TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Chapter 14. First Trimester Pregnancy A1 - Reardon, Robert F. A1 - Hess-Keenan, Jamie A1 - Roline, Chad E. A1 - Caroon, Liberty V. A1 - Joing, Scott A. A2 - Ma, O. John A2 - Mateer, James R. A2 - Reardon, Robert F. A2 - Joing, Scott A. Y1 - 2014 N1 - T2 - Ma and Mateer's Emergency Ultrasound, 3e AB - Ultrasound is the primary imaging modality used in pregnancy.1–4 In the first-trimester, pregnant patients who present with vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain, ultrasound can be used to distinguish ectopic pregnancy from threatened abortion or embryonic demise. The primary goal of emergency sonography of the pelvis in the first trimester is to identify an intrauterine pregnancy, which usually excludes the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.5 Secondary objectives are to detect extrauterine signs of an ectopic pregnancy, estimate the viability of an intrauterine pregnancy, clarify gestational age, and characterize other causes of pelvic pain and vaginal bleeding. In addition, sonographic detection of free fluid outside of the pelvis can help emergency physicians expedite the care of a patient with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy.6 Emergency point-of-care sonography is not intended to define the entire spectrum of pelvic pathology in early pregnancy. A follow-up comprehensive pelvic ultrasound examination may be indicated after the initial focused point-of-care examination, the timing of which is dictated by the clinical scenario. SN - PB - The McGraw-Hill Companies CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=57793186 ER -