3D / 4D Ultrasound

Ultrasound scans are now an established part of pregnancy, with most mums-to-be having at least two scans to monitor the development of the baby and to check for any problems. While for most people a traditional scan is thrilling enough, giving the first chance to see your child, the pictures that result are, with the best will in the world, somewhat fuzzy and inconclusive.

Recent developments in technology though have led to a new kind of scan which gives much clearer pictures, with depth and movement.

How 3D / 4D differs from 2D

As well as offering a much better picture quality where you can actually see your baby's features and expressions, the 4D element lets you see movement and behaviours such as yawning, stretching, and other details which would be impossible to see in a normal scan without expert training and experience.

For most people who have the scan, the experience is powerfully bonding, as the developing baby seems much more 'real' than in the grainy black and white images we're used to from 2D scans.

While the results are generally of a very high standard, the quality of the images depends on how much fluid there is around your baby, the position she's lying in, and also how much fat the mother has on her bump! Unlike traditional scans, there is no need for mum to have a full bladder, so the experience is less uncomfortable.

4D scans are not for medical purposes, and make no claims to identify any problems in development, although scans by reputable clinics will be conducted by NHS-trained professional sonographers who will refer you to your doctor if they spot anything that be may a cause for worry.

Is it safe?

There's no evidence that ultrasound scans can harm either mother or baby, although some respected experts point out that a lack of evidence of harm is not the same thing as it being proven safe.

As a 3D/4D scan is essentially for pleasure rather than medical reasons, there hasn't been the same rigourous testing as would be needed for drugs, for example. Little is known about the effects of repeated scanning, and many medical experts advise that scanning should be kept to a minimum, and used only for medical purposes, to be on the safe side.

There has also been research in Sweden that suggested women who underwent repeated ultrasound scans were more likely to have left handed babies.

To sum up, it's fair to say that no one knows for sure whether ultrasound - whether 2D, 3D or 4D - is 100% safe, although there has never been any evidence of harmful effects.

Discoveries

Although this kind of scan is medically unneccessary in most professionals' view, the increased clarity of the images has nevertheless uncovered behaviour previously unknown in gestating babies, including:

• Stretching, kicking, and other movement from 12 weeks, even before mum can feel it
• Eyes opening from 18 weeks, where it was previously thought the foetus' eyelids were sealed until 26 weeks
• A wide range of post-birth behaviour from as early as 26 weeks, including smiling, crying, sucking and hiccupping. It was previously thought that many of these behaviours were not present for even a number of weeks after birth, never mind months beforehand

Costs and where to go

Although the cost of a scan will naturally vary depending on which clinic you choose, it will generally be in the range of 250-300. For this price you'll get a one hour appointment, and you'll leave with a DVD containing around 10 minutes of moving images, plus a CD-Rom with a selection of still 3D pictures, and maybe a few printed pictures too.

The new generation of ultrasound was pioneered by Professor Stuart Campbell who set up the Create Health Clinic in London, but now there are 4D ultrasound serices offered by around 20 other clinics around the country.