Point of Care Ultrasound in Obstetrics is a clinically focused training course designed to strengthen the use of bedside ultrasound for rapid assessment of pregnant patients in emergency, acute care, and maternity settings.
The course focuses on ultrasound fundamentals, transabdominal scanning, early pregnancy assessment, fetal cardiac activity, fetal presentation, gestational assessment awareness, placental localization, amniotic fluid assessment, focused evaluation of maternal free fluid, basic fetal biometry concepts, recognition of important obstetric ultrasound findings, and integration of point-of-care ultrasound into safe clinical decision-making.
Course Snapshot
A practical obstetric POCUS course focused on bedside image acquisition, fetal and maternal assessment, recognition of key findings, and appropriate clinical escalation.
Early Pregnancy Assessment
Build a structured approach to focused ultrasound assessment in early pregnancy and recognition of findings requiring further evaluation.
Fetal Assessment
Develop awareness of fetal cardiac activity, presentation, movement, basic biometry, and clinically relevant bedside findings.
Placenta & Amniotic Fluid
Understand focused placental localization and basic assessment of amniotic fluid within the limits of point-of-care ultrasound.
Clinical Integration
Combine ultrasound findings with maternal symptoms, vital signs, physical examination, laboratory data, and formal imaging when required.
Learning Outcomes
Develop a systematic and safety-focused approach to focused obstetric ultrasound in acute and bedside clinical settings.
Optimize Obstetric Ultrasound Images
Apply appropriate probe selection, orientation, depth, gain, positioning, and image optimization for focused obstetric assessment.
Assess Early Pregnancy
Recognize basic early pregnancy sonographic appearances and understand when findings are indeterminate or require formal specialist assessment.
Identify Fetal Cardiac Activity
Develop a structured approach to confirming and documenting fetal cardiac activity within the scope of focused bedside ultrasound.
Determine Fetal Presentation
Recognize common fetal presentations and understand their relevance in later pregnancy and acute obstetric assessment.
Assess Placenta & Fluid
Identify placental location and understand basic focused assessment of amniotic fluid while recognizing the limitations of bedside scanning.
Integrate POCUS Into Obstetric Decisions
Combine ultrasound findings with maternal clinical status, gestational context, symptoms, examination, laboratory data, and specialist input.
Curriculum
A structured curriculum covering obstetric ultrasound fundamentals, early pregnancy, fetal assessment, placenta, amniotic fluid, maternal evaluation, and clinical integration.
Introduction to Obstetric Point of Care Ultrasound
Role of bedside ultrasound in pregnancy, focused clinical questions, indications, limitations, scope of POCUS, documentation, escalation, and relationship to formal obstetric imaging.
Ultrasound Fundamentals & Image Optimization
Probe selection, orientation, transabdominal scanning, image depth, gain, maternal positioning, acoustic windows, artifacts, and systematic image acquisition.
Early Pregnancy Ultrasound
Basic early pregnancy anatomy, intrauterine pregnancy awareness, gestational sac and embryonic structures, viability assessment concepts, and recognition of indeterminate findings.
Pregnancy of Uncertain Location & Ectopic Pregnancy Awareness
Focused assessment principles in pain or bleeding, free-fluid awareness, limitations of POCUS, red flags, clinical correlation, and urgent escalation when ectopic pregnancy is a concern.
Fetal Cardiac Activity & Viability Assessment
Identification of fetal cardiac activity, appropriate observation techniques, documentation, interpretation limitations, and correlation with gestational context.
Fetal Presentation & Position
Recognition of cephalic, breech, and transverse presentations, fetal orientation, maternal landmarks, and clinical relevance in later pregnancy.
Basic Fetal Biometry & Gestational Assessment Awareness
Introduction to common biometric measurements, gestational-age concepts, measurement limitations, and situations requiring formal obstetric ultrasound assessment.
Placental Location & Amniotic Fluid
Identification of placental location, relationship to the cervix as appropriate for focused assessment, amniotic fluid awareness, and recognition of abnormal findings requiring formal evaluation.
Maternal Assessment in Acute Obstetric Presentations
Focused evaluation for intraperitoneal free fluid, maternal hemodynamic instability, abdominal pain, trauma, and integration of obstetric ultrasound with broader maternal resuscitation.
Obstetric POCUS Case Integration
Case-based assessment of bleeding, abdominal pain, suspected ectopic pregnancy, fetal viability concerns, trauma, fetal presentation, maternal instability, documentation, and escalation decisions.
