Health Library / Scans & imaging
Ultrasound in Lucknow: what to expect, and the law on sex determination
· 6 min read · Lucknow
Ultrasound uses sound waves rather than radiation, which is why it is the first scan reached for in pregnancy and in most abdominal complaints. It is quick, painless, and depends more on preparation than any other routine scan.
Getting the preparation right is what avoids being sent home and asked to come back — which is the most common avoidable frustration with this particular test.
Preparation depends entirely on which scan
There is no single ultrasound preparation, and following the wrong one is as unhelpful as following none.
- Upper abdomen (liver, gallbladder, pancreas) — fast six to eight hours; gas and a contracted gallbladder after food obscure the view
- Pelvis or lower abdomen — a full bladder is needed, so drink water and do not pass urine before the scan; the bladder acts as a window to see through
- Early pregnancy — usually a full bladder; later pregnancy usually does not need one
- KUB / kidneys — usually a full bladder, and often no fasting
- Small parts such as thyroid, breast or scrotum — generally no preparation at all
What it feels like
Warm gel is applied and a probe is moved over the skin. It is not painful, though pressure over a tender area can be uncomfortable, and a full bladder for a pelvic scan is genuinely awkward for the twenty minutes beforehand.
Some scans need a different approach for a clearer view — a transvaginal scan in gynaecology, for instance. That will be explained and consented to beforehand, and you can decline. At Charak, examinations are staffed so privacy is preserved, and a female attendant is available.
The law on sex determination in India
This has to be said plainly because it is asked often. Under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994, determining or disclosing the sex of a foetus is illegal in India. No registered centre will do it, no doctor will tell you, and asking places both you and the centre at legal risk.
Prenatal ultrasound in India is done for medical purposes — dating the pregnancy, checking growth, assessing anatomy and the placenta, and monitoring wellbeing. Every registered centre displays this and records scans accordingly. Charak, like every legitimate diagnostic centre in Lucknow, operates fully within that Act.
This article is general health information, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. Test results are read alongside your symptoms and history — please discuss yours with your doctor. See our disclaimer.
