| 4D ultrasound (fourth-dimensional) is the latest | | | | doctor's order and are often done at a private |
| ultrasound technology allowing you to take 3D | | | | ultrasound business, where they specialize in doing 4D |
| ultrasound images with the added element of taking | | | | ultrasounds. The procedure is non-invasive and takes |
| live action movies (4D) of your unborn child. This allows | | | | about twenty minutes to complete. Upon completion of |
| you to see how your little one is moving and | | | | the scan the mom-to-be is given a DVD with quality |
| developing in all 3 planes. Between 28-36 weeks one | | | | still images as well as a video of her moving baby. |
| will be able to identify the baby's features in more | | | | These images and videos of the unborn baby can be |
| detail as a fat layer fills the skeletal appearance. | | | | sent to family and friends via email which allows |
| 3D images taken from a 4D scan can also visually | | | | grandma and grandpa to join in with the excitement of |
| clarify or determine the baby's gender and heartbeat. | | | | this special time or it can also be printed to be kept in |
| These scans display the entire volume of the baby | | | | an album or baby book. |
| which is being examined, making it possible to analyze | | | | - Determining fetal age |
| the tissue concerned. It further allows doctors and | | | | - Analyzing fetal development |
| sonographers to analyze fetal motion, visualize the | | | | - Evaluating multiple and/or high-risk pregnancies |
| internal anatomy in every direction and perform exams | | | | - Detecting fetal abnormalities |
| previously unavailable. | | | | - Detecting structural problem with uterus |
| The old way of scanning (2D images) requires a | | | | - Detecting placental abnormalities |
| trained sonographer or a doctor to identify features | | | | - Detecting abnormal bleeding |
| and body parts of the fetus and the pictures are often | | | | - Determining ectopic pregnancy and other |
| very grainy. One of the many benefits of the new | | | | abnormalities of pregnancy |
| sophisticated 4D scanning is that it also assists doctors | | | | - Detecting ovarian tumor/fibroids |
| in determining and confirming any abnormalities | | | | - Locating the placenta |
| whereas 2D scans only indicates a problem. | | | | Pregnancy is an exciting time for every mother from |
| Conventional 2-D imaging requires a precise plane to | | | | the first time of meeting their baby till the time they |
| observe the unborn baby but, new techniques allow | | | | actually hold the pair of little feet in your hands. A 4d |
| practitioners to freely rotate 3-D images of the | | | | ultrasound scan provides live video footage of the |
| scanned fetus within a stored volume. | | | | baby's movements, developments and the baby's |
| 2D Ultrasounds are ordered by a physician at certain | | | | heartbeat. Still images are the taken from this scan, |
| intervals during pregnancy and is usually performed at | | | | also giving you 3d ultrasound images to take home |
| a clinic, doctors office or at an ultrasound imaging | | | | with your movie of the unborn baby. |
| center. However, 4D ultrasounds do not require a | | | | |