Re:What is 3D/4D ultrasound and is it safe for me and my baby?
A 3D or 4D ultrasound is not much different for the patient than a regular ultrasound. All the difference is in the technology used by the ultrasound technician. Where the regular ultrasound bounces waves straight down onto the fetus, giving a two dimensional image of the fetus. In three dimensional fetal scanning, the sound waves are sent from many different angles and the computer inside the machine puts this information together into a 3 D image. One can see the height, width and depth of fetal structures in a way that hasn’t been done before. It is called a 4D ultrasound image when the images are strung together to make a movement-based video of the fetus in the womb.
3D or 4D ultrasound imaging has been found especially useful in the determination of fetal anomalies. It can look for spina bifida, ventral abdominal defects, cleft lip and palate and other obvious abnormalities. As it is considered experimental by most insurance companies, however, it is not paid for by insurance and can cost a couple from $100 to $250 to perform. The technology is the same as regular ultrasounds when it comes to bouncing off high frequency sound waves off the fetal structures; it is just the way the sound waves are transmitted to the fetus that is different in this type of ultrasound.
The truth is that 3D and 4D ultrasounds are just as safe as regular ultrasounds and there has not been found to be any danger associated with regular ultrasounds. In all three types of ultrasound, high frequency sound waves are bounced off the fetus and fetal structures in order to “see” the fetus before it is born. The ultrasound is a vital tool for dating a pregnancy and for telling a woman whether or not she has a singleton pregnancy. It is a great tool for detecting fetal abnormalities like neural tube defects, ventral abdominal defects, urinary tract issues or even a cleft lip and palate.
The 3D/4D ultrasound sends high frequency sound waves to the fetus but rather than sending them in only one direction, it sends them at different angles, using a sophisticated computer to put those images together into a three dimensional image. A 4D ultrasound strings images together to give movement. All of the work is done by the computer and the ultrasound waves are essentially the same as with a regular ultrasound. Three-dimensional ultrasounds are particularly good at detecting fetal abnormalities like cleft lip and palate. It can also detect smaller neural tube defects and smaller abdominal ventral wall defects. It is perfectly safe and very important to medicine today.
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