A view into a womb: A pregnant dolphin's ultrasound

We have a pregnant dolphin! On January 25, 2007 the Vancouver Aquarium announced Hana's pregnancy. Updates on this 12-year-old Pacific white-sided dolphin's journey to becoming a mother, will be posted here.

February 5, 2007: How's her fetus doing?

It's time for the next check up. Today, Aquarium Veterinarian Dr. Marty Haulena prepares to do another ultrasound on Hana to see if her fetus is growing normally. He is checking the fetus's heart rate, movement, organ development, position in the womb, and its growth.

Dr. Haulena, the Aquarium veterinary technicians and Hana's trainers work as a team to do these ultrasounds, which will be done at regular intervals. Hana is roughly on the fourth month of her 11 to 12-month term, and regular ultrasounds will be an important tool in monitoring her pregnancy. 

Pacific white-sided dolphin pregnancies are relatively rare in aquariums, so every one of Hana's ultrasounds will give us essential information not only on Hana and her fetus, but also about these species' physiology and life history in general. 

Today, the fetus looks healthy and is now longer than a pocket book (roughly 22 cm).

 

January 4, 2007: A pregnant dolphin's ultrasound

Aquarium dolphin trainers along with Veterinarian Dr. Marty Haulena took a dolphin ultrasound to confirm blood tests that seem to indicate a dolphin pregnancy.

They made what could be a delicate procedure look quite routine, from both the dolphin's and Dr. Haulena's perspective. The trainer worked daily with the dolphin for up to two months to prepare her for this procedure: First desensitizing her to just the ultrasound probe, then right up to the machine in operation.

We now have confirmation: Hana, the Vancouver Aquarium's 12-year-old Pacific white-sided dolphin is expecting. The average pregnancy period for these animals is 11 - 12 months, so if all goes well we expect her to deliver a calf this summer.