Advanced Fetal Ultrasound & Imaging
An ultrasound is a noninvasive diagnostic imaging test that the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound uses to monitor the health and development of your baby. An ultrasound creates images by sending sound waves through your body. The wave bounces back off your internal organs and tissues, as well as your baby. The ultrasound machine collects the returning waves and converts the information into images.
At Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound, you can have advanced 3D and 4D ultrasounds. While a traditional ultrasound creates a two-dimensional image, 3D ultrasounds show significantly more detail including facial features. A 4D ultrasound provides video footage of your baby.
In addition to allowing you to see your baby, these tools enable the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound to measure and examine your baby and check that it’s developing at the correct rate.
During your ultrasound, you rest on a treatment bed and lift your shirt to expose your abdomen. Your doctor or ultrasound technician applies a gel to your skin, which reduces friction so the transducer — a handheld device that directs the ultrasound waves through your body — can glide smoothly over your skin.
As the technician moves the transducer over your abdomen, sound waves move through your body and bounce back off your organs and tissue. The transducer picks up the returning waves, and the ultrasound equipment converts the waves into images or videos. You can look at your baby while your doctor examines the images.
Ultrasounds are noninvasive and safe for you and your baby. You can get right back to your regular activities as soon as your appointment ends.
Your doctor uses the ultrasound to measure your baby and monitor their development. They look at your baby’s organs as well as the environment and amniotic fluid levels in your uterus. One of the tests performed during a first-trimester ultrasound is a nuchal translucency screening to measure the space at the back of your baby’s neck, which can indicate a risk for Down syndrome or other physical abnormalities.
Call Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound to make an appointment for your next ultrasound today.
High Risk Pregnancy
A high-risk pregnancy has an increased chance of complications for you or your baby. While this sounds frightening, most high-risk pregnancies are healthy. You will have more frequent prenatal checkups and may need additional prenatal testing to allow Dr. Jadali and the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound to monitor your pregnancy closely.
Dr. Jadali specializes in providing prenatal care for high-risk pregnancies and offers customized guidance and support for you throughout your gestation. He can answer your questions and give advice to help you protect your health and the health of your baby.
Many factors can make your pregnancy high-risk including:
- Existing health conditions such as hypertension or diabetes
- Maternal age of 35 or older
- Being overweight or obese
- Carrying multiple babies
- Unhealthy lifestyle including smoking, alcohol use, and poor diet
Some conditions, such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, which also make your pregnancy high-risk, develop during pregnancy, while others are present from day one.
How is prenatal care different for high-risk pregnancies?
You have more frequent prenatal appointments if your pregnancy is considered high-risk. Dr. Jadali provides a customized schedule, depending on your needs. At each appointment, Dr. Jadali monitors your weight, blood pressure, and abdominal growth.
You may have additional testing and scans at different points throughout your pregnancy, including:
- Additional tests for complications such as gestational diabetes
- Advanced ultrasounds
- Amniocentesis
- Genetic testing, including chorionic villus and placenta tissue sampling
Your prenatal appointments and extra perinatal diagnostic testing allow Dr. Jadali and the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound to monitor your health and offer expert medical treatments at the earliest signs of pregnancy complications.
While some of the factors that cause high-risk pregnancies are out of your control, you can take steps to improve and protect your health. For example, you should attend all your prenatal checkups and have the tests recommended by Dr. Jadali.
Additionally, you can eat a nutritious diet and avoid substances like tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs that could be harmful to your baby. Dr. Jadali can provide advice and support to help you make any necessary lifestyle adjustments.
Call Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound to schedule a consultation today for expert prenatal care for high-risk pregnancies.
Birth Defects
Birth defects are genetic or physical abnormalities that develop during pregnancy and are present at birth. Many congenital disabilities are due to chromosomal or genetic irregularities, and environmental factors cause others. Common congenital disabilities include:
Congenital heart defects including abnormalities in the walls and valves of the heart
Neural tube defects including spina bifida or Chiari malformation
- Cleft palate
- Club foot
- Fetal alcohol syndrome
Dr. Jadali and the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound have years of experience and clinical training in diagnosing and managing congenital disabilities and fetal abnormalities.
Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound offers comprehensive genetic screening and testing to assess your risk and diagnose congenital disabilities. In most cases, Dr. Jadali recommends genetic screening to determine if further diagnostic tests are necessary.
