can you ask the person doing your ultrasound questions? about placenta previa?

Question

at 14 weeks i went to the er and they told me i had complete placenta previa. so now im going to the hospital today to get another ultrasound done...but i dont go back to my doc till next wed. when he will go over it with me.. but i dont think i can wait that long to see if i stil have it.. would the tech be able to tell me?

Answer 1

Ultrasound technologists are not supposed to diagnose you. They can give you a guided tour of your baby. For example, "this is the baby's heart", but they cannot tell you if the heart appears normal. That is the radiologists job. A sonographer's job is to gather the information, and the radiologist's job is to interpret the information. A sonographer can get in trouble for diagnosing a patient. If you are worried, when you check in for your ultrasound exam, ask the receptionist to have a copy of the report sent directly to you. Once you fill out the appropriate forms, they are required to provide that information to you. We usually mail out the report to the patient in that circumstance. But, remember, if you have a previa, then you have a previa. Nothing you can do will change that, so why not be patient and wait for your doctor's appointment? At least that way, you are not stuck at home reading a report that you might not totally understand with nobody qualified to answer your questions?

And this is an interesting fact:

"while 5% of pregnancies are diagnosed with complete previa in second trimester ultrasounds will see 90% of them resolved by term and while 45% of pregnancies are diagnosed with marginal previas will see 95% resolved at term."

http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/placentaprevia/a/previa.htm

So try your best to relax....life is hard enough! :)

Answer 2

If you have placenta previa, it means that your placenta is lying unusually low in your uterus, next to or covering your cervix. The placenta is the pancake-shaped organ — normally located near the top of the uterus — that supplies your baby with nutrients through the umbilical cord.
Placenta previa is not usually a problem early in pregnancy. But if it persists into later pregnancy, it can cause bleeding, which may require you to deliver early and can lead to other complications. If you have placenta previa when it's time to deliver your baby, you'll need to have a c-section.
If the placenta covers the cervix completely, it's called a complete or total previa. If it's right on the border of the cervix, it's called a marginal previa. (You may also hear the term "partial previa," which refers to a placenta that covers part of the cervical opening once the cervix starts to dilate.) If the edge of the placenta is within 2 centimeters of the cervix but not bordering it, it's called a low-lying placenta. It depends on how far along you are in pregnancy. Don't panic if your second trimester ultrasound shows that you have placenta previa. As your pregnancy progresses, your placenta is likely to "migrate" farther from your cervix and no longer be a problem. (Since the placenta is implanted in the uterus, it doesn't actually move, but it can end up farther from your cervix as your uterus expands. Also, as the placenta itself grows, it's likely to grow toward the richer blood supply in the upper part of the uterus.)
Only about 10 percent of women who have placenta previa noted on ultrasound at midpregnancy still have it when they deliver their baby. A placenta that completely covers the cervix is more likely to stay that way than one that's bordering it (marginal) or nearby (low-lying).

Answer 3

The person performing the ultrasound can definitely give you this information as it's normal for them to check the position of the placenta. Did you know that the placenta actually migrates up as your pregnancy progresses so the chances are good that this will happen to you. Good luck and enjoy seeing your baby-I'm 30 weeks pregnant and just had an ultrasound done, my son was sucking his thumb and it was the cuttest thing I have ever seen.

Answer 4

At this factor, i does no longer difficulty approximately placenta previa. Many low-mendacity placentas shift throughout being pregnant and finally end up interior the mind-blowing place. 24 weeks remains very early to rigidity approximately that, as there remains quite a number of time for it to shift. No, it won't %. up and pass itself, yet by way of fact the uterus grows, it transformations its place interior the uterus. I had an anterior placenta, one placed interior the front of the uterus, somewhat than interior the posterior place, interior the decrease back. At my final ultrasound, the placenta had moved right into a fundal place, so that's sitting on the appropriate of my uterus now. it incredibly is undemanding with anterior placentas, so shift by way of fact the uterus grows. probability is, the placenta will lead to a posterior place. With placenta previa, regrettably, till the placenta shifts and opens up the cervical go out, a vaginal transport isn't achieveable, and your ordinary practitioner will time table a c-section for you. attempting a vaginal transport with even partial placenta previa negative aspects an infection, hemorraging or maybe fetal or maternal loss of life. don't get in touch yet nevertheless, as I mentioned, there remains diverse time for the placenta to shift and pass out of how of your cervix, for that reason making a vaginal transport achieveable. communicate it in further element inclusive of your ordinary practitioner and ask approximately all your opportunities. sturdy success.

Answer 5

Well, the technician is just that, a part of the system of gathering the data to be studied later by doctors who know the entire history and big picture. I would be concerned that the technician would give you incorrectly interpreted information.

If it is a perinatologist doing the scan, yes they can give you comments, as they are one of the doctors dispensing care for you. Otherwise, unfortunately, you should just wait.

Best wishes. I was a placenta previa baby, not all those outcomes are bad.

Answer 6

The tech probably will not tell you. I asked alot of questions during my 18 week sono and the guy just kept telling me that my Dr. would go over the results at the next appointment. I know you think you wont be able to wait but you may have to. Good Luck

Answer 7

Definitely the tech can tell. They are who the OB is going to get the confirmation from. Don't forget to ask about other things like is the spinal cord closed ruling out spina bifida. Does the heart look good, no holes? Any obvious signs of Down's Syndrome, clubbed feet, or cleft pallet? They can tell so much, but they usually don't say much unless you directly ask. I asked and felt much better for having done so.

Answer 8

You can ask the ultrasound tech anything you want (including what she had for dinner last night) but they can't really tell you anything. They're not doctors--and only doctors can make diagnoses. They could tell you their opinion, but that would be unethical because they're not qualified to.

Answer 9

You can ask, but you will get a better answer from your Doc. If the tech. answers your medical question, you should not trust the answer.

Answer 10

No...the tech can't give you any information...maybe ask the hospital Dr to tell you.