Patient education: Pelvic ultrasound (The Basics)

What is a pelvic ultrasound? — This is an imaging test that creates pictures of the organs inside the pelvis. Ultrasounds use sound waves to create pictures of the inside of the body.

A pelvic ultrasound can be used to check the female reproductive organs and bladder. The reproductive organs include the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, and ovaries (figure 1).

Your doctor might want you to have a pelvic ultrasound:

●To confirm pregnancy and your "due date," check on the baby, or check the placenta, amniotic fluid, or cervix (figure 2 and figure 3)

●To check for problems with your reproductive organs, such as uterine fibroids or ovarian cysts or tumors

●To look for the cause of symptoms like pain or abnormal vaginal bleeding

●To check for causes of infertility (trouble getting pregnant)

●To check if treatment for infertility is working

●To check the position of an "intrauterine device," or "IUD" – This is a type of birth control. It is a small, T-shaped device put into the uterus to prevent pregnancy.

●To check for problems with your bladder

There are 2 ways of doing a pelvic ultrasound. Both use a "transducer" to create pictures of the inside of your body:

●For a transvaginal ultrasound, the transducer is a thin wand inserted into the vagina.

●For a transabdominal ultrasound, the transducer is a wide wand pressed against the outside of the lower belly.

The type of ultrasound you have depends on why you're getting the test.

How do I prepare for a pelvic ultrasound? — The person who will do your ultrasound will tell you if you need to do anything special to prepare. They will give you information about:

●Your bladder – For some ultrasounds, your bladder needs to be full. You will be asked to drink liquids and to not go to the bathroom. For other ultrasounds, the bladder needs to be empty. You will be asked to go to the bathroom before the exam.

Sometimes, the bladder needs to be full for the first part of the ultrasound, and empty for the last part of the ultrasound. You will need to drink liquids before the exam, and then go to the bathroom midway through the exam.

●Your period – It's OK to have a vaginal ultrasound if you have your period. But if you are using a tampon, you will need to take it out before the test.

Before your procedure, the person doing your ultrasound will probably ask you about your "health history." They will ask you a few questions about any health problems you have or had in the past, past surgeries, and any medicines you take. They might also ask you the date of your last period. This information helps them do the ultrasound and understand what it shows.

What happens during a pelvic ultrasound? — You might need to remove your clothes and put on a gown. Or you might be asked to undress from the waist down. In this case, you will get a paper cover to put over your lap. You will lie on your back on an exam table.

●For a transvaginal ultrasound:

•The person doing your ultrasound will ask you to separate your legs. You might also place your feet in "stirrups." This helps keep your legs in the right position for the ultrasound.

•They will put a latex or plastic cover, similar to a condom, on the transducer. They will apply gel to the transducer.

•They will insert the transducer into your vagina. In some cases, you have the option of inserting the transducer yourself. For most people, this is not painful.

•The person doing the ultrasound might need to move the transducer around a bit. This will help them get a clear picture of the organs they are looking at. The picture will appear on a screen near the exam table.

•If you are having an ultrasound to check for problems in your uterus, the person doing the ultrasound might put a liquid called "saline" in your uterus. This is called "saline infusion sonohysterography." The saline helps them get a clearer picture of your uterus. It is put in using a thin tube called a "catheter" that is inserted into your vagina, through your cervix, and into your uterus.

●For a transabdominal ultrasound:

•The person doing the ultrasound will apply gel to the skin on your lower belly.

•They will place the transducer on your lower belly and move it around to get a clear picture. They might need to press the transducer into your belly.

●"Doppler ultrasound" – This shows how the blood moves through your blood vessels. The process for getting a Doppler ultrasound is the same as for a regular transabdominal ultrasound.

What happens after a pelvic ultrasound? — After your ultrasound, a doctor will look at the results and discuss them with you.

In some cases, your doctor might want to send the images from your ultrasound to another expert. Your doctor or nurse will tell you if so.

What are the risks of a pelvic ultrasound? — A pelvic ultrasound does not usually have any risks to your health. This test does not expose you to radiation like an X-ray or CT scan.

More on this topic

Patient education: Uterine fibroids (The Basics)
Patient education: Ovarian cysts (The Basics)
Patient education: Heavy periods (The Basics)
Patient education: Painful periods (The Basics)
Patient education: Absent or irregular periods (The Basics)
Patient education: Female infertility (The Basics)
Patient education: Intrauterine devices (IUDs) (The Basics)
Patient education: Bladder pain syndrome (interstitial cystitis) (The Basics)
Patient education: Chronic pelvic pain in females (The Basics)

Patient education: Uterine fibroids (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Ovarian cysts (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Painful menstrual periods (dysmenorrhea) (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Absent or irregular periods (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Diagnosis of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Chronic pelvic pain in females (Beyond the Basics)