What is 2D?
Ultrasound tests (also known as 'sonograms' or 'scans') can be performed during pregnancy for a variety of reasons.
Hundreds of sound waves are emitted from the transducer during each scan. These waves are absorbed and bounced back from human tissues, bones and body fluids (all with different densities) to create black and white ultrasound images that look similar to a photographic negative, with black areas indicating liquid mediums (such as amniotic fluid) and grey or white areas indicating denser materials such as tissues and bones.
What is 3D?
Prenatal 3D ultrasound is an amazing, new technology that allows you to see beautiful, color images and videos of your unborn baby. With 3D ultrasound, you can actually see what your baby looks like before birth, and you can watch your baby move while it is still in the womb. It is a wonderful way for mothers, fathers and siblings to begin bonding with the baby before he or she is born.
3D ultrasound photos are nothing like the standard, black and white, 2D ultrasound photos that most people get from their doctors. In the color photos produced by 3D ultrasound, the baby actually looks like a baby. The sophisticated technology behind 3D ultrasound enables the production of these spectacular images.
3D ultrasound differs from 2D ultrasound in the way in which the image of the baby is rendered. Ultrasound itself is the use of high-frequency soundwaves to create images of internal structures. A small, handheld device called a transducer is used to send soundwaves out and also to receive and record the sound waves when they bounce back. The soundwaves used in 2D and 3D ultrasound are the same. The difference lies in the sophistication of the transducer and the computer software within the ultrasound machine. Unlike 2D ultrasound, 3D ultrasound renders a volumetric image of the baby by almost instantaneously compiling multiple 2D images.
This provides a volumetric analysis of the ultrasound information which the computer uses to generate 3D ultrasound pictures. Because the baby can be seen in a 3 dimensional, volumetric space, the technologist can actually rotate the image of the baby's face on a computer screen to view the front and the sides of the baby's face. Your baby can be seen from several different perspectives during only one 3D ultrasound image acquisition.
Even more incredible is the movement of the baby that live motion 3D is able to capture. This is also known as 4D (the addition of time is the fourth dimension). You can watch color, 3D images of your baby as he or she sucks their thumb, yawns or kicks while still in the womb. 4D ultrasound can be saved on a video clip in mpeg format and stored on a CD to be emailed to friends and relatives.
What to Expect
As our aim is to form an emotional connection between the mother and the unborn child we try to keep the atmosphere as relaxed and friendly as possible.
If it is your first visit we will ask you to fill in a short form providing us with some of your personal details and give us permission to store the relevant data. We take the contact details of your doctor or midwife even though this is non-diagnostic. You do not need a referral from your doctor or midwife to book an ultrasound as this ultrasound has no clinical value.
If you have visited us before and gave us permission to store the data regarding your pregnancy, we will retrieve this and give it to you so that it will be available when the ultrasound is done.
The scan takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes (The reason for this time is discussed under FAQ)
We allow up to 3 of your family members or friends to join you during the ultrasound. The ultrasound will be displayed on a separate larger monitor so that you can see the exam while it is being done.
All our ultrasounds are done by professional sonographers with training in 4D ultrasound. All the scans, measurements and video material that we do only complements the scans done by your health care professionals and in no way replaces any of them.
