Ultrasound scans are all performed at specific times during pregnancy to complement the size, development, and position of your baby. Below is a guide to show you which scans are available at what stage during your pregnancy.
As Baby2Mom 4D Scanning Clinic, we provide you services by highly qualified healthcare professionals. All our Sonographers are fully qualified and experienced in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and have number of years experience of conducting ultrasound scans.
Our aim is to confirm and check the well-being and health of mother and baby. With the help of latest technology, we give you the clearest vision of your baby and make your day full of unforgettable memories. Our state-of-art ultrasound machine and our friendly staff keep our practice at the forefront of women’s health and empower us to provide the best imaging for the care of our patients.
We offer emergency and out of hours/evening appointments. You can contact us on the clinic’s phone number to arrange the emergency appointments.
As Baby2Mom 4D Scanning Clinic, we are registered with the CQC (Care Quality Commission). The CQC make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care.
This means that we have been tested and screened to ensure that all of our Sonographers and staff are highly qualified as well as our working practices are safe and we provide a service of exceptional quality.
You can make an appointment for any of our ultrasound scan packages as a self-referred client. We offer our clients quick access to an affordable private scan and provide you with a result on the day. You can choose and book online or phone our clinic to make an appointment
3D Ultrasound Scans show still images of your baby in three dimensions where as 4D scans show moving 3D imagery of your baby. 4D Scans allow you to see your baby’s skin rather than her insides. You may see the shape of your baby’s mouth, nose, foot and hand or be able to spot their yawning or sticking their tongue out.
4D scans are considered as safe as 2D scans, because the images are made up of sections of two-dimensional images converted into a picture. However, The Health Protection Agency (HPA) and British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS) do not recommend having 3D or 4D scans purely for a souvenir photo or recording.
Following ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Possible) principle, our equipments are set to the lowest possible settings, whilst imposing a maximum amount of time we will expose your baby to the ultrasound.
Yes, of course. If you would like one of our experienced chaperones to attend your appointment with you, please let our friendly staff know.
Yes, we offer scans for twin and multiple pregnancies without extra fee. If you are expecting twins please let us know and we will adjust your scan to suit you.
If baby is not playing ball, we will always work with you to try to get them in the right position for the best images. If this isn’t possible, we may be able to offer you a free rescan.
All of our Sonographers are fully qualified and if they spot any abnormalities or a medical follow-up is recommended, they will explain it to you. The sonographer will write a well-being report for you, along with the supporting images to pass on to your healthcare provider (GP/Midwife) for further care. Also, with your permission, our Sonographers will inform your healthcare provider about their findings. Our scans do not replace your routine 12 weeks Down’s Screening / Dating first trimester scan and 20 weeks Anomaly scan, therefore please attend these scans at your hospital.
The only scan that specifically looks for anomalies is the conventional scan performed by the NHS at around 20 weeks into your pregnancy. 4D scan is a self-elective, non-diagnostic scan. It is really important to note that your scan with us is a social scan only and that finding anomalies is not the primary purpose. If an anomaly is later found that was not originally spotted during your scan with us, we cannot be held responsible.
Whereas, we believe it would be remiss of us to not take the opportunity to check on your baby’s development, so we include a wellbeing scan with every scan packages. This scan is not as comprehensive as the 20-week scan and should not be considered a replacement. We will check certain vital signs, such as the baby’s position, heartbeat and sometimes measurements.
If we find out anything that concerns us during your scan, our Sonographers are very experienced and are able to deal with any issues with sensitivity and professionalism. Anything we might find will have to be confirmed by the NHS, so our Sonographers will refer you to your Midwife or the Pregnancy Assessment Unit straight away.
If you’re looking to make your pregnancy scan a family occasion, you can bring up to 4 guests from your household. However, given the current COVID-19 situation, please follow our COVID-19 guideline.
NIPT test can be performed from 10 weeks gestation for singleton and twin pregnancies and the result are available in 5-7 working days (depends on delivery) from sample receipt in the laboratory.
The NIPT test has an overall accuracy of 99.8% and a less than 0.5% failure rate for Down’s syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome and Patau’s syndrome.
A simple blood sample is taken from your arm by a healthcare professional after you have been pregnant for at least 10 weeks.
No, it is recommended that you still have this dating scan at 11-13 weeks to assess the baby’s growth and development. The NIPT test or any other non-invasive prenatal DNA screening test will not replace this dating ultrasound.
The NIPT test is suitable for twin pregnancies. However, in dichorionic twins, the test sensitivity is reduced from >99% to about 95%. Dichorionic means there are two placentas, which occurs with non-identical twin and some identical twin pregnancies.
It is not 100% conclusive due to naturally occurring biological instances where the fetal DNA differs from the placental DNA. The NIPT test is a screening test.
If you get a “high risk” result, you will be contacted by your consultant or midwife. The next steps will be determined in consultation with your healthcare provider. All high risk results should be confirmed by a follow-up invasive procedure, such as amniocentesis or Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS).
Before your scan, when you contact us to book your appointment we will confirm some details, like how far along your pregnancy you are.
We recommend that you eat 1-2 hrs before the scan. That will encourage your baby to be more active for the scan.
Ensure you remain well hydrated. For scans at under 20 weeks, a full bladder is helpful to obtain clear images.
Please arrive a few minutes prior to your scheduled appointment so that we can get your paperwork out of the way and maximise the time you can spend with your baby. If you are late, we will do our best to fit you in, but cannot guarantee that you will get the full scan time.
On the scan day
1.Paperwork
When you are first welcomed into our clinic, we will first ask you to complete a short consent form explaining that the scan is purely for bonding and not medical purposes.
2.Getting ready and enjoy it
When you are in the scanning room, our experienced Sonographer will put you at ease, explain the scanning process to you and make you and any guests feel comfortable before commencing the scan. There is plenty of space for guests in our clinic, so feel free to invite your friends and family to share the experience.
3.Well-being scan
All of our packages start with a basic well-being scan, where we will check your baby’s development, position and heartbeat. This scan does not replace your 12 week dating scan or your 20 week anomaly scan, so it is important that you keep all of your appointments with your Midwife.
4. Gender confirmation and 2D photos
Once these checks have been made, we will check the gender if you wish and the 2D photos will be taken. If you don’t want to know, then we will do our best to make sure it remains a surprise.
5. Making sure the baby is ready
If your baby is feeling camera shy, we may send you for a little walk around the clinic or outside, or offer another drink or snack before we try again. If this still doesn’t work, you have the option to make another appointment, at no further cost, and we will try again on another day.
6. Choosing your images
Our friendly team will select the best images to print for you after your scan. This is also your opportunity purchase any extras that are not included in your package, like extra prints, a download of all the images or video, heartbeat bears. Our lovely Receptionist will talk you through your options.