3-D Ultrasounds

[Raidra]

Hi there -

I just found out that there's a place near me that does 3D ultrasounds (non-medical). I asked my OBGYN about it and she said they're perfectly safe but are just for fun.. so if I wanted to do it, feel free.

I was wondering if anyone has had one of these done before and if it's worth the $150-$225. Also, I got an email from them saying that they had an appointment open tomorrow that will be discounted (that's the $150, it's $225 normally) because it's being done by a new girl. What do you guys think? If I'm going to spend the money, should I spend more on someone with more experience?

Thanks,
Rachel

[nathansmom]

I had one done every 2 weeks from by 5th month on. Mine was done in the doctors office so I didn't pay out of pocket. They are very detailed pictures but I thought only after the 7th month. I look back at some of the early ones and I can't tell what is what.

HTH

[pritchettzoo]

We are doing one this evening (if Peanut cooperates). The one here is only $100, and the way we're looking at it is that we've wasted more money on less before. I was trying to be practical, but my mom essentially told me, "Carpe baby!" (which translates to take advantage of everything you can and enjoy it). I was saying something about we'd have more discretionary income with the next baby, etc. and she said--what if I'd done that with you? (I am an only child due to health issues on her part...)

As far as the being used as a guinea pig thing...I would ask for more of a guarantee. I mean, they can't make the baby cooperate, but is there going to be someone there who knows what's going on? Or is it just you, the new chick, and the machine? (We had an opportunity to have a 3-D done for FREE by a radiologist friend, and he couldn't figure out the machine. We saw some stuff that might have been recognizable with illicit drugs, but...) I'd find out a little more. Also, call around to see if there are similar places for less. There's a place in a snooty suburb around here that charges $75 more for the same thing...

Anna
#1(DD) EDD 9/10/03

[jal]

We got to have a 3-D ultrasound for free. At the time, the OB's office had just gotten the new machine and basically looking for excusess to learn to use it.

We got an excelent picture of Patrick's FOOT.

Technition didn't do anything wrong, Patrick just wasn't cooperating that day.

[peanut4us]

i wouldn't do it until you sre 32 weeks along. our office's machine is 3d. at 22 weeks our baby looked like an alien. at 36 weeks there was too much baby to see anything.

my aunt is a radiologist and tech for u/s. She said the problem with those machines is that people get them when they are about 2-24 weeks along and the baby is too skinny to get any good pix (hence my alien baby). She said the baby usually has enough bulk for good pix at about 32-33 weeks. after that there is too much baby to see anything.

I don't know how far along you are, but if you are just doing it for kicks and you are paying for it, I would wait until 32 weeks. I would have been disappointed if we had had to pay for ours.

[heva]

We had a 3-d ultrasound at 23 weeks and it was INCREDIBLE. I have an anterior placenta, so some of the images were not very good (has to do with the way that the computer renders the image when another structure is in the way), but I would definitely do it again if I had the chance. We didn't have a medical indication (usually reserved for multiple gestations), but as a physician, I was really curious about the new technology, so we waited to get the one machine available. The video is really incredible.

As an aside, both the technologist and the OB scanned me, and they both remarked at how difficult it is to get a good window in many women. If you're scanned by a person who has not done it before, I think you have a good chance of being disappointed in the clarity of the images. However, techs usually get precepted by another more experienced person when they are doing a new procedure, so you might get an even better scan!

Here's my website with u/s photos (we're calling him Seamus for now, but not for good...). The 3-D images are the last three pictures.
http://homepage.mac.com/heatherevans/PhotoAlbum16.html

HTH!

[phirey]

Our office has a 4D machine (3D with movement -- which they call the 4th D) and we recently started selling "fun fetal foto" packages. They range from $100 for a bunch of still 3D pics to $250 for a Videotape of the baby in 4D and I think a CD_ROM, too. The 4D is really cool -- you can see the baby jawn, suck its thumb, wiggle its fingers/toes, etc. I know we have a middle package, too.

Everybody's right to suggest waiting unitl 28-32 weeks. Before that the baby looks like a skeleton. Later than that and everything's so squished in there, you start compromising the aesthetics. Like anything can compromise the aesthetics of a beautiful baby.... ;-)

Our tech is really really good and spends a lot of time on them, so I'm not sure $150 is such a deal, but maybe that depends on where you are. For reference, we're in the northern Atlanta suburbs.