If you get pregnant these days, you have the unprecedented opportunity to see your baby in elaborate detail while they’re still in your womb. At Comprehensive Women’s OB/GYN the compassionate team uses incredible 4D ultrasound technology to let you see your baby’s face and watch them move before you give birth. To learn more about the imaging procedure and discuss it with your obstetrician, call the clinic, or request an appointment online today.
A 4D ultrasound is a painless medical imaging procedure that allows you and the team at Comprehensive Women’s OB/GYN to get a clear look inside your body without incisions. In fact, ultrasound technology allows this to happen without exposing you or your unborn child to radiation, as an X-ray would. Instead, the technology uses sound waves to create an image.
Four-dimensional ultrasounds are primarily used to allow you and your obstetrician to view the inside and outside of your uterus. They can give you a three-dimensional look at your baby for an incredibly intimate pre-birth experience.
When you think of an image from an ultrasound, a standard 2D ultrasound image is likely what comes to mind. Three-dimensional ultrasounds are much more like high-definition and render an image of your baby that looks like you can grab it out of the picture.
Two-dimensional images were once the standard for diagnosing health issues like heart defects and other organ complications in babies before birth. Three-dimensional imaging, a more advanced technology, allows you a complete image that can detect minor abnormalities of the face, ears, and limbs.
Four-dimensional imaging is just like 3D imaging, but you can view the moving image of your baby in real-time instead of just a still picture. While 3D and 4D imaging aren’t usually medically necessary, you can talk to the obstetrics team at Comprehensive Women’s OB/GYN about having a 4D ultrasound by choice.
4D ultrasounds are not a standard part of your treatment plan during pregnancy. However, you may choose to have one for several reasons. Common reasons for getting a 4D ultrasound include:
If you’re on the fence about getting a 4D ultrasound, your obstetrician can give you a better idea of what’s best for your birth plan. Just like a 2D ultrasound, you can still ask that your obstetrician keeps your baby’s gender a secret or see the remarkable pattern of a heartbeat.
If you’re interested in adding a 4D ultrasound to your treatment plan to see your baby up close before birth, call Comprehensive Women’s OB/GYN or book an appointment online today.
