4D Scan - Ultrasound scan: Bonding with 4d baby scans in the Womb

1. For Diagnosis and confirmation of early pregnancy or expected pregnancy.

Through 4d ultrasound, the health of the baby and the mother is monitored. In the process, the gestational sac can be visualized as early as four and a half weeks of gestation and the yolk sac at about five weeks. Moreover, the embryo can be observed and measured by about five and a half weeks.

2. To confirm the confirm the site of the pregnancy is within the cavity of the uterus.

3. For diagnosis of fetal malformation in the early stage of pregnancy. Many structural abnormalities in the fetus can be reliably diagnosed by an ultrasound scan, and these can usually be made before 20 weeks.

4. To determine the gestational age and assess the fetal size. Through the high frequency waves used in pregnancy ultrasound, fetal measurements can be used to determine the gestational age.

5. To maintain and check the over-all health both of the mother and the baby.

6. To determine the presence of more than one fetus.

7. To know the amount of amniotic fluid around the baby and the placenta location.

3d scan and 4d baby scans are suggested to be done on the phase between 24 and 34 weeks.

At this time of pregnancy, there is sufficient water around the baby who is relatively speaking is small. The sonographer can in these circumstances obtain the best shots. When the baby is larger with less water around the baby is less active, the head tend to drop in the pelvis and the results may not as brilliant as are usually.

Baby ultrasound is a frequency diagnostic procedure used to pass high frequency waves to the body of the woman. This in turn, reflects back echo which is then analyzed to create the image of what is inside the womb- the baby .

In 3d ultrasound, a three-dimensional image of the fetus is then recognized. It is on this procedure that the sound waves are sent straight down and reflected back, they are sent at different angles.

This sound waves are filtered and determined by the computer system to reconstruct the image of the baby. Captured rapidly, this produced the 4d scan.

2d scans is the most common obstetric diagnostic mode. This is generated with a two-dimensional area for the scanned body area. However, this is unable to determine the gender of the child assound waves being sent straight down and reflected back.

In the 3d scanning, the sound waves are sent at different angles compared to that of the 2d scan. The process enables the procedure to generate a three-dimensional image to create the image of the fetus.

4d scans is like the 3d scan only that the fetal movements could be monitored. Because the procedure rapidly capture the image, it produces the 4d baby ultrasound scans.

Down's syndrome screening is now much more sophisticated these days - offering a number of key benefits to women.

Until recently, what is commonly known as Downs test was based on a woman's age and family history. This crude but important method of screening was much less accurate and if necessary an invasive procedure, the "amniocentesis" was performed. This procedure involves insertion of a needle into the pregnancy space to withdraw some fluid for further testing. Cells grown from the fluid are then used for analysing the chromosomes.

Of course this invasive step is associated with a moderate risk of miscarriage (about 1-2) of a perfectly normal pregnancy! To improve matters and avoid amniocentesis, a combination of blood tests performed around 16 weeks were introduced. These were known as the Alpha Fetal protein test which was originally designed for screening for spinal defects. A combination of blood tests and maternal age gave an estimate of the risk for Down's syndrome.

Although this was an improvement, it was not sufficient because amniocentesis was still necessary if a moderate risk was indentified.

The Nuchal Scan (also known as Nuchal translucency test) has been a tremendous improvement because it relies, yes, on mother's age, but also on the mother's blood test and baby's neck skin thickness, as measured by an ultrasound scan. This is where its name "Nuchal Scan" originates.

The test has been trialled and validated very extensively. The accuracy of the test in diagnosing correctly the presence of baby affected by Down's syndrome is between 95-97.

The nuchal scan focuses on the baby's neck skin. It measures the nuchal fold thickness; the thicker it is the higher the Down's risk. This measurement in millimetres, is combined with a measurement of special blood proteins, named the "free beta human chorionic gonadotrophin - free Bhcg" and "pregnancy associated plasma protein A - PAPP-A" are interpreted in a special algorithm to determine the risk of Down's syndrome.

The results are issued as an estimated risk of Trisomy 21 (and Trisomy 18 and 13).

There are a lot more baby ultrasound scan features that can be taken into account to increase accuracy even further.

Joe Kabukoba, MD, MRCOG

Consultant Gynaecologist
www.4d-ultrasoundscan.co.uk
http://twitter.com/joeztweets

4d scans ultrasound makes a four dimensional image of the internal organs being scanned including the baby.

When having a pregnancy ultrasound, you are lay down on the examination bed and some gel are placed on top of your abdomen. This is being done so as the gel can help in having clear images during the test. A transducer is used to emit frequency waves during the scan.

quoted from 4d-ultrasoundscan.co.uk/articles/4D-BabyScan-Sanographer

I have now been an employee and lead Sonographer for One Stop Clinics for a few years and feel it is an absolute privilege to be a part of bringing so much joy to so many families.

Sharon smewing 4d baby Ultrasound scans. In our NHS setting we often do not have the time to make the pregnancy scan experience as pleasurable as possible alongside the medical scan.

Sharon Smewing
4d testimonial
Lead Sonographer
One Stop Health Clinics