Obstetric Ultrasound (Level II)
A focused scan for Foetal anatomy, Growth, Placenta and more.
Overview
Examines Foetal anatomy, Growth, Placenta, Liquor. Performed at an NABL-accredited Meridian Health centre with a same-day report and a free doctor review.
The full panel
4 areas across 1 groupEvery parameter, grouped by body system — no clicking to expand.
What this scan measures
A detailed anatomy scan of the baby, usually performed between 18 and 22 weeks. It examines the brain, face and spine, the heart and its outflow tracts, the chest, the abdominal wall and organs, the kidneys and bladder, and the limbs and hands and feet; it also measures growth, locates the placenta, measures the amniotic fluid, and checks the cervix and the umbilical cord.
The Level II or anomaly scan is offered to every pregnancy in the middle trimester because it is the point at which fetal anatomy is best seen and there is still time to plan. It identifies structural differences that may need specialist delivery planning or paediatric surgery, and it establishes whether growth and placental position are as expected.
Symptoms that lead to this scan
- Routine mid-pregnancy anatomy assessment, offered to everyone
- An abnormal first-trimester screening result
- A previous pregnancy affected by a structural anomaly
- Bleeding, reduced fetal movement or abdominal pain
- Diabetes or hypertension in pregnancy, needing growth assessment
Understanding your results
A normal anomaly scan is reassuring but cannot detect every condition: some abnormalities develop later, some are not visible on ultrasound at all, and image quality is affected by the baby's position, the amount of fluid and maternal body habitus. Findings described as 'soft markers' are minor variations that are usually of no significance on their own and are interpreted against your first-trimester screening result. A low-lying placenta at this stage very often moves upwards as the uterus grows and is simply rechecked later. Any significant finding is discussed with your obstetrician, and often a fetal medicine specialist, before conclusions are drawn.
Indicative only. Reference ranges vary between laboratories and between testing methods, and shift with age, sex and pregnancy — always read your own result against the range printed on your own report, with the doctor who ordered it.
| Parameter | Indicative range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Fetal heart rate (mid-trimester) | 110–160 | beats/min |
| Amniotic fluid index | 8–24 | cm |
Why the preparation matters
Preparation is minimal by this stage of pregnancy, since the amniotic fluid itself provides the acoustic window — a full bladder is generally only needed if the cervix has to be assessed, and your centre will tell you. Wear a two-piece outfit so only the abdomen is exposed. Note that under India's PCPNDT Act it is illegal for anyone to disclose the sex of the fetus, and no centre may do so; this does not affect any other part of the scan or its report.
Ultrasound — safety and who should not be scanned
Full Ultrasound guideUltrasound uses sound waves, not radiation, and there is no known harmful effect at diagnostic settings — it is the only cross-sectional modality used freely in pregnancy and repeatedly in children. Operators still follow the ALARA principle, using the lowest output for the shortest time needed, particularly in obstetric scanning. There is nothing to recover from and no restriction afterwards. The main limitation is not safety but operator dependence: the quality of an ultrasound depends heavily on the person holding the probe.
- No absolute contraindications
- There is no medical reason ultrasound cannot be performed on anyone, at any age, including in pregnancy. The limitations below are about image quality and consent rather than harm.
- Open wounds, burns or dressings over the area
- The probe needs direct contact with skin through gel, so a recent surgical wound, a burn, an ulcer or a plaster cast over the region may make the scan impossible or require it to be deferred until the dressing can be removed.
- Bowel gas and body habitus
- Sound does not travel through gas, so gas-filled bowel can obscure the pancreas, aorta and pelvic organs, and depth reduces resolution in larger patients. Fasting and a full bladder are used to improve the window; where the view remains inadequate, a CT or MRI is recommended instead.
- Transvaginal or transrectal scanning requires consent
- Internal probes give far better resolution of the pelvis, but they are always optional. They are not used without explicit consent, and a transabdominal approach is offered instead — including where an internal scan would be inappropriate.
- Not a substitute for mammography in screening
- Ultrasound complements mammography rather than replacing it: it cannot reliably show the microcalcifications that mammography detects. For symptomatic assessment in younger women it is the correct first test; for population screening it is not.
- Fetal sex determination is illegal in India
- Under the PCPNDT Act, no person or centre may disclose the sex of a fetus at any stage, and no request for it will be entertained. This applies to every obstetric scan and does not affect any other part of the examination or its report.
Who should consider this scan
- All pregnant women, between 18 and 22 weeks
- Anyone with an abnormal first-trimester screening result
- Women with a previous pregnancy affected by an anomaly
- Pregnancies complicated by diabetes or hypertension
- Twin and IVF pregnancies, which are monitored more closely
Conditions it helps detect
How it works
Patient stories
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