Ultrasound imaging is one of the most important diagnostic tests for women experiencing problems like pelvic pain or abnormal bleeding. At Women’s Specialty Care SC, with offices in Grayslake and Lake Forest, Illinois, the team led by Karen Mass, MD, FACOG, and Leslie Rubeck, CNM, uses pelvic ultrasound to help women get the answers they need. Book your appointment online or call the office nearest you to schedule your visit today.
An ultrasound is a noninvasive medical imaging exam in which sound waves produce images of organs and other structures in the body.
Women’s Specialty Care SC offers pelvic ultrasounds, which produce images of your uterus, cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and vagina. Another common type of ultrasound checks on a baby’s development during pregnancy.
The Women’s Specialty Care SC team may recommend a pelvic ultrasound for many different reasons, such as:
Pelvic ultrasound may also be part of some procedures because it helps to guide optimal positioning during surgery.
In a pelvic ultrasound, your ultrasound technician sound uses a wand called a transducer to deliver sound waves directly into an area requiring evaluation. The sound waves bounce back when they reach structures, for example, the uterus, and a high-tech computer displays those waves as images.
There are two approaches to a pelvic ultrasound, transabdominal and transvaginal.
In a transabdominal ultrasound, your technician applies a conductive gel to your lower abdomen and then glides the transducer across your skin.
In a transvaginal ultrasound, your technician uses a long slim transducer with a plastic covering. They apply conductive gel to the covering and then gently place the transducer in your vagina to gather the necessary images.
The Women’s Specialty Care SC team recommends the right approach based on the suspected issues.
Before your pelvic ultrasound, the team gives you any specific direction you need to prepare. If you’re having a transabdominal ultrasound, you’ll need to drink at least 24 ounces of water about an hour ahead of your scheduled exam. Don’t urinate before the exam.
But, for a transvaginal ultrasound, the opposite is usually true. The team generally advises women to fully empty their bladder ahead of the procedure.
Pelvic ultrasounds give you the information you need to make decisions about your health and wellness. Schedule yours by calling Women’s Specialty Care SC or clicking on the online booking tool now.