# BBW and Ultrasound Images



## Blong (Sep 29, 2009)

Ultrasound Images 

I was just wondering if the ultrasound images for women with excessive belly fat come out clear and what kind of ultrasound did you have? I am thiking that I am about 4 or 5 months. I am having a hard time getting any doctor to believe me. I finally got an ultrasound and the doctor said I was not pregnant. I am so confused because my stomach is constantly getting bigger and I am able to get a hearbeat with a fetal doppler of 135 and up. The doctor says it just measues the blood flow. The ultrasound tech had me lifting my stomach, which is flabby at the bottom. I was wondering if this caused the images to be compromised in any way from me lifting my stomach up. Any advice, please help. I am so frustrated. I need a fat friendly doctor but they are hard to find in Texas.


----------



## Teleute (Sep 29, 2009)

Blong, this might seem like a really dumb question, but have you taken a blood or urine pregnancy test? If you're not pregnant, that much abdominal growth is really concerning - it can be a symptom of many things, ranging from digestive problems to ovarian cancer. I'm shocked that your doctor didn't want to run more tests when he determined it wasn't pregnancy! In response to your direct question, yes, ultrasounds are very much affected by body fat; see this article at the Washington Post for more information.


----------



## Miss Vickie (Sep 29, 2009)

Blong, I can't say whether you're pregnant or not but ultrasound images through the abdominal wall can be compromised by our belly fat, although only in terms of seeing definition, not in terms of finding a pregnancy. Lifting your belly actually helps the images, which can be fuzzy; however, if you're pregnant, they should still be able to see_ something_, particularly if you think you're far enough long that you're picking up what you think is a fetal heart rate. Even professionals have a hard time picking up the FHT externally before 18 weeks. I had a 13 week gal a few weeks back and it was really really tough; I had to have the midwife help me, and knowing what I know I was aiming too high. :doh:

Have you had a pregnancy test? Either urine or blood? When was your last period?

And yes, dopplers just pick up blood flow, yours or a baby's, and it can be hard for the untrained ear to count them.

Have they ever done a transvaginal ultrasound on you? If you're big, that's often the best way to visualize the pelvic organs. Do you have any other symptoms? If you feel like your belly is growing, you should definitely get checked out again. Uterine fibroids or ovarian cysts can cause the abdomen to enlarge.

Good luck with everything!


----------



## StarWitness (Sep 29, 2009)

I had a doctor miss the fact that I had gallstones. Whether that was due to an unclear ultrasound or incompetence or something else, I can't say... the article that Teleute linked to makes me wonder.


----------



## rollhandler (Sep 30, 2009)

Sorry, I missed that Miss vicky mentioned what I was about to post. I have nothing further to add.

Rollhandler


----------



## Miss Vickie (Sep 30, 2009)

StarWitness said:


> I had a doctor miss the fact that I had gallstones. Whether that was due to an unclear ultrasound or incompetence or something else, I can't say... the article that Teleute linked to makes me wonder.



Yes, it's very concerning. But trying to get through abdominal fat to see a gall bladder or a fetus's heart is a lot harder than seeing an early pregnancy. Most of the time, when trying to visualize our pelvic organs, pregnant or not, they will use a trans-vaginal ultrasound where they visualize through the cervix. This gives them a much clearer picture than trying to see through fat. 

I'm also pretty sure that ultrasound technology has improved since the article came out, in 2004. But who knows what kind of equipment the facility has. I'd feel a lot better about ultrasound results from an imaging center than what an OB keeps in their back room.


----------

