One of the many precious moments in pregnancy is going for an ultrasound. This exciting time is when you can see your baby’s heartbeat, how it is growing as well as obtaining the many 3D images for your keepsake album. These ultrasound images will be your pride and joy throughout your motherhood journey. It is therefore very common for family members or friends taking the same journey to discuss tips and tricks for pregnancy and compare ultrasound images! You will at times ask yourself ‘Why are my images different ?’
Firstly, it depends if the image obtained is 2D, 3D or 4D.
2D captures an image of your baby in one plane and 3D puts together many 2D images from different angles to form a three-dimensional image. 4D is essentially 3D in motion. Unfortunately, on some surfaces, it is not possible to get an accurate read and your baby’s face can look strange.
Timing of your ultrasound makes a difference.
It is easy to see the entire baby early on in pregnancy but difficult to obtain detailed facial feature and as your baby still has little body fat, there would not be much covering the bones.
You may want lots of images of your baby’s face but if your baby is facing the wall (uterine wall), has hands or legs covering the face or is pushing up against the placenta, the face will be completely or partially covered therefore looking a little weird on 3D and 4D images.
Adequate amount of fluid surrounding your baby (amniotic fluid) will also provide a better quality image of your baby as there will be less absorption and scattering of the ultrasound waves thus creating a ‘window’ to see baby.
Just remember there can be many factors affecting the quality of your ultrasound images.
Have fun, relax and enjoy your ultrasound sessions! After all, your baby is the boss when it comes to obtaining the perfect picture. To book an appointment, get in touch.