Who Should Attend
Designed for clinicians and trainees involved in emergency, obstetric, maternity, acute, and critical care of pregnant patients.
Emergency Physicians
Clinicians assessing pregnant patients with bleeding, abdominal pain, trauma, hemodynamic instability, or other acute presentations.
Obstetricians & Gynecologists
Clinicians seeking structured reinforcement of focused bedside ultrasound applications in obstetric care.
Family Physicians
Physicians involved in maternity or acute-care settings who want foundational obstetric POCUS skills.
Residents & Fellows
Emergency medicine, obstetric, family medicine, and acute-care trainees developing bedside ultrasound skills.
Maternity Care Professionals
Healthcare professionals involved in maternal assessment, pregnancy care, and multidisciplinary obstetric services.
Acute Care Professionals
Clinicians managing pregnant patients in emergency, urgent, critical care, or hospital-based acute settings.
Course Details
Key information about the learning format and professional focus of the Point of Care Ultrasound in Obstetrics course.
THE CANIPD EXPERIENCE
Scan With Purpose. Support Safer Decisions.
CANIPD connects focused obstetric ultrasound findings with real acute-care scenarios, helping participants use bedside imaging as part of a broader maternal and fetal clinical assessment.
The course emphasizes systematic image acquisition, recognition of important findings, maternal safety, appropriate limitations, documentation, serial reassessment, and timely referral for formal obstetric imaging or specialist care when needed.
Focused Image Acquisition
Develop a consistent approach to transabdominal obstetric scanning and recognition of key maternal and fetal structures.
Clinical Pattern Recognition
Strengthen recognition of fetal viability, presentation, placental location, free fluid, and findings requiring escalation.
Safe Clinical Integration
Understand when bedside ultrasound can answer a focused clinical question and when comprehensive specialist imaging is required.
Professional Value
Strengthen foundational bedside obstetric ultrasound skills for focused assessment of maternal and fetal conditions in acute clinical settings.
Develop a systematic approach to focused obstetric ultrasound.
Improve transabdominal image acquisition and optimization.
Strengthen early pregnancy assessment awareness.
Improve recognition of fetal cardiac activity and presentation.
Develop familiarity with placental location and amniotic fluid assessment.
Strengthen maternal free-fluid assessment in acute presentations.
Improve recognition of findings requiring formal imaging or specialist referral.
Integrate obstetric POCUS findings into clinical decision-making.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about the Point of Care Ultrasound in Obstetrics course.
What is Point of Care Ultrasound in Obstetrics? +
It is a focused bedside ultrasound course covering early pregnancy assessment, fetal cardiac activity, fetal presentation, basic gestational assessment awareness, placental location, amniotic fluid, maternal free fluid, and acute obstetric decision-making.
Who should attend the course? +
The course is suitable for emergency physicians, obstetric and gynecology clinicians, family physicians, residents, fellows, maternity-care professionals, and other clinicians involved in acute care of pregnant patients.
Does the course cover early pregnancy? +
Yes. The course introduces focused early pregnancy assessment, recognition of basic sonographic structures, fetal viability awareness, and situations requiring formal imaging or specialist review.
Is ectopic pregnancy discussed? +
Yes. The curriculum includes ectopic pregnancy awareness, free-fluid assessment, pregnancy of uncertain location, important limitations of POCUS, and the need for urgent escalation when clinically indicated.
Does the course include fetal presentation? +
Yes. Participants review focused recognition of common fetal presentations and their relevance to bedside obstetric assessment.
Are placenta and amniotic fluid assessment included? +
Yes. The course includes focused placental localization and basic amniotic-fluid assessment while emphasizing the limitations of point-of-care ultrasound.
Does this course replace a formal obstetric ultrasound examination? +
No. Point-of-care ultrasound is designed to answer focused bedside clinical questions and does not replace comprehensive diagnostic obstetric ultrasound when formal imaging is indicated.
Does completing this course independently credential me in obstetric ultrasound? +
No. The course provides educational and skills-development training and does not replace professional licensing, supervised competency assessment, institutional credentialing, specialist training, or local scope-of-practice requirements.
How can I register? +
Contact CANIPD for information about upcoming course dates, registration requirements, availability, and enrollment options.
Scan. Assess. Support Maternal & Fetal Care.
Build practical bedside ultrasound skills for focused pregnancy assessment, fetal evaluation, maternal assessment, and safer obstetric clinical decision-making.