If you are pregnant, ultrasounds are one of the options you have for monitoring the health and development of your baby. Here are three benefits that you will experience if you choose to get ultrasounds taken of your baby during your pregnancy.

#1 More Accurate Due Date

Ultrasounds not only let you see the baby that you are carrying, they can also help your doctor determine how far along you are. During the first trimester of your pregnancy, the baby inside of you goes through very specific phases of development that allow your doctor to determine more accurately how far along you are in your pregnancy.

Your doctor can combine the images that they see on your ultrasound with information such as when you had your last period to more accurately determine how far along you are in your pregnancy. This information will help your doctor determine a more accurate due-date range, which can help protect you from being induced because your doctor thinks your pregnancy is going too long. 

#2 Determining The Gender Of Your Baby

One of the biggest benefits of getting an ultrasound is that it allows you to determine the gender of your baby. Although there is not a medical benefit to knowing the gender of your baby, for many expecting parents, there is a psychological benefit of learning the gender of their child.

An ultrasound to determine the gender of your child can be performed as you enter the beginning of the second trimester of your pregnancy. Not only do you learn the gender of your child at this ultrasound, you can also get the first picture of your child as they turn into a more fully-formed person. 

#3 Identify Pregnancy Risks

Finally, getting a few ultrasounds done during the course of your pregnancy can also help your doctor identify if you are experiencing any risks that could complicate your pregnancy.

As soon as your first trimester, your doctor can determine if you are having an ectopic pregnancy, where the egg is not growing inside of your uterus. This type of pregnancy can be very dangerous to carry to full-term.

Another risk that can be identified is placenta previa, where your placenta is located lower on your uterus and may cover up your cervix. Your doctor can monitor this condition through ultrasounds and take appropriate steps when you become pregnant to protect you and your baby if this issue doesn't resolve. 

For more information, contact local professionals like Central Iowa OB/Gyn Specialists, PLC.