Ultrasound In Private Baby Scans

Ultrasound scanning uses high frequency sound waves to generate images of inside the womb. When you have a scan, the ultrasound probe sends waves, which bounce off the baby’s body in the form of echoes; these echoes, which are clearest when reflected off hard tissue, such as bone, form images on a screen. The images you see on the screen enable you to see the size, structure and position of the baby. The hard structures, such as the bones, form white images on the screen, while softer tissue appears grey; the amniotic fluid, which surrounds the foetus, is black in colour, as this does not create any echoes. Ultrasound scanning is also known as sonography and scans are carried out by a sonographer. Ultrasound scans are not painful and they are considered to be safe; they have been used in medicine for decades.

During pregnancy, most women have two ultrasound scans; these usually take place at 12 and 20 weeks. If you wish to book a private ultrasound scan, you may have more frequent scans. In most cases, pregnancy ultrasound scans take between 15 and 40 minutes. If for any reason, the images are not clear, it may be necessary to arrange a repeat scan.

On the NHS 2D ultrasound scans are available and these provide images of the outline of the baby and you can see the bones, which appear white in the photographs. If you wish to see your baby in greater detail, you can book private scans, which use 3D and 4D technology; these scans enable you to see additional features, such as the facial characteristics.

Ultrasound has many uses within the field of medicine and it can be used to diagnose certain problems and conditions, plan treatment and guide doctors during procedures; common uses of ultrasound (in addition to pregnancy scans) include:

• Guiding doctors during procedures to collect biopsies
• Diagnosing soft tissue injuries and issues that affect the major organs
• Therapeutically treating soft tissue injuries

Ultrasound scans are not always effective in diagnosing conditions, but they can often point out potential warning signs and provide guidance to help doctors to carry out further diagnostic testing, which may subsequently confirm the diagnosis.

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