3D/4D Ultrasounds

I had it done at one of my appointments. I had to have frequent ultrasounds due to complications and at each one they did a 3D ultrasound. I loved it because I knew pretty much what my little girl looked like before she was born. There are also places that do them. Where do you live?

Most responsible physicians discourage ultrasound except for specific medical indication. The FDA also issued this years ago and it still stands:
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2004/104_images.html
You wouldn't know it from the frequency some doctors do them, but there are many reasons err on the side of caution. This article is heavily referenced on the benefits and risks:
http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/ultrasound.asp
It certainly is a useful tool for certain medical issues, but routine use or non-medical use is not supported by the science as conclusively safe or beneficial.
K. Wildner
____@____.com
www.kimwildner.com

Z.
My doctor had one of these and it was fantastic for the 20 week check. We also had one done around 6 1/2 months because the doctor was worried I was too small. I did pay for one of the "fun" ones as well. I honestly was happier with the pics from my doctor. The place I went didn't have any info about when you should go, so I went too late. The lady said I was too far along and there wasn't enough fluid. So don't go too late. I was disappointed with that. It was pretty pricey and I honestly don't really look at the pics anymore. Hope this helps

Please make every effort to be informed before you proceed with this.

from http://www.mothering.com/articles/pregnancy_birth/birth_p...

"Ultrasound waves are known to affect living tissues in at least two ways. First, the sonar beam heats the highlighted area by about 1°C (2°F). This is presumed to be insignificant, based on whole-body heating in pregnancy, which seems to be safe up to 2.5°C (5°F).21 The second effect is cavitation, where the small pockets of gas that exist within mammalian tissue vibrate and then collapse. In this situation "...temperatures of many thousands of degrees Celsius in the gas create a wide range of chemical products, some of which are potentially toxic."22 The significance of cavitation in human tissue is unknown.

A number of studies have suggested that these effects are of real concern in living tissues. The first study indicating problems analyzed cells grown in the lab. Cell abnormalities caused by exposure to ultrasound WERE SEEN TO PERSIST FOR SEVERAL GENERATIONS.23 [Are you pregnant with a girl? She'll have all the eggs she'll ever have before she's born, so this applies to your potential grandchildren.]

Another study showed that, in newborn rats (who are at a similar stage of brain development as humans at four to five months in utero), ultrasound can damage the myelin that covers nerves,24 indicating that the nervous system may be particularly susceptible to damage from this technology. In 1999, an animal study by Brennan and colleagues, reported in New Scientist,25 showed that exposing mice to dosages typical of obstetric ultrasound caused a 22 PERCENT REDUCTION IN THE RATE OF CELL DIVISION, AND A DOUBLING OF THE RATE OF CELL DEATH in the cells of the small intestine.

*****Studies on humans exposed to ultrasound have shown possible adverse effects, including premature ovulation,26 preterm labor or miscarriage,27, 28 low birthweight,29 poorer condition at birth,30, 31 dyslexia,32 delayed speech development,33 and less right-handedness,34, 35 a factor which in some circumstances can be a marker of damage to the developing brain. In addition, one Australian study showed that babies exposed to five or more ultrasounds were 30 percent more likely to develop intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR)--a condition that ultrasound is often used to detect.36*****

Two long-term randomized controlled trials, comparing exposed and unexposed children's development at eight to nine years of age, found no measurable effect from ultrasound.37, 38 However, as the authors note, intensities used today are many times higher than in 1979 to 1981. A later report of one of these trials39 indicated that scanning time was only three minutes. More studies are obviously needed in this area, particularly in Doppler ultrasound, where exposure levels are much higher, and in vaginal ultrasound, where there is less tissue shielding the baby from the transducer.

A further problem with studying ultrasound's effect is the huge range of output, or dose, possible from a single machine. Modern machines can give comparable ultrasound pictures using either a lower or a 5,000 times higher dose,40 and there are no standards to ensure that the lowest dose is used. Because of the complexity of machines, it is difficult to even quantify the dose given in each examination.41 In the US, as in Australia, training is voluntary (even for obstetricians), and the skill and experience of operators varies widely."

