

You'll usually be offered a DVD or digital download of your 4D scan to keep Downfalls of a 4D scan.Is an opportunity for the wider family to see/bond with the baby as many clinics allow family members to go along for the scan.Some people say that seeing their baby so clearly helps them to bond before birth.Some couples find the experience more relaxing than the routine scans which are done for medical purposes.Rachel says that while there are benefits to getting a 4D scan, there are also some downsides too, so it's important to do your research before getting one.
26 week 4d ultrasound free#
"Some companies offer you a free second scan if the first one is not very good, and some do not, so check before you book," she adds. Plus, if you weren’t able to get a good view of your baby, you might be eligible for a second scan. "Unless your baby has their legs firmly crossed, you should be able to see the genitals." "Even if your baby is shy about showing their face, you will still be able to see fingers and toes wiggling and the arms and legs waving and kicking," she says. However, even if you don’t get a great view, Rachel says you’ll still be able to see parts of your baby. Firstly, if you’re plump around your tummy, and secondly, if there isn’t much amniotic fluid around the baby.

There are also other factors that can make it tricky to get a good view of your baby.
26 week 4d ultrasound full#
Sometimes the baby is pressed up against the placenta and can look pretty odd or you might not get a full look." "Likewise if his or her head has already moved down into your pelvis, you might not see the face at all. "If your baby is facing out towards your belly button, you will see more than if he or she is facing towards your back," says Rachel. When you book your 4D scan, you’ll understandably be keen to see your baby’s face - but how much you will see will depend on which way your baby is facing. "At this stage, there should be enough fat on your baby that his or her face won’t look too bony and he or she won’t yet have started going down into the pelvis and disappearing from view." What will I be able to see at a 4D scan? “However, to get the most out of a 4D scan, aim to be seen between 26 weeks and 30 weeks pregnant. "It’s your choice whether or not to have one and so you can book whenever you like," she says. When is best to have a 4D scan?Īccording to Rachel, there’s no time you should or shouldn’t have a 4D scan, as they are not considered medically necessary, but are rather classed as "recreational", "reassurance" or "keepsake" scans. The 3D baby scans send waves from lots of different angles to give a still three-dimensional image and the 4D scan is like a 3D scan but gives you a real-time three-dimensional moving image. These sound waves bang into the baby and then bounce back again like an echo and are collected and turned into an image of the baby by a computer."Ī 2D scan (the one used most commonly in hospitals) sends the sound waves straight onto the baby from one angle and the echo can be built into a still two-dimensional image. "Quite simply, the scanning probe sends out high-frequency sound waves which are aimed at the baby. "Ultrasound scans, whether 2D, 3D or 4D, all work in the same way," says Rachel.
