3D Scan
Are you curious to see what your baby looks like? From a yawn to a smile, or the beating of your baby’s heart, you can take a look at your baby inside the womb! This is a fantastic way for expectant mums and dads to begin early bonding. See your baby’s face, hands, feet; watch him (or her!) moving within the womb. Imagine being able to experience your baby as a real person with facial expressions and movements with your partner and closest family and friends present.
What to expect from a 3d scan
You will receive at least four colour portrait prints, and at least two black and white portrait prints. These portrait prints are further complemented with between 10-20 colour images on CD, suitable for emailing and printing to share with all the family. In addition, throughout the whole scan, a DVD is recorded of any movement the baby makes. You can also choose to find out the sex of the baby if you wish. If for any reason the sonographer can’t tell you the sex of the baby at your appointment, you can always come back again on another day for 10 minutes free of charge to check the sex again.
Of course if you prefer to keep the gender of your baby a mystery either, there is no problem; our sonographers are excellent at keeping a secret! We strive to create a personalised and memorable 3d scan - 4d scan session.
What is included in the 3d scan
You will receive at least four colour portrait prints, and at least two black and white portrait prints. These portrait prints are further complemented with between 10-20 colour images on CD, suitable for emailing and printing to share with all the family. In addition, throughout the whole scan, a DVD is recorded of any movement the baby makes during your 3d scan. You can also choose to find out the sex of the baby if you wish. If for any reason the sonographer can’t tell you the sex of the baby at your appointment, you can always come back again on another day for 10 minutes free of charge to check the sex again.
When to have a 3D scan / 4D scan
While there is no problem performing the 3D scan at any stage of your pregnancy, in order to get the best images, we perform the 3d scan between 22 and 32 weeks of pregnancy, although we advise that the optimum time is between 24 and 29 weeks.
The timing of the scan is really a balancing act, as you want baby to be as big as possible so you get to see as much as you can, but you still want your baby to have plenty of room to move around.
How to prepare for a 3D 4D scan?
A full bladder is not needed for your 3D 4D ultrasound scan. However, overall hydration increases the amount of amniotic fluid around the baby which translates into better pictures. It is important that you drink lots of water in the few days leading up to your scan. Like all ultrasounds, the clarity of the images obtained is dependant on certain factors:
- The baby’s position
- The amount of fluid surrounding the baby
- The position of the placenta
- The mother’s weight
During the course of the 3d scan, if any of the above factors adversely affect the quality of the images, we will inform you and only charge you €50, and offer you the option to attend again for another appointment.
The 3D scan or 4D scan is optional and does not replace your maternity hospital scan, as it is not intended to provide diagnostic information but to enhance parental enjoyment and bonding.