What to Expect at Your Ultrasound Appointment

The sonographer (ultrasound technician) will bring you into the room and review some relevant information. You may be asked some questions including:

• Why your clinician sent you for the ultrasound and/or what symptoms you might be having (pain, bleeding, pressure)
• Whether you have had any other imaging (ultrasound, CT scan, MRI) for the same reason
• Your menstrual cycle history
• Your obstetric history, such as, number of pregnancies and complications
• Your gynecological history, such as, endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts, cancer history, perimenopause/menopause transition
• Your surgical history

Ob/Gyn ultrasounds usually consist of two examinations: a transabdominal ultrasound performed over the skin of your lower belly and a transvaginal ultrasound performed with a probe placed in the vagina. Sometimes a transabdominal ultrasound will be performed without a transvaginal ultrasound and vice versa. If you are a patient at Columbia University Fertility Center, you will likely only have a transvaginal ultrasound. A chaperone must be present for a transvaginal ultrasound.

Transabdominal ultrasound: You will be asked to lie on your back and to pull your clothing/underwear down slightly to expose the skin between your hips and your belly button. The sonographer will drape a cloth over your hips and upper legs and then use the probe to take some images by placing the probe on your abdomen and moving it around.

Transvaginal ultrasound: Your clinician may have also ordered a transvaginal ultrasound, which may be performed by a sonographer, nurse practitioner, or physician.  If a transvaginal ultrasound will be taking place, you will be asked to go to the restroom to empty your bladder and remove clothing below your waist. If you are not already in a gown, the clinician conducting the exam will step out of the room and give you privacy to change, and you will be provided with a sheet or drape to cover your lower body.  The clinician and a chaperone will re-enter the exam room when you are ready.

We understand that transvaginal ultrasound can be uncomfortable and may cause anxiety. If you think you may have difficulty with the transvaginal ultrasound, please let the sonographer and/or the chaperone know so you can discuss how best to proceed. We are focused on your safety, comfort, and privacy at all times. Please note that the chaperone will be present for the entirety of the transvaginal ultrasound – they must be positioned so that they observe the ultrasound taking place.

The clinician performing the ultrasound will let you know what to expect before each part of the exam. For the transvaginal ultrasound, you will be positioned as you are for a pelvic examination. You will be asked to lie on your back on an exam table with your knees bent and your feet placed in supports (stirrups) on the corners of the table. Your legs will be covered with a sheet or drape, and you will be asked to slide your body toward the end of the table and let your knees fall open. The transvaginal ultrasound probe will be covered in a soft plastic sleeve and will have lubricant on it to make placement more comfortable. The clinician may touch your labia with gloved hands as they prepare to insert the probe into your vagina, or they may insert it into your vagina directly with gentle pressure; you may also insert the probe yourself if that is your preference. Once inserted, the clinician will gently move the probe within your pelvis to be able to see the pelvic organs (uterus, cervix, and ovaries) and nearby structures (bladder and blood vessels).

Once the clinician has obtained the images, they may briefly leave the room to review the case with a colleague. Sometimes the clinician will return to take additional images (either transabdominal and/or transvaginal). The chaperone will leave and enter the room with the clinician. When no further images are needed and the ultrasound is concluded, the clinician and chaperone will leave the room so that you can get dressed. 

The physician reading the ultrasound will review the documentation and images within one business day and send results to your ordering clinician. You should expect to receive results directly from your clinician. If you have access to your results on the MyChart patient portal, you will also be able to see them there.

Of course. It is your right to ask to stop the ultrasound if you feel uncomfortable.

If you have any concerns about the care that you received during your appointment, please reach out to our Quality and Patient Safety Team at cdsafety@cumc.columbia.edu or call the patient safety hotline at 212-305-8548.  Concerns can also be reported (including anonymously) via the ColumbiaDoctors reporting intake website. 

All reported information will be, to the extent feasible, kept confidential.

No, making a report of any concerns or sharing feedback about your care will not impact your care. Members of the Columbia community are prohibited from retaliating against anyone, including a patient, or a relative of a patient, who reports any concerns or who seeks guidance on doing so.