Transvaginal Ultrasound Scan

What is this?
Transvaginal  - cos it is via your vagina. It is invasive
Ultrasound - The machine uses sound waves to form images.

Why do this?
For people wanting to attempt IUI/IVF, we do it to
1) Check on abnormal stuff like cysts, fibroid. This is also how a polyp is discovered. In this way, you can rule out infertility because of this causes
2) For me, it was also done in addition to the abdominal ultrasound scan - to give the sonographer and doctor the best picture of your reproductive organs.

How is this done?
1) You do NOT need to drink up. You need to have an empty bladder. I did the abdominal scan first, followed by this scan. The trick is to pee. Wait. Wait till you have 1-2 more gushes of pee. You need to be really empty. If you do not wait, you will notice that your next pee will come pretty soon.
2) Once in the room, you will need to remove your panties. You should be given a towel to cover up :)
3) Sonographer will wear condom for the probe! Funny! This time, the probe is in a stick form. She will then add gel on top of the condom. For the first time, you might want to ask the sonographer to add more gel. Apparently it helps.
Note: My advice is targeted at the first timers like myself. 
4) You will lie down, with your knees bent (soles are faced down on the bed). You could get a cushion to be placed under your butt so that it helps.
5) The sonographer will then insert the probe via your vagina.
Note: Do not tense. Your thighs and butt are usually the ones that gets tensed. When you are tensed, the sonographer cannot get the probe in. 
What helps?
-breathing in and out
-coughing (yes!!! it helps) But becareful. At certain spots, she needs you to be still.

How long?
About 5-15 mins? Depending on the needs for the scan.

Any pain?
It is not painful. It is just uncomfortable. Once the probe is in, it is ok in most regions. It is uncomfortable once in a while when she moves over certain regions.
Note: The probe looks almost intimidating. But actually, only a small part of the probe is inserted. 

Who is a sonographer?
This is the professional name for the person who does the ultrasound for you. In hospitals, it is mainly done by a sonographer. In a private practice, the doctor does it for you.
The only difference is that when done by a sonographer, you clean up the gel on your own!
With a private doctor, his/her nurse will clean up for you! :)

Cost in 2013:
1) Gynae at Raffles Hospital (Fertility clinic) - $96.30 (just abdominal scan)
2) Sonographer at KKH  - $127.33 (please note that this is for abdominal and transvaginal scan)

My Virgin Transvaginal Ultrasound Scan

Wow! It was mind blowing.....I have fallen behind in blogging about my KKH experience, but I need to blog about this to get it out of my mind. I just had a transvaginal ultrasound (TU). Let's call it TU for short. What is  TU? It is a probe (a stick) that enters your body via your vagina to look at a woman's reproductive organs like womb, uterus, ovaries, cervix.

Many years ago, I have rejected the TU because, well...I do not like the idea of that stick in me. 

no no NO.

Why you need to do a TU? The sonographer (the person that does all the ultrasound) needs to reconstruct a picture of your womb for the doctor. Don't ask me what is this for....why reconstruct? I will ask the doctor when I next see him. But I guess it's also to check if you have any polyp, endometriosis, any worrying sign for infertility etc.

The sonographer was soooo nice. She had that stick in me for 20 mins. I guess she could have completed it under 12 mins, but cos it was my first time and I kept on tensing up (thighs and butt), she went very slowly, gently and followed my pace. She will stop once in a while to check on me and to let me relax. Wonderful sonographer.....Jia Yun from KKH. The funny part was I had already spoken to doctor and he agreed to just do an abdominal scan but when she found out it was for IVF, she told me it is okay if I do not want to do it, but it's really useful and important. Some people are like her....she makes you feel comfortable, she earns your trust. In the end, I did the scan cos I knew I can trust her, that she will be slow and follow my pace and not pressure me. She was very comforting and patient ALL THE WAY....I am so glad I met her today. Gosh....I think I spent about 40 mins in her room? For the abdominal and transvaginal scan. 

To those who have not had and have to do TU, fret not. It is really not that bad. Pain is definitely not an  apt adjective. There is some discomfort cos there are parts she touch that will feel weird (like your bladder) and some other motions. But generally, once the probe is in, it is good. The worst is to be tensed as once you tensed up, the probe cannot go in. 

Oops....this post is too long. I will continue in another post on the how-to for a TU.
Abdominal Ultrasound Scan
Transvaginal Ultrasound Scan

But even with this blog.....I really hope I do not need to do another scan. I am feeling damn damn damn sore.....and there is no pain when I brush my hand across my vagina (from the outside). I guess it's more of a memory thingy.....