Using an ultrasound in obstetrics in Katy

If you’re pregnant, you will undergo a number of appointments and tests to ensure your health and the health of your baby. One of these tests is ultrasound. Many women are excited for this appointment because it’s their first opportunity to catch a glimpse of their son or daughter. In fact, many people use this appointment to find out the baby’s gender.

While ultrasound is often fun for the parents, it also provides valuable medical insight. During the procedure, the ultrasound technician will take pictures of the baby’s brain, heart, stomach, and many other areas of the body. These images are used to ensure the baby’s health or to detect any potential problems early. If you’ve been scheduled for an ultrasound, here are some things you’ll need to know ahead of time:

Most ultrasound procedures are performed by gently moving the ultrasound wand across the woman’s stomach. A gel will be applied to the stomach just prior to the procedure. The ultrasound is pain-free with the only side effect being a sticky stomach from the gel.
The ultrasound is safe for both the mother and the baby.
Sometimes a transvaginal ultrasound is needed to get an enhanced look at the baby or the mother’s uterus, ovaries, or cervix.
The ultrasound can be used early in pregnancy to confirm your baby’s gestational age or if the doctor suspects you are carrying more than one baby.
For most pregnancies, the ultrasound is performed around 20 weeks. During this appointment, your physician will confirm that mom and baby are healthy and that the baby’s growth is on target. The heartbeat will be measured and parents will be able to see the baby move on the screen. This is also usually your baby’s first official photo.
As the pregnancy progresses your doctor may order another ultrasound to determine the baby’s expected weight at delivery, the amount of amniotic fluid, and the location of the placenta.
If the ultrasound does show any health concerns, your doctor may order additional testing or appointments to investigate further or simply to monitor the health of the mother and the baby.

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If you’ve been scheduled for an ultrasound appointment and have any questions or concerns, please contact the office of Jenkins Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Medicine.

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We offer general care, gynecology, and obstetrics services that span all stages of a woman's life. Dr. Taryll L. Jenkins, MD received his undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University and Doctorate of Medicine from Meharry Medical College School of Medicine, TN. He completed his residency training at the University of Texas and Hermann Hospital, TX and is Board-certified from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, with years of research experience.

Having graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelors of Science in Biological Chemistry in 2011, Dr. Stephanie Roy received her Doctor of Medicine Degree in 2015 from the University of Texas Medical Branch. Today she is a leading Board-certified physician who works hard to provide you and your family with high quality services. In addition to spending time at the practice, Dr. Roy possesses extensive volunteer experience in the community. She was also a tutor at the Medical Careers Diversity Program in 2012 and since then has spent her free time volunteering for the St. Vincent’s Clinic.

Dr. Tiffany Ikwuagwu is passionate about caring for the diverse communities in Katy and Houston, TX. Having completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Houston, her medical degree at the Baylor College of Medicine, and her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the McGovern Medical School, she worked as principal investigator on a research project with Dr. Nana Ankumah at UT Houston. A member of the American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Dr. Ikwuagwu has served in several leadership roles and has made many contributions to the community.

Yara Ramirez, MD earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Baylor University and her doctorate in medicine from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston where she also completed her residency. She won the Resident Teaching Award from UTMB’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for two consecutive years.
Dr. Ramirez has researched extensively on many obstetrics-related topics. She has been a Junior Fellow Representative for the UTMB Residency Program and a Medical Student Education Committee Member at the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has volunteered for various local and foreign community programs. Her fluency in Spanish and French is an asset to her organization.

Nadia Alexander is a Board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with a Master’s of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center. With seven years of experience in women’s health and a focus on obstetrics and ambulatory gynecology (vaginitis, UTI, and vaginal bleeding), she provides quality, compassionate care to patients in various stages of reproductive life. She is fluent in English and Spanish and is the lead contact for our Telehealth service.