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d Our machines are capable of 2D, 3D & 4D ultrasounds. 2D is a typical black and white image used for diagnostic scans in your doctor’s office. These are very useful medically because a trained technician can evaluate the internal organs and assess for abnormalities. 3D and 4D ultrasounds render a surface image only which is much more realistic to the untrained eye. The only difference between 3D and 4D is that 3D is a still image and 4D is the moving video. Some ultrasound machines are only capable of taking one 3D image at a time and do not acquire images fast enough to get the yawns or smiles in moving video. Back to Top What is an elective prenatal ultrasound? We offer elective 2D, 3D & 4D prenatal, non-medical, ultrasounds to provide a proactive, positive bonding experience for the mother, father and family members with their unborn baby. Realistic surface images provide a connection between the parents and baby that can be beneficial to the whole family. A routine ultrasound examination should have already been performed by your medical OB/GYN doctor to assess the gestational age of the fetus and to evaluate for fetal anomalies, as well as the basic components of fetal anatomy. Back to Top Does this take the place of an ultrasound at my doctor's office? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Women seeking an elective prenatal ultrasound with Beautiful Life Ultrasound must already be receiving treatment with a healthcare provider for prenatal care and have already undergone a medical, diagnostic ultrasound ordered by their provider to confirm their due date, screen for fetal anomalies, and to look for any other pregnancy related issues. Your imaging session at Beautiful Life Ultrasound is strictly an elective ultrasound. Please note, at no time is this elective experience to be confused with, or used in place of, a diagnostic ultrasound. You will be required to bring proof of medical care to your appointment with us. This could be in the form of a medical ultrasound photo, a note from your OB Care Provider or some form of official paperwork from their office. Back to Top Is it safe? Are there any risks to me, or my baby? Extensive studies conducted over 35 years have found that ultrasound has not been shown to cause any harm to mother or baby. Routine scanning of all pregnancies is now normal throughout the United States. In 3D/4D scanning, exactly the same type and intensity of ultrasound is used as with conventional 2D scanning. 3D and 4D Ultrasound both use sound waves to look inside the body. The technology is similar to radar. A probe placed on the body emits sound waves into the body, listens for the return echo and generates an image. 4D ultrasound is similar to a conventional scan in terms of sound exposure. This is why it is very important to be well hydrated so that you may see your unborn child clearly. Back to Top Although we suggest making an appointment, we do welcome walk-ins. In most cases, we can accommodate same day appointments. Back to Top How long does the 4D ultrasound take? Depending on the package you choose, the 4D ultrasound session will last between 10 and 35 minutes. However, plan on spending 30 minutes to an hour with us so we can send you home with all your memories that day. Back to Top How far along should I be before I have a 4D ultrasound? If you plan on having only one 4D ultrasound session, we would recommend having the ultrasound performed between the 26th and 34th week of the pregnancy. However, images of your baby can be obtained anytime after about 22 weeks of pregnancy. Many mothers want more than one 4D ultrasound and have images to enjoy from their second and third trimesters. It is thrilling to determine gender and see fetal movement at 18 weeks and then return at 30 weeks for facial images. Back to Top Will I always get a beautiful picture of my baby? Usually, but not always. Sometimes if the baby is always looking face down, i.e. towards your spine, it may be impossible to see the baby's face. If we believe the quality of the scan will improve in a week due to position, a repeat scan in the following week will be done to see if the baby has turned to a favorable position. We can make no promises that the images will be similar to those you might have seen elsewhere or even from another client scanned at our offices. We make every effort to exceed everyone's expectations. However, every baby scans differently, depending on its gestational age, position, amount of fluid, placental placement and mother's condition. It is also very usual for the baby to want to touch the face with the hand or a foot persistently so this should be expected. Back to Top Can I bring my family and friends? Yes. In fact, we encourage our clients to invite family and friends to attend the elective 4D ultrasound session. This is a joyous and wonderful experience, one