You and your partner can have carrier testing to identify if you carry any genes for birth defects that could pass on to your baby. Carrier testing is usually a blood test or a tissue sample collected with a cheek swab.
Dr. Jadali also offers genetic blood tests and advanced ultrasound screening in the first and second trimesters of your pregnancy. For example, he performs a nuchal translucency screening to measure the space at the back of your baby’s neck during your first-trimester ultrasound. An abnormal measurement can indicate a risk of Down syndrome and other physical abnormalities.
If you have positive results from any of your genetic screening tests, Dr. Jadali provides fetal diagnostic tests including amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS). He takes small samples of your amniotic fluid (amniocentesis) and placenta (CVS), which are tested for specific signs of congenital disabilities.
Many congenital disabilities are genetic, and you may not be able to prevent them. However, you can take steps to protect your health and the development of your baby.
The team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound provides customized advice to help you optimize your health. For example, Dr. Jadali recommends that all pregnant women take a prenatal vitamin that includes 400 mg of folic acid. You can also adjust your diet to include plenty of nutritious vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains.
You should avoid substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs that are harmful to you and your baby. If you need help making these lifestyle adjustments, the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound can provide support and resources.
Maternal Complications
When you’re expecting a baby, your body goes through many changes, and you may experience new health problems related to your pregnancy. With proper medical attention and treatments, you can protect your health and the health of your baby.
Some of the common maternal pregnancy complications include:
High blood pressure
You may have high blood pressure before pregnancy, or it can develop during your gestation. High blood pressure increases your risk of preeclampsia, a condition where your placenta separates from the wall of your uterus. Depending on your condition, you may need treatment to lower your blood pressure.
Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a type of insulin resistance that develops during the second trimester of pregnancy. Your placenta produces several hormones that interfere with the action of insulin in your cells and lead to high blood sugar levels.
Anemia
Anemia is a condition where you have an insufficient volume of red blood cells. This can make you feel weak or tired. Dr. Jadali may recommend iron and folic acid supplements.
Urinary tract infection (UTI)
Pregnancy can increase your risk of developing a UTI. Your growing baby puts extra pressure on your bladder and urethra. You may find it hard to empty your bladder completely, increasing your risk for a bacterial infection.
Weight gain
If you have an average weight, you should only gain 15-25 pounds during pregnancy. While the old wives’ tale indicates that you’re eating for two, you only need an extra 200-300 calories a day to support a healthy pregnancy. If you’re concerned about weight gain, talk to Dr. Jadali for nutrition tips.
If you develop any pregnancy complications, Dr. Jadali and the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound offer customized treatments to manage your health. You may need more frequent prenatal checkups and additional tests to monitor your health, but with proper care, you can have a healthy pregnancy and safe labor and delivery.
You should take steps to optimize your health before you get pregnant. This could include attaining a healthy body weight or getting treatment to manage pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure. You should always eat a nutritious diet and aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day.
Prenatal Testing
An ultrasound is a noninvasive diagnostic imaging test that the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound uses to monitor the health and development of your baby. An ultrasound creates images by sending sound waves through your body. The wave bounces back off your internal organs and tissues, as well as your baby. The ultrasound machine collects the returning waves and converts the information into images.
At Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound, you can have advanced 3D and 4D ultrasounds. While a traditional ultrasound creates a two-dimensional image, 3D ultrasounds show significantly more detail including facial features. A 4D ultrasound provides video footage of your baby.
In addition to allowing you to see your baby, these tools enable the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound to measure and examine your baby and check that it’s developing at the correct rate.
During your ultrasound, you rest on a treatment bed and lift your shirt to expose your abdomen. Your doctor or ultrasound technician applies a gel to your skin, which reduces friction so the transducer — a handheld device that directs the ultrasound waves through your body — can glide smoothly over your skin.
As the technician moves the transducer over your abdomen, sound waves move through your body and bounce back off your organs and tissue. The transducer picks up the returning waves, and the ultrasound equipment converts the waves into images or videos. You can look at your baby while your doctor examines the images.
Ultrasounds are noninvasive and safe for you and your baby. You can get right back to your regular activities as soon as your appointment ends.
Your doctor uses the ultrasound to measure your baby and monitor their development. They look at your baby’s organs as well as the environment and amniotic fluid levels in your uterus. One of the tests performed during a first-trimester ultrasound is a nuchal translucency screening to measure the space at the back of your baby’s neck, which can indicate a risk for Down syndrome or other physical abnormalities.
Call Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound to make an appointment for your next ultrasound today.
