Fetal Wellbeing Scans (24-42 weeks)
Some obstetricians advise that an ultrasound scan to assess fetal wellbeing is offered to all women at about 34 weeks of pregnancy. Others reserve such scans for those women who have had previous complications of pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia, growth retardation, diabetes, stillbirth, and for those women who develop an abnormality during the course of their current pregnancy.
This scan aims to determine the growth and health of the fetus by:
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Measurement of the size of the fetal head, abdomen and thigh bone and calculation of an estimate of fetal weight.
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Examination of the movements of the fetus.
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Evaluation of placental position and appearance.
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Measurement of the amount of amniotic fluid.
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Assessment of blood flow to the placenta and fetus by colour Doppler scan.