GUSI OB Essentials Pocket Guide
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About the Guide
The GUSI OB Essentials POCUS Pocket Guide is a compact, easy-to-use reference designed to support clinicians providing prenatal and postpartum care. Whether you’re in family medicine, obstetrics, midwifery, or emergency medicine, this guide provides quick access to essential obstetric ultrasound protocols and best practices.
Covering the complete spectrum of obstetric ultrasound from first trimester dating to third trimester assessment, biophysical profile scoring, and postpartum evaluation, it helps ensure accurate image acquisition and interpretation for fetal wellbeing, pregnancy dating, placental location, amniotic fluid assessment, and common pregnancy complications.
Developed by the Global Ultrasound Institute (GUSI), this pocket guide is the perfect companion to GUSI’s OB Essentials Course, reinforcing your learning and helping you confidently integrate obstetric ultrasound into your clinical practice.
What You’ll Discover
Book Overview
OB SCAN BASICS
Master fundamental scanning techniques for first, second, and third trimester ultrasound including transabdominal probe positioning, systematic uterine and adnexal evaluation, and optimizing image quality for maternal body habitus.
THE BIG FIVE
Systematically assess fetal number (singleton vs multifetal gestation with chorionicity), fetal presentation (cephalic, breech, transverse), placental location (anterior, posterior, fundal, low-lying, previa), fetal heart rate (normal 110-160 bpm), and amniotic fluid assessment (Amniotic Fluid Index and Maximum Vertical Pocket measurements).
FETAL DATING & BIOMETRY
Accurately date pregnancy using first trimester crown-rump length (CRL) and mean sac diameter (MSD), and perform second/third trimester biometry measurements (biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, femur length) with proper anatomic landmarks and quality control.
What Makes This OB Pocket Guide Special
Portable, practical, and proven. Designed by obstetric ultrasound experts for clinicians who want to deliver better prenatal and maternal-fetal care.
Point-of-Care Prenatal Assessment
Evaluate fetal wellbeing and pregnancy progression in real-time during prenatal visits. Reduce the need to send patients for outside imaging. Assess fetal growth, placental location, amniotic fluid, and cardiac activity immediately.
The Big Five Framework
Systematically assess the five critical components of every obstetric scan: fetal number, fetal presentation, placental location, fetal heart rate, and amniotic fluid volume for comprehensive prenatal evaluation.
Accurate Pregnancy Dating
Master first trimester dating with crown-rump length measurements and mean sac diameter calculations. Learn proper technique for second and third trimester biometry to confirm gestational age and assess fetal growth.
Primary Care Focused
Specifically designed for family medicine physicians, midwives, OB/GYNs, and emergency medicine clinicians who want to integrate obstetric ultrasound into everyday prenatal care practice.
Biophysical Profile Scoring
Complete guidance for performing and interpreting biophysical profiles to assess fetal wellbeing, including fetal breathing, movement, tone, heart rate patterns, and amniotic fluid volume.
Early Pregnancy Evaluation
Quick-reference criteria for identifying normal intrauterine pregnancy, recognizing ectopic pregnancy risk, evaluating threatened miscarriage, and assessing early pregnancy complications.
GUSI-Tested Protocols
Developed by Global Ultrasound Institute educators who’ve trained thousands of healthcare professionals in practical, evidence-based obstetric ultrasound techniques aligned with ACOG and AIUM guidelines.
Course Integration
Perfectly complements GUSI’s OB Essentials Course, providing a hands-on reference that bridges online learning with bedside application for comprehensive maternal-fetal care.
Trusted by Clinicians Delivering Better Prenatal Care
As a Family Physician, I see immense value in integrating POCUS into primary care. It enhances diagnostic accuracy, improves patient confidence, and speeds up clinical decision-making—all from the bedside.
Dr Emma Khabure
The best thing that has ever happened in my nursing practice. Early referral of cases and detection of abnormal presentation especially in antenatal and labour ward has helped reduce delays that used to happen.
Veronica Matsangoni
Learning is made easier by the support provided to each student.
Dr. Kate Feibusch, MPH
POCUS Has Allowed Me to Find New Excitement in Primary Care, and Reduces Burnout by Providing Quicker Answers to Medical Problems in Real Time.