Genetic Testing
Genetic testing is a diagnostic procedure that examines genes, chromosomes, and proteins from you and your baby to determine your risk of birth defects and other abnormalities. At Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound, Dr. Jadali offers prenatal screening tests to assess the chance that your baby has a chromosomal abnormality. He also provides prenatal diagnostics tests that can tell whether your baby has certain disorders.
Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound offers genetic screening for you, your partner, and your baby.
You and your partner can have carrier screening to find out if you carry a gene for any genetic disorders. Carrier screening involves a blood test or a tissue sample collected from the inside of your cheek with a swab. Carrier testing screens for:
- Cystic fibrosis
- Sickle cell anemia
- Spinal muscular atrophy
- Tay-Sachs disease
Dr. Jadali can also screen your baby for chromosomal abnormalities, brain and spine defects, and other potential problems. He performs the screening tests with advanced ultrasounds and maternal blood tests.
During your first trimester, you’ll have bloodwork and an ultrasound. During your ultrasound, Dr. Jadali examines the thickness of the space at the back of your baby’s neck with a nuchal translucency screening, which can reveal your baby’s risk for Down syndrome and other physical defects.
In your second trimester, you can have additional genetic screening including a quadruple blood test that checks for other signs of Down Syndrome, trisomy 18, and neural tube defects. You also have another ultrasound that allows Dr. Jadali to check for physical abnormalities in your baby’s brain, spine, facial features, abdomen, heart, and limbs.
If any of your genetic screening tests have positive results, Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound also offers diagnostic testing, including amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS), to find out if your baby has specific genetic disorders.
Amniocentesis tests a tiny amount of your amniotic fluid and CVS uses a small sample of your placenta to monitor your baby’s chromosomes and rule out conditions such as Down syndrome and trisomy 18. Both tests are minimally invasive and pose little risk to your pregnancy.
Fetal Echocardiogram
During your second trimester, you can have a fetal echocardiogram to check the health of your baby’s heart. Led by Daryoush Jadali, MD, Perinatal Diagnostic Center & Women’s Ultrasound provides state-of-the-art fetal echocardiogram services to expectant mothers from throughout Los Angeles and Ventura County.
A fetal echocardiogram is a special type of ultrasound that creates images and videos of your unborn baby’s heart. Perinatal Diagnostic Center & Women’s Ultrasound employs a Mahnaz Tabibian, MD, Pediatric Cardiologist; a specialist physician to provide and interpret fetal echocardiograms. The physician looks for signs of congenital defects in the walls and valves of your baby’s heart and monitors their blood flow.
Fetal echocardiograms are noninvasive and only take around 30 minutes. The test is similar to a routine pregnancy ultrasound. You recline on a table and lift your shirt to expose your belly. The ultrasound technician applies a gel to your skin, which helps the sound waves travel through your body and reduces friction so the transducer – a handheld device that directs the ultrasound waves through your body- can glide smoothly over your skin. As the technician moves the transducer over your abdomen, sound waves move through your body and bounce back off your organs and tissue. The transducer picks up the returning waves, and the echocardiogram machine converts the waves into images or videos. The fetal echocardiogram specialist at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Women’s Ultrasound studies those images and videos of your baby’s heart, examining them for any signs of irregularity. If your fetal echocardiogram shows any abnormalities, you may need additional testing, and Dr. Jadali will refer you to specialists who can treat and manage your baby’s condition both before and after they’re born.
In many cases, a standard fetal ultrasound shows enough information about your baby’s heart. However, Dr. Jadali may recommend a fetal echocardiogram if your ultrasound didn’t provide enough information or if it revealed an abnormal heartbeat. If our high-risk pregnancy specialist’ or ultrasound team feels that there is any risk for heart irregularities, they recommend a fetal echocardiogram to collect more information about your baby’s heart. Other reasons you might need a fetal echocardiogram include:
- A family history of heart disease or congenital heart problems
- Fetal screening that shows an increased risk for a heart abnormality
- Medical conditions including Type 1 diabetes or lupus
- Maternal drug or alcohol use
Gynecology Ultrasound
An ultrasound is a noninvasive diagnostic imaging test that the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound uses to examine your reproductive organs.
An ultrasound creates images by sending sound waves through your body. The waves bounce back off your internal organs and tissues. The ultrasound machine collects the returning waves and converts the information into images.
Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound offers traditional two-dimensional ultrasounds as well as advanced 3D and 4D ultrasounds for more detailed images.
