Is 3d ultrasound safe for my baby?

Perhaps you’ve asked yourself this question.  Maybe someone has warned you not to get a 3D ultrasound. I need to know…I need to know that I am not causing any harm.

I can remember in 2007 when it was a relatively new technology, someone told me “ 3D is a lot of ultrasound energy to be directing at a baby”. I believed them at the time. I also believed other sonographers who told me that you couldn’t tell gender at 12 weeks.  Like any person in search of a reliable truth, I went looking for answers. And I found a lot of them at the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.  Their mission is to advance the safe and effective use of ultrasound in medicine.

Let’s tackle this myth, and let the AIUM and FDA provide the anwer:

Myth #1:  3D ultrasound is a lot of ultrasound energy, and should be kept at a minimum.

Facts: Thermal Index or TI is one of two factors we can look at. If Thermal Index is 0.7 or less, there is no time limit for scanning.  3D ultrasound, on my GE machine, is  0.3 !  That’s a very very low Thermal Index.  2D scanning (regular black and white pictures) is actually more at ! 

 __________________________________________________

TI range                Max Scanning Time

                                (minutes)

____________________________________________________

                                3.0 < TI                        Not recommended

                                2.5 < TI ≤ 3.0                        <1

                                2.0 < TI ≤ 2.5                        <4

                                1.5 < TI ≤ 2.0                        <15

                                1.0 < TI ≤ 1.5                        <30

                                0.7 < TI ≤ 1.0                        <60

                                         TI  ≤ 0.7                        No time limit

 

Now, the other factor is Mechanical Index or MI. The FDA says that this should be kept below 1.9

It is at 0.9 during both 2D and 3D modes on my machine.

My personal practice is to allow 45 minutes for our longest session. Frequent breaks, repositioning of the mother allow us to get good images without constant scanning. Actual scanning time usually is closer to 20 minutes. I am also a registered technologist, and I make sure the machine settings are appropriate. Maybe all of this doesn’t make you feel any safer, but I surely do. If at any time during your scan, you feel uncomfortable about the time spent scanning, or any other concern…please feel free to speak up!

So you are thinking about having a 3D 4D Ultrasound done…let’s make sure you get the best experience possible! 

First, schedule your appointment online at wondertimellc.com. Our Quick Peek-A-Boo and Sweet Baby Face Packages are best done between 28 and 32 weeks, with 34 weeks being the upper limit.  30 weeks is the best time, if it’s convenient for you. Think about inviting your family and friends. We can comfortably seat 7 additional guests.  If there is someone who would like to attend, but just can’t be there…we can use FaceTime or Facebook video on our office computer. The camera points at the screen, and we can capture the images and your reaction all at once.  You are welcome to bring your small children with you, but expect them to only want to be there for 5-10 minutes.  I have seen many mommies and daddies distracted from their experience, and aggravated by young children who are not happy to spend 30-45 minutes in our room.  Once again, this is your choice, and they are absolutely welcome to come to your session.

For 1-2 weeks before your visit, try your best to drink all of the water that is recommended. That’s 8-10   8 ounce glasses of water. Your urine should be pale yellow or nearly colorless. That is a good indicator that you are well-hydrated. Read more about the benefits of hydration during pregnancy here.  Our ability to get good pictures of the baby is directly related to amount of amniotic fluid.  The more fluid= the better the images will be.

Bring a snack with you to your visit, or eat a light meal before you arrive. Something cold to drink can be helpful, some people swear that chewing on ice cubes gets baby moving!

Expect to be at our office for at least an hour. Once you fill out paperwork, and everyone gets situated, we dim the lights and start your session.  If baby is not in a good position at first, we will have you change positions, drink, cough, empty your bladder, stand up, and take a drink to get baby moving. We have great success in getting baby to cooperate! During the session, you will see everything in high definition on our wall mounted 55″ TV. We will save 3D images, and 4D video clips. We usually see baby moving and catch a yawn…and some happy and sometimes grumpy facial expressions.  If you choose, we can record your baby’s heartbeat and put that heartbeat module inside a stuffed animal. We proudly offer My Baby’s Heartbeat Bear, designed and manufactured in Bear, Delaware. We also carry ultrasound picture frames, heartbeat/voice recordable frames in store. Stay tuned for new retail items coming soon!

After your session is complete, we gather up your printed images, send all images and video to a USB flash drive, and put everything in a gift bag. We aim to please, and our goal is to have you leave with images that market our business to all of your friends and family.  Thank you for choosing Wonder Time!

Why Should I Choose Wonder Time?

