BabyFlix

Is ultrasound safe?
According to the March of Dimes and the FDA, “the greatest danger to a pregnant woman and her unborn child is not actually the machine, but an unskilled operator who may make an incorrect diagnosis”.  The knowledge and skills one achieves upon attending an accredited ultrasound program is necessary to assure that all preventative measures are taken to carry out an ultrasound examination with minimal exposure.  BabyFlix has trained sonographers who follow FDA guidelines and principals for length of scan and frequency of ultrasound waves to be as low as reasonably achieved. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you have with your doctor prior to your appointment, as we want you to feel completely comfortable with your choice to have this elective ultrasound performed. 

Can you tell me the gender of my baby?
Absolutely! Sonographers are trained to determine the gender of a baby and are usually correct, however, there is absolutely NEVER a 100% guarantee that the prediction is correct until the baby has been born (not even at a doctor’s office). If you are wanting to know the gender of the baby, 18 weeks is optimal, but we can tell as early as 15 weeks. 


What factors determine the image quality?
There are several factors beyond our control that contribute to the overall image quality produced. The position of the baby, the placenta, the umbilical cord, and the fetal limbs can all interfere with the ultrasound photos. The amount of amniotic fluid is a very important factor and necessity for image clarity. Other factors such as thick maternal tissue, fetal activity, and your baby's gestational age all play a role in the overall image quality.  Keep in mind that your pictures are not going to look just like someone else's that you may have seen because everyone scans differently, but there are some things you can do to prepare yourself for the best possible outcome (please refer to the question below). However, we will strive to make this experience the very best possible for you and your family.


What can I do to improve the image quality of my ultrasound?

1. HYDRATE!! Drink a LOT of water 2-3 days before your scheduled appointment. Hydration can significantly improve the amount of amniotic fluid.  Amniotic fluid is used as a window to allow us to see the baby. More fluid gives us more windows. More windows allow us to see more of your baby. Although your fluid may be adequate, more fluid can only improve your image clarity, whereas minimal fluid can drastically decrease the clarity of your images and sometimes prevent us from seeing anything.

2. Most expecting mothers find that eating a snack or drinking a glass of juice an hour prior to your exam can improve the fetal movement and allow more opportunity for better pictures.

3. Having a full bladder is not necessary for the 4D sessions; however, a full bladder can improve the clarity and accuracy for an early gender determination but it is not required.

What will my baby be doing during my 3D/4D ultrasound session?

This depends largely on the gestational age of your little one. Prior to 26 weeks, babies still have a lot of room to move around which makes for a very fun video, however their appearance is much more skeletal at this time. Many expectant mothers like to schedule ultrasounds from 18 weeks up to 26 weeks to determine gender of their baby if they were unable to find out at their diagnostic exam.

They then return between 26 and 34 weeks gestation, the most optimal time for having your 3D/4D ultrasound scan. It is possible to get 3D/4D images at any time, but within this time frame, the baby has well developed facial features, yet still has enough amniotic fluid for us to get great images.  Keep in mind that this is the developmental stage of your pregnancy and your baby is filling out more and more each day. If you are a mother-to-be with twins on the way, you should be scanned prior to 27 weeks for 3D/4D sessions.

The farther along the baby (between 32-34 weeks), the more detailed images will be achieved. At this time, the baby is bigger and not so active, but has developed enough to catch a glimpse of the true facial features (dimples, fullness of lips and hair, shape of nose, and chin), expressions (smiles, pouts, yawns), actions (hiccups, open/ close eyes), and even some habits they have already picked up (sucking their thumbs, playing with hands and feet).The ones who come earlier (between 28-31 weeks) will get to see more of the babies’ body and face, but with less detail. The probability of achieving best quality images is much greater at this time.

Beyond 34 weeks is a toss up. The majority of the time we can get images beyond 34 weeks and sometimes they are even better with more detail then earlier scans, but the image quality depends largely on the amount of amniotic fluid around the babies face. The risk of unsatisfactory image quality is greater as the baby grows, and there is less we can do to work around these obstacles. 

When will I receive the photos and video?
All keepsakes will be ready for you to take home after the ultrasound!  The entire scan will be recorded on our babyflix.net platform so you can share with friends and family live or sent later to those who weren't able to attend.

Do you accept health insurance?
No. We are a non-diagnostic and elective service; therefore, health insurance will not cover the procedure.

​

Disclaimer:  Women seeking an elective prenatal ultrasound with BabyFlix are required to be under the direct care of a physician or midwife to use our services.