Your doctor may use a pelvic ultrasound to examine your reproductive organs for signs of disease or structural abnormalities.
For example, if you suffer from irregular, heavy periods, your doctor may use an ultrasound to examine your uterus for fibroids or polyps that could be interfering with your reproductive health.
Similarly, if you’ve been trying to get pregnant, but not having success, your doctor could use an ultrasound to look for signs of structural abnormalities such as blocked fallopian tubes that are preventing conception.
During your ultrasound, you rest on a treatment bed and lift your shirt to expose your abdomen. Your doctor or ultrasound technician applies a gel to your skin, which helps the transducer — a handheld device that directs the ultrasound waves through your body — glide smoothly over your skin.
As the technician moves the transducer over your abdomen, sound waves move through your body and bounce back off your organs and tissue. The transducer picks up the returning waves, and the ultrasound machine converts the waves into images or videos. Your doctor examines those images to check your reproductive organs.
Depending on your symptoms and condition, your doctor may recommend a transvaginal ultrasound. The technology is the same, but instead of moving a transducer over your belly, the technician inserts a small probe into your vagina to conduct the ultrasound.
Women's Health
An ultrasound is a noninvasive diagnostic imaging test that the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound uses to monitor the health and development of your baby. An ultrasound creates images by sending sound waves through your body. The wave bounces back off your internal organs and tissues, as well as your baby. The ultrasound machine collects the returning waves and converts the information into images.
At Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound, you can have advanced 3D and 4D ultrasounds. While a traditional ultrasound creates a two-dimensional image, 3D ultrasounds show significantly more detail including facial features. A 4D ultrasound provides video footage of your baby.
In addition to allowing you to see your baby, these tools enable the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound to measure and examine your baby and check that it’s developing at the correct rate.
During your ultrasound, you rest on a treatment bed and lift your shirt to expose your abdomen. Your doctor or ultrasound technician applies a gel to your skin, which reduces friction so the transducer — a handheld device that directs the ultrasound waves through your body — can glide smoothly over your skin.
As the technician moves the transducer over your abdomen, sound waves move through your body and bounce back off your organs and tissue. The transducer picks up the returning waves, and the ultrasound equipment converts the waves into images or videos. You can look at your baby while your doctor examines the images.
Ultrasounds are noninvasive and safe for you and your baby. You can get right back to your regular activities as soon as your appointment ends.
Your doctor uses the ultrasound to measure your baby and monitor their development. They look at your baby’s organs as well as the environment and amniotic fluid levels in your uterus. One of the tests performed during a first-trimester ultrasound is a nuchal translucency screening to measure the space at the back of your baby’s neck, which can indicate a risk for Down syndrome or other physical abnormalities.
Call Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound to make an appointment for your next ultrasound today.
Infertility
An ultrasound is a noninvasive diagnostic imaging test that the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound uses to monitor the health and development of your baby. An ultrasound creates images by sending sound waves through your body. The wave bounces back off your internal organs and tissues, as well as your baby. The ultrasound machine collects the returning waves and converts the information into images.
At Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound, you can have advanced 3D and 4D ultrasounds. While a traditional ultrasound creates a two-dimensional image, 3D ultrasounds show significantly more detail including facial features. A 4D ultrasound provides video footage of your baby.
In addition to allowing you to see your baby, these tools enable the team at Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound to measure and examine your baby and check that it’s developing at the correct rate.
During your ultrasound, you rest on a treatment bed and lift your shirt to expose your abdomen. Your doctor or ultrasound technician applies a gel to your skin, which reduces friction so the transducer — a handheld device that directs the ultrasound waves through your body — can glide smoothly over your skin.
As the technician moves the transducer over your abdomen, sound waves move through your body and bounce back off your organs and tissue. The transducer picks up the returning waves, and the ultrasound equipment converts the waves into images or videos. You can look at your baby while your doctor examines the images.
Ultrasounds are noninvasive and safe for you and your baby. You can get right back to your regular activities as soon as your appointment ends.
Your doctor uses the ultrasound to measure your baby and monitor their development. They look at your baby’s organs as well as the environment and amniotic fluid levels in your uterus. One of the tests performed during a first-trimester ultrasound is a nuchal translucency screening to measure the space at the back of your baby’s neck, which can indicate a risk for Down syndrome or other physical abnormalities.
Call Perinatal Diagnostic Center and Ultrasound to make an appointment for your next ultrasound today.
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