that can be shared with your family and loved ones. Back to Top Are you able to tell the sex of the baby? Yes, in most cases we can provide an indication of the sex of the baby. We can't however guarantee that the baby will cooperate during your session. Certain factors such as body tissue content, developmental stage and fetal position all affect the ability to determine sex. If the baby is uncooperative or too young to determine gender, a short 2D re-scan may be offered when the baby is larger (18-20 weeks), and the position is favorable, to give you an accurate gender determination. Back to Top Is the 4D ultrasound covered by Insurance? At this point, insurance does not cover the costs of our ultrasounds. Since this is an elective procedure and is not intended to be a replacement for your doctor ordered ultrasound, you will need to pay the cost of this ultrasound as an out-of-pocket expense. We accept cash, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express and Debit Cards (no checks please). Back to Top What is the difference between the CD and the DVD you get with some of the packages? The CD will have all of your 3D still images taken during your session. The DVD will be the entire live video 4D experience from start to finish. If your package does not come with a DVD, feel free to ask for an upgrade. Back to Top What should I wear to my ultrasound? You should always wear very comfortable loose fitting clothing to your ultrasound. Please do not wear a dress or skirt because we need to get to your belly. If you have a belly ring, or pants with a button and zipper you will have to remove it prior to your session because 3D/4D ultrasound probes are specially designed with crystals and should never come into contact with metal. The best way to dress is in maternity pants with a loose belly band, and a shirt. Back to Top How early should I arrive to Beautiful Life Ultrasound? You should arrive to Beautiful Life Ultrasound ten minutes before your scheduled appointment. There will be some forms to complete. We will take a commemorative photograph of you and your family prior to your ultrasound, so it is imperative that your entire group arrives on time. Your ultrasound will begin at the time your appointment is scheduled, so please arrive on time to ensure maximum viewing time. Back to Top Do I need to have a full bladder for my ultrasound? No, we do not require all moms to have a full bladder for their session, but please drink a lot of water the night before your appointment in order to arrive well hydrated. Back to Top What if I am unable to make it to my appointment? We understand life is busy, and plans change...if you are unable to attend your session for any reason please call 24 hours in advance to either cancel or reschedule prior to your appointment. Back to Top Who will be performing my ultrasound? What are their qualifications? After attending four years of undergraduate college, our full-time technicians have graduated with a degree in all modalities of ultrasound, from an accredited diagnostic ultrasound school. They have worked in the field of diagnostic ultrasound for several years; they are experts in the field of 3D/4D ultrasound! Feel free to visit our facility and view our technician’s diplomas and accreditations. Back to Top What can I do to ensure the best pictures of my baby? The most important thing you can do to ensure good pictures is to drink plenty of water (minimum of one gallon per day) in the days and weeks leading up to your scan! The more hydrated you are, the clearer the pictures will be! By drinking plenty of water you can increase the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the baby. Unlike standard 2D ultrasound (black and white) 3D/4D ultrasound requires a significant amount of Amniotic Fluid in order to see the baby with great clarity. Without an ample amount of fluid you may not get good pictures of your baby. We understand this seems like a lot of water and a bit impossible, but it is the best thing you can do, and a sacrifice most moms are willing to make in order to obtain beautiful images. You can also try to pay attention to what wakes your baby up, and do that on the day of your session; for some moms this means eating a meal, for others it means having some fruit juice! Do whatever works for you and your baby so we can see him/her awake and in the mood to play! When babies sleep, they sometimes tend to roll over and face moms back, or bottom, and we cannot see their cute little faces. As long as we can see the baby's face, the baby can continue sleeping. We urge you to enjoy the fun and some of the funny positions your baby prefers. Remember most unborn babies sleep between 20 and 22 hours a day. Even though he/she is sleeping, the baby may still yawn, stretch, suck its thumb or toe, and even stick its tongue out! Back to Top |
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