We had ours done at MN Radiology in Edina for about $150 (they threw in some extras for free; our tech was awesome!) - I just felt more comfortable going to a "clinic" than going to an ultrasound "store", for lack of a better word. They do have an online brochure, or at least they did.

Ours was about 4 years ago, so I'm sure the technology has improved, but it was amazing. Absolutely amazing. I think I had mine done a little later than recommended (placenta deterioration later in pregnancy can cause some fuzziness in the images), I think around 32 weeks? Anyway - when our son was born 5 weeks later... we knew what he looked like! It was truly awesome. He loves looking at those pictures now...

We'll definitely do it again with a #2.

Congratulations & good luck!
J.
mom to Chase - 3.5

I had it done for both my kids and it was interesting and I don't regret getting it. The placenta was in the way both times so the shots were not the best but you get the idea. It was a few hundred dollars and if you pay cash you get a discount and that's at the old Fetal Fotos place in Golden Valley. I forgot what they call themselves now. The CD was okay but I like the pictures the best. If they can't get a good shot you can come back. I went back twice for my second baby.

We had a 3D ultrasound done at Grandview Ultrasound in St. Paul on Randolph Ave. We had a great experience. We loved it! We already felt close to our baby but with this experience it made it even more special. I could picture her even more clearly every time she moved.
I don't think it was too expensive, maybe around $200.00 at the most. Their phone # is ###-###-####. I think they have a website if you google them.

Good luck!
S.

I had mine done in Mason city as I live in southern MN. It was 160 dollars and it was the most awesome thing ever. I am glad I got to see my baby before she was born and got a for sure gender. I think it is well worth the money and is a very lasting memory.

I had a 3D ultrasound at the Fairview Riverside Women's Clinic in Minneapolis. That's where I was a patient. It was amazing! My insurance covered most of it so it wasn't that expensive. We had to schedule a few months in advance to get an appointment, but it was incredible to see what our baby's face looked like. When he was born it was like we already recognized him! The other nice thing is the detail they can check to make sure everything is okay with your baby as well.

During my first ultrasound, our tech decided to do a few 3D pictures along with the normal images. We went to Suburban Imaging (referred by the Ramsey Clinic). It didn't cost anything extra because she just did it as part of the regular ultrasound-though I don't know if this is typical practice. They don't quite look like the ones you see advertised, but we have three decently clear pictures of his face. Ours were apparently harder to take because he was so close to the uterine wall. I personally wouldn't pay a lot of extra money for them because it sounds like the quality can vary depending on the position of the baby. Plus, I'm sure you've heard all the warnings about doing the 3D/4D. I felt pretty confident in my situation because it was already part of the ultrasound and the technician wasn't doing any kind of interpretation (except to tell us we were having a boy).

These are part of the routine at my DR's office in Edina. I had heard about them in magazines and didn't want to spend the extra money, but liked that they were "free" at my doctor's. Starts off as a normal ultrasound, then they switch the screen and 'tool' and it turns into 3D/4D. You can see SO much! The little baby now looks so much more real. This is my first baby and I had ultrasounds at 12 weeks or so and 20 weeks. He is so darn cute! If it costs a lot, I would probably skip it, but if your doctr offers it, it's really fun. Good luck.

I went to ultrasona.com and they have a branch in Golden Valley. I did the 3D ultrasound. I was already in my 8 month and the baby had his hand on his face and we could not see as much as the website shows. They asked me to go for a second try and I just had to pay $5 or $10 for the DVD. He was still hiding, but we saw enough to be happy. When the baby arrived, he looked just like the picture we got. It cost me arounf $200 but it was all worth it. They give you 10 photos and a DVD. I did not want to know the sex and they were very careful not show it but recorded it on the DVD for future viewing.

I never had one, but a friend of mine did. It was amazing to see the pictures and videos. If you can afford it, the keepsake is really neat!

One of my friends did this with her daughter and it was amazing. The place we went to was in St. Paul near Hamlin University, I forget the name though. Her parent's paid for the ultrasound but I want to say it was around $150 in 2003. It was very cool to see. We saw her facial expressions changing, she was sucking her thumb, wrinkling her nose, and she'd kick every time they'd take a picture. ha-ha She knew when we were looking at her. :)

I would recommend doing it if you can afford it. I plan to do it when we get pregnant.