Cancer screening
Breast Cancer
Breast screening is done through a test called mammography. This involves taking x-rays of the
breasts.
The screening helps to identify and find breast cancers early, at the stage where they are too small to
see or feel. The tiny breast cancers are usually easier to treat than larger ones (Cancer Research 2017).
During the procedure patients stand in front of a mammogram machine and the breasts will be placed
one at a time on the x-ray machine. The breast will be pressed down on the surface by a clear plate.
Then about two pictures of each breast will be taken, one from top to bottom and then a second from
side to side to include the part of your breast that extends into your armpit. Patients will need to stay
in the same position while the x-ray is taken (Breastcancernow 2019).
The recommendations for women and breast screening are:
40 to 44 should have the choice to start annual breast cancer screening with mammograms (x-rays of
the breast) if they wish to do so.
45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.
55 and older should switch to mammograms every 2 years, or can continue yearly screening (ACS
2020)
1
, antenatal screening (before birth/during pregnancy)
Ultrasound Scan
A prenatal ultrasound uses sound waves and a computer screen to show a picture of your baby
inside the womb.
Ultrasounds can help your health care provider see how your baby is growing and developing.
Ultrasound can also be done to see if other tests need to be done to check on your baby’s health.
There are several types of ultrasounds and they are safe for you and your baby when done by a
trained health care provider.
A prenatal ultrasound test uses high-frequency sound waves, that cannot be heard by the human ear,
that are transmitted through the abdomen via a device called a transducer to look at the inside of the
abdomen. The echoes are recorded and transformed into video or photographic images of the baby
Most women get an ultrasound in their second trimester at 18 to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Some also
get a first-trimester ultrasound (also called an early ultrasound) before 14 weeks of pregnancy. The
number of ultrasounds and timing may be different for women depending on certain health conditions
like as asthma and obesity
What are some reasons for having an ultrasound?
To confirm (make sure) you’re pregnant
To check your baby’s age and growth. This helps your provider figure out your due date.
To check your baby’s heartbeat, muscle tone, movement and overall development
To check to see if you’re pregnant with twins, triplets or more (also called multiples)
To check if your baby is in the heads-first position before birth
To examine your ovaries and uterus (womb). Ovaries are where eggs are stored in your body.
To screen for birth defects, like spina bifida or heart defects
To help with other prenatal tests, like chorionic villus sampling (also called CVS) or
amniocentesis (also called amnio).
To check for pregnancy complications, including ectopic pregnancy, molar
pregnancy and miscarriage (March of Dimes 2020)
Newborn screening
2
Breast Cancer
Breast screening is done through a test called mammography. This involves taking x-rays of the
breasts.
The screening helps to identify and find breast cancers early, at the stage where they are too small to
see or feel. The tiny breast cancers are usually easier to treat than larger ones (Cancer Research 2017).
During the procedure patients stand in front of a mammogram machine and the breasts will be placed
one at a time on the x-ray machine. The breast will be pressed down on the surface by a clear plate.
Then about two pictures of each breast will be taken, one from top to bottom and then a second from
side to side to include the part of your breast that extends into your armpit. Patients will need to stay
in the same position while the x-ray is taken (Breastcancernow 2019).
The recommendations for women and breast screening are:
40 to 44 should have the choice to start annual breast cancer screening with mammograms (x-rays of
the breast) if they wish to do so.
45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.
55 and older should switch to mammograms every 2 years, or can continue yearly screening (ACS
2020)
1
, antenatal screening (before birth/during pregnancy)
Ultrasound Scan
A prenatal ultrasound uses sound waves and a computer screen to show a picture of your baby
inside the womb.
Ultrasounds can help your health care provider see how your baby is growing and developing.
Ultrasound can also be done to see if other tests need to be done to check on your baby’s health.
There are several types of ultrasounds and they are safe for you and your baby when done by a
trained health care provider.
A prenatal ultrasound test uses high-frequency sound waves, that cannot be heard by the human ear,
that are transmitted through the abdomen via a device called a transducer to look at the inside of the
abdomen. The echoes are recorded and transformed into video or photographic images of the baby
Most women get an ultrasound in their second trimester at 18 to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Some also
get a first-trimester ultrasound (also called an early ultrasound) before 14 weeks of pregnancy. The
number of ultrasounds and timing may be different for women depending on certain health conditions
like as asthma and obesity
What are some reasons for having an ultrasound?
To confirm (make sure) you’re pregnant
To check your baby’s age and growth. This helps your provider figure out your due date.
To check your baby’s heartbeat, muscle tone, movement and overall development
To check to see if you’re pregnant with twins, triplets or more (also called multiples)
To check if your baby is in the heads-first position before birth
To examine your ovaries and uterus (womb). Ovaries are where eggs are stored in your body.
To screen for birth defects, like spina bifida or heart defects
To help with other prenatal tests, like chorionic villus sampling (also called CVS) or
amniocentesis (also called amnio).
To check for pregnancy complications, including ectopic pregnancy, molar
pregnancy and miscarriage (March of Dimes 2020)
Newborn screening
2
