How Do I Prepare for An Ultrasound?
- Sumeet Kaur Wasu
- May 22, 2022
- 1 min read
There's a protocol for every procedure in the medical field. An ultrasound scan can be used to determine the presence of an unborn baby, diagnose a condition, or guide a surgeon during certain procedures.
Preparation of Ultrasound Scan
Drinking water: It is advisable to drink water an hour before the examination, to fully fill the bladder for better results of the ultrasound. The advised quantity of water intake for an accurate ultrasound scan lies between 950 ml to 1 liter and there shouldn't be any urination before the scan is thoroughly completed.
Food: Eating anything solid should be avoided at least for a few hours before undergoing the ultrasound scan, as it may interfere with the resultant images of the scan.

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The fasting period is generally 8 to 10 hours before an ultrasound scan so that there are no bowels or gas present inside the body, which may cause a hindrance to the scan.
What are the different protocols for an ultrasound?

Image By Getty Images
Abdominal Ultrasound Preparation:
Eat a low-fat meal on the evening/night before the examination- (no fried, fatty, or greasy foods and no dairy products)
Nothing to eat or drink for 12 hours before the appointment taken for the scan
If there are medications that must be taken then drink only a small amount of water when taking the medicines.
Kidney/Retro-peritoneal Preparation:
There's no need to fast for this exam (eat all meals as usual on the day of the exam).
You can take all medications as usual. But, there's a compulsion to drink 8 ounces of water or any liquid at least an hour before the scan.
Do not empty your bladder before having the ultrasound scan.
Pelvic Ultrasound Preparation
You can eat all meals normally on the day of the scan and can take all medications that are generally taken including fluid pills.
Drinking 32 ounces of any fluid is compulsory one hour prior to the examination. The bladder should not be emptied till the scan gets done. It should be full.
Pregnancy Ultrasound Preparation
There's no need to be hungry on the day of the exam, you can eat the usual meals and can take all your medicines as usual.
However, it is necessary to drink 32 ounces of water, juice, or any kind of fluid an hour before the scan. The bladder should be filled completely for an accurate result of the scanning images.
What to do after an Ultrasound Scan?
There are no known side effects or harmful effects of the sound waves used in an ultrasound.
The person can go home as soon as the scan is completed.
Both external and internal ultrasound scans do not generally cause any pain for more read our blog: Can you have pain during the ultrasound procedure?
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