[Vaginal sonography in the 1st trimester. I. Qualitative parameters]

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Early pregnancy assessment is crucial for confirming viability and normal development.
• Vaginal sonography offers high-resolution imaging for early gestational evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the detection rates of key structures in early pregnancy using vaginal sonography.
• To establish precise imaging data for normal intrauterine pregnancies.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of vaginosonographic examinations in 259 normal singleton pregnancies.
• Gestational age ranged from 4 to 13 complete weeks.

Main Results:

• Chorionic cavity visualized in all cases; chorion frondosum differentiated at 6/7 weeks.
• Yolk sac seen at 5 weeks; embryo and heart activity at 6 weeks.
• Amnion, cranial pole, umbilical cord, extremities, and body movements visualized sequentially between 7 and 9 weeks.

Conclusions:

• Vaginal sonography is a valuable tool for evaluating early pregnancy and confirming normal development.
• Sequential visualization of embryonic structures aids in gestational age estimation.