , and is always used during IVF treatment cycles. Here are a few other reasons an ultrasound is used during IVF.

Your doctor will likely tell you to call their office on the first day of your period, the month of your scheduled treatment cycle. They will want to schedule blood work and an ultrasound within the next few days.

This is known as your baseline ultrasound. The purpose is to check that there are no unusual cysts on the ovaries before starting the fertility drugs. Sometimes, a stubborn corpus luteum cyst sticks around even after your period starts. However, treatment may be delayed in the meantime. Fertility drugs could exasperate the cyst. This first transvaginal ultrasound will likely occur when you're menstruating. If you're feeling uncomfortable, rest assured that it's nothing to be embarrassed about.

This is the number one monitoring focus during fertility treatment. The doctor or ultrasound tech will look at how many follicles are developing and how quickly they are growing. Your fertility medications may be adjusted up or down, depending on follicle growth.

The ultrasound tech will also likely measure your endometrial thickness. As with follicle growth, your doctor may change your fertility medication dosages based on the thickness of the tissue. Ultrasound can also be used during treatment itself in the form of an ultrasound-guided procedure. For example, during egg retrieval, for IVF treatment, an ultrasound-guided needle is used to retrieve eggs from the ovaries. Your fertility doctor will first want to be sure the pregnancy is progressing as expected, at least in the early weeks.

The first ultrasound will likely be scheduled around week six. This is two weeks past your expected period or pregnancy test day. The technician will be looking for a gestational sac. Once a gestational sac has been visualized, the pregnancy is considered to be a clinical pregnancy. This will be to look for a fetal pole and hopefully a heartbeat. Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Ultrasound in Infertility Treatments.

Clin Obstet Gynecol. Complete evaluation of anatomy and morphology of the infertile patient in a single visit; the modern infertility pelvic ultrasound examination.

Fertil Steril. Counting ovarian antral follicles by ultrasound: a practical guide. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. Grigore M, Mare A. Applications of 3-D ultrasound in female infertility. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography: is possible to quantify the therapeutic effect of a diagnostic test? Clin Exp Reprod Med.

Early stage management of ovarian endometrioma to prevent infertility.