Dr Moses J. Syldcort
It is an honour to serve with such a wonderful team of GUSI instructors in promoting POCUS in Ukraine.
Dr. Vadym Vus
The POCUS workshop was clinically oriented and well-taught by experienced instructors [who were patient and engaging with new learners].
Dr Cindy Yang, FAAFP
Bedside ultrasound gave me greater diagnostic certainty [in minutes], which I could share with confidence with my patients.
Dr. Greg Bailey
It’s a solid foundation for anyone newer to OB POCUS, but still teaches plenty of advanced skills for clinicians with more experience.
Dr Claire Thomson
The [GUSI] Obstetric Essentials POCUS course gave me a clear framework for how to approach obstetric ultrasound [in real clinical settings].
Tara Ahmadi
See What's Inside: A Quick Walk-Through
Take a 2-minute tour of the GUSI OB Essentials Pocket Guide and discover how it can transform your approach to prenatal and maternal-fetal care.
From cover to cover, this pocket guide is designed with one goal: to make obstetric ultrasound accessible and actionable in everyday prenatal practice. Watch this brief overview to see how the Big Five assessment protocols are organized, explore sample pages with annotated ultrasound images showing normal fetal anatomy and common pregnancy complications, and learn how this resource integrates with GUSI’s comprehensive obstetric ultrasound training.
Whether you’re confirming pregnancy dates, evaluating fetal presentation before delivery, or assessing fetal wellbeing with biophysical profile scoring, having evidence-based scanning protocols at your fingertips enables same-visit diagnosis and improved prenatal care planning. See for yourself how this portable guide delivers exactly what you need to confidently incorporate obstetric ultrasound into your practice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is this guide aligned with ACOG and AIUM guidelines?
Yes! All protocols in this guide follow evidence-based practices consistent with American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) guidelines for obstetric ultrasound in clinical practice.
Does this guide cover high-risk pregnancy complications?
While this guide focuses on essential obstetric ultrasound skills for routine prenatal care, it includes guidance for recognizing common complications such as placenta previa, low-lying placenta, polyhydramnios, oligohydramnios, abnormal fetal heart rates, and signs of pregnancy failure. Complex high-risk conditions should be referred to maternal-fetal medicine specialists.
How does this pocket guide complement GUSI’s OB Essentials Course?
This pocket guide is the perfect companion to GUSI’s OB Essentials online course. While the course provides comprehensive video instruction and scanning techniques, this guide serves as your portable reference during actual prenatal visits, helping you recall proper probe positioning, anatomical landmarks, and measurement techniques when you need them most.
Do I need advanced ultrasound training to use this guide?
Not at all! This guide is specifically designed for family physicians, midwives, OB/GYNs, and emergency medicine clinicians who want to integrate obstetric ultrasound into practice. The clear protocols and labeled images make it accessible for beginners while remaining valuable as a reference for experienced practitioners.
What obstetric assessments are covered in this pocket guide?
The guide provides comprehensive coverage of essential prenatal ultrasound including the Big Five assessment (fetal number, presentation, placental location, heart rate, amniotic fluid), first trimester dating with CRL and MSD, second/third trimester biometry (BPD, HC, AC, FL), biophysical profile scoring, early pregnancy evaluation for ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage, and postpartum assessment including RPOC and IUD placement verification.
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Ready to Elevate Your Prenatal Care Skills?
Join 18,000+ clinicians worldwide who trust GUSI for evidence-based ultrasound education.
The GUSI OB Essentials POCUS Pocket Guide puts comprehensive prenatal assessment protocols at your fingertips, helping you deliver faster, more accurate evaluation of fetal wellbeing and pregnancy progression. Whether you’re dating a first trimester pregnancy, evaluating placental location before delivery, or performing a biophysical profile for post-term pregnancy, this portable reference ensures you have the guidance you need, exactly when you need it.
Stop referring patients for imaging you could perform yourself. Start providing same-visit pregnancy dating, fetal wellbeing assessment, and complication screening that improves patient satisfaction and prenatal outcomes. Empower expectant mothers with immediate answers and visual confirmation of their baby’s health.
Designed by experts, tested in real clinical settings, and trusted by healthcare professionals across 250+ institutions worldwide. This is more than a pocket guide. It’s your confidence in prenatal care, portable.
