303 East Main Street
PO Box 1058
Rising Sun, MD 21911
Hours: Tue - Thur: 10am - 4pm.
Phone: (410) 214-2073
Ultrasounds - Call for Appointment
Emergency - Call 1-800-712-4357 or Text “HELPLINE” to 313131
"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward."
Psalm 127:3
Limited Obstetric Ultrasound Scan
What is a Limited Obstetric Ultrasound Scan?
Many women have asked, "What exactly is a Limited Obstetric Ultrasound and why might I need one?"
Have you already taken a pregnancy test? A positive pregnancy test is the first indication that you're pregnant, however, that is all it can tell you. It's important to confirm the pregnancy is developing in your uterus and not an ectopic pregnancy as this would endanger your life.
Why Would I Need a Limited OB Ultrasound from Heritage?
Performing ultrasound tests during pregnancy is a very safe and painless procedure. Obstetric ultrasound uses sound waves to produce pictures of a baby (embryo or fetus) within a pregnant woman, as well as the mother's uterus and ovaries. Unlike x-ray imaging, there is no ionizing radiation exposure associated with ultrasound and has no known harmful effects.
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How is a Limited OB Ultrasound at Heritage Different Than What I Would Get at my Doctor's Office?
Your OB/GYN will be looking for and evaluating several things: position and size of the baby, level of amniotic fluid, the health of the placenta and many other things. They are qualified to assess and diagnose the things pertaining to your reproductive system and the baby.
At Heritage, we perform Limited OB Ultrasounds which means our ultrasound nurses are limited in the scope of questions they are trying to answer and the information they can share. They are looking at these three primary things:​
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Intrauterine - is the baby in the uterus or is there an immediate risk of an ectopic pregnancy?
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Gestational age - how far along the pregnancy is?
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Cardiac activity - is there a heartbeat?
As you can see, these services aren't designed to be a full medical evaluation, but a tool to rule out immediate health risks, help you better understand your situation, and to help you make an informed decision about your pregnancy.
What Happens if the Ultrasound Indicates an Ectopic Pregnancy?
If our ultrasound nurses find something during your appointment that concerns them, they will share that information with you at the time. Then, after your in-office scan, we send our ultrasound results to the doctor who oversees our medical services for review. If the doctor detects an ectopic pregnancy or anything else of concern during this secondary review, we will be notified and we'll contact you with the results. Your health is our chief concern.