A long session (or repeat sessions, as some of these centers offer) can be intrusive and disruptive for a fetus who's using womb time to grow, develop and get the sleep he needs. What's more, some commercial sessions last for 45 minutes - much longer than a medical scan. That's because, in addition to potentially putting your baby’s health at risk, the technicians who perform commercial ultrasounds may not be able to address your questions and likely won’t have the expertise to be able to spot any problems with your baby’s development. Currently, ACOG recommends that expecting women have at least one 2D ultrasound between weeks 18 to 22 of pregnancy, noting that some women may also have a first-trimester ultrasound.Įxperts also discourage the use of any kinds of ultrasounds (2D, Doppler, 3D and 4D) for the purpose of creating a memento. Given what we do know, experts (including ACOG and the FDA) say that ultrasounds should only be performed by a qualified medical professional when your practitioner deems them necessary for medical reasons. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), when ultrasound enters the body it heats the tissues slightly, which in some cases can create small pockets of gas in body fluids or tissues - and the long-term effects of this are unknown. But studies evaluating the safety of ultrasound technology show mixed results.Īt this point, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says that while there are no known risks of ultrasounds for pregnant women, they should be used carefully and only for medical purposes. It's tempting to book an appointment for a 3D or 4D sonogram at your local prenatal portrait center, especially if you've seen these stunning baby portraits and videos online. In other words, 3D sonograms and 4D ultrasounds are usually not part of routine prenatal exams.Īre 3D and 4D ultrasounds safe during pregnancy? Ultrasounds in 3D and 4D are performed only to closely examine suspected fetal anomalies, such as cleft lip and spinal cord issues, or to monitor something specific. Medical practitioners use 2D and Doppler ultrasounds in uncomplicated pregnancies to examine the fetus, assess amniotic fluid and look for birth defects, among other reasons. Why 3D and 4D sonograms are performed during pregnancy Giving parents a look at baby and providing reassurance that all is going as it should be in the pregnancy.Checking and measuring baby's major organs.Making sure baby is developing properly and at the appropriate pace.Confirming the number of babies in utero.in the Fallopian tubes) and is in the uterus Making sure the pregnancy isn't ectopic (i.e.There are many reasons ultrasounds in general are necessary during pregnancy, depending on the trimester, including: Women with low-risk, complication-free pregnancies will typically have at least one ultrasound, while older moms and those with complications will usually have more. Reasons to get ultrasounds during pregnancy So in a 4D sonogram, you'd see your baby doing things in real time (like opening and closing his eyes and sucking his thumb). ![]() 4D ultrasounds: A 4D ultrasound is similar to a 3D ultrasound, but the image shows movement like a video would.For instance, instead of just seeing a profile view of your cutie’s face, in a 3D sonogram you can see the whole surface (it looks more like a regular photo). 3D ultrasounds: For 3D ultrasounds, multiple two-dimensional images are taken at various angles and then pieced together to form a three-dimensional rendering.Doppler: With Doppler fetal ultrasound, your practitioner uses a hand-held ultrasound device to amplify the sound of the fetal heartbeat with the help of a special jelly on your belly.The waves bounce off internal organs and fluids, and a computer converts these echoes into a two-dimensional image (or a cross-sectional view) of the fetus on a screen. ![]() ![]() For this exam, a wand (transducer) is placed on your belly or into your vagina to send sound waves through your body.
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