 

So… you’re pregnant! Congratulations!  Are you thinking about names, gender reveal parties, and making a super awesome scrapbook of pregnancy memories? SO much to plan and to do, it’s a very exciting time of any woman’s life. You might also be thinking about elective ultrasound.

Elective ultrasound is a fee-based service, offered at individual studios. The ultrasound is not for any medical purpose.  We only employ experienced, registered sonographers at our studio, and we adhere to the same safety practices that we would at the hospital or outpatient center. At Wonder Time LLC, your comfort and enjoyment are the main concerns. Getting beautiful images of your baby, and saving them in a digital format is part of what we do.  Bringing your family together to celebrate the new life that is growing in your belly, is also part of our service.

We offer an early gender determination package starting at 13 weeks. Historically, that has been too soon to determine gender. New technology and a clinically studied method are allowing us to determine gender much sooner. If you are planning a gender reveal, we can also help with that. Calling someone and telling them, sealing it in an envelope, putting a BOY or GIRL Heartbeat Bear into a special gender reveal box, you name it! We enjoy seeing you happy and excited about your baby!

As you get further along in your pregnancy, discomfort and a changing body image may make you feel not so great. We have the perfect way to relax and remember that it is all worth it. Around 30 weeks, we offer an HD 3D 4D session that you and your loved ones will never forget. See every precious detail of your baby’s face.  See smiles, yawns, and a glimpse of the little personality growing inside. Start to feel more bonded with your baby, as you feel and see the movements simultaneously.

Here’s what some of our happy families have to say about us:

“This was such an amazing experience that I never had with my past two pregnancies. To be able to see so clearly what the baby we will be meeting in 10 short weeks looks like was just incredible! I’m so glad we got to experience this and that this 3d/4d/HD technology exists now to take advantage of being my very last pregnancy. It was such a treat to see and receive photos and clips of his movements on usb and his heartbeat recorded on the heart beat bear to share with him in years to come and the older kids now. Glenda was so wonderful and so patient as the baby wasn’t exactly cooperating the whole time and kept hiding his face, but she got some really great images and recordings of his movements, I was just in awe the whole time, and the time you get during the visit is so reasonable and you don’t feel rushed at all. It was a very enjoyable experience and absolutely worth it! I would recommend wondertime to anyone looking for a great, memorable 3d/4d ultrasound experience that you won’t get from any regular doctors office visits. ”  -Katie

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“I can not say enough positive things about my experience with Glenda at Wonder Time. From start to finish, my husband and I were impressed.

From the second Glenda introduced herself, I instantly felt comfortable and excited about seeing our babies. Yes, babies. We’re expecting twins, and this woman has the patience of a saint. The room the ultrasound was done in was beautiful and cozy. The bed was super comfortable. (Please don’t underestimate how important this.) The screen for viewing is very large, and perfectly placed to comfortably watch the whole time. The machine Glenda uses is seriously awesome. I’ve never seen such clear ultrasound photos.

At Wonder Time, we always welcome your feedback and suggestions. If there is anything we can do to make your visit more memorable or enjoyable, please don’t hesitate to ask! And if you are still wondering why you would choose us…take a look at this breakdown:

 

 

So, most of us are familiar with 3D ultrasound, it allows us to see the baby’s face while still in the womb. And 4D ultrasound shows us that 3D image, but with live motion.  HD ultrasound is the newest in the lineup.  HD Live by GE is the best HD ultrasound available, and it allows us to see the baby in much greater detail.  Skin appears more translucent, with a more natural tone. There is a virtual light source in the program, that can be manipulated to make every image more natural and more pleasing.  The pictures below are exactly the same, except the one on the left is 3D, and the one on the right is HD. More examples of HD imagery can be found in our Gallery.

 

I didn’t know where it was going to lead me. But I am happy to say that there is magic here. Magic, miracles, whatever you might call it…it’s here in this room.  Tucked away in the hearts of the people who visit, left in the images of all of their hopes and dreams.  I am privileged to be able to bring joy to those who seek it.  A comfortable bed, a big screen, a spa atmosphere… is what we strive for.  We are non-medical and solely for you…having an amazing experience, with the images of your precious little baby saved forever.

It’s what people feel the need for, and should have the option to get.  The Sonographers  in the hospital/doctor’s office shouldn’t get ER visits just for gender determination, or a crowd of 10 for an anatomy scan. That’s not the place or time for this. If you want the bonding and the memories, come here, to Wonder Time.  Let the Sonographer who does your anatomy scan do their job in peace & leave everyone but your husband at home.  And when 30 weeks rolls around, visit me here, with all of your nearest and dearest… and you can have the experience that you are trying to get.