The joy that overcomes couples when having a baby is unmatched in any other walk of life. On the contrary, pregnancy is one of those life-changing events that will prove to be overly costly. Many partners will opt to buy their own machine in order to keep a keen eye on the baby while it is still in the womb.

It was invented in the 1960s, and, over the course of the last 40 years, has changed with advances in technology. Here's how ultrasound machines work:

• use same techniques as sonar, which was developed for ships at sea.
• The process begins with a machine called a transducer. This machine, when placed over the belly, emits sound and listens for returning echoes that bounce back.
• The sounds that bounce back are analyzed by a computer within the machine, and then transformed into moving images. This is what creates the image of an infant inside the womb.

Ultrasound waves are meant to pass through liquids and soft tissues, which is why they are so effective during the course of a pregnancy. In addition, ultrasound machines are often used when studying soft organs in patients.

Portable

Recently, the use of portable has been on the rise. Upon their invention, portable ultrasounds were very costly and not nearly as efficient or accurate as the traditional ultrasound machines. As technology has grown, so has the ability and power of these transportable devices. Portable ultrasound machines give people the ability to see images of their unborn child while in the comfort of their own home.

Globally, these machines have given a plethora of opportunity to both doctors and patients. Millions of people in third world countries don't have the means of using ultrasound machines, which is often problematic for those who are pregnant. Portable ultrasound machines give people, who would normally never have a chance to use an ultrasound machine, the ability to check the infant's health while it is still in the mother.

Advances in modern medical technology have reached out all across the world. Perhaps one of the most influential inventions was the portable ultrasound machine. Because of this device, fewer babies are being lost during the course of pregnancy, not only in the United States but all over the world.



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