Routine real‐time scanning at the first hospital visit

Abstract

All patients presenting at 1 consultant booking antenatal clinic had a routine real-time ultrasonic scan. The purpose was to study the accuracy of the technique, the additional work involved and the clinical benefit. All scans were performed by 1 operator. The average time per scan was 6 min compared to 15 min for each B scan. When gestation assessed by scan differed from gestation assessed by menstrual dates or clinical examination, an independent assessment was made after birth. There was a marked decrease in utilization of B-scanning facilities. Routine real-time scanning at the 1st visit was a reliable method of assessing gestation in 94% of patients.