What information does an ultrasound give and how early can pregnancy be detected?
Top The use of ultrasound examination as an aid to fertility investigation started early in 1980 and has been a most useful aid in reproductive examinations It enables the clinician to ‘see’ the follicles and ovaries and to ‘see’ cysts in the uterus. It has made the examination for twins more accurate and has enabled the best assessment of the viability of the foetus. The embryonic vesicle can first be seen when using a scanner at 5MH between 11 – 12 days, but at this stage cannot be 100% accurately assessed for the presence of cysts except that the embryo is freely moving. If the mare is re-examined 5-10 minutes later, the cyst will still be in the same position but the embryo will probably have moved to a different location. Re-scanning at 25 days allows the actual observation of the foetal heartbeat. The scan also allows diagnosis of ovulation, of formation of the corpus luteum after ovulation, the presence of ovarian tumours and the number, frequency and size of uterine cysts. It c
