Your Questions Answered
The questions listed below are the most frequently asked questions about our elective prenatal ultrasound packages. Should you have any questions that are not answered below, please send us an e-mail at info@islandbaby4d.com.
Q: What is an elective prenatal ultrasound?
We offer elective 2D, 3D & 4D prenatal ultrasounds to provide a positive bonding experience for the mother, father and family members with the unborn baby. We feel that realistic surface images provide a connection between the parents and baby that can be beneficial to the whole family.
We make no claims that 3-D as used in this examination is performed to better assess the baby for abnormalities. A routine ultrasound examination must have already been performed to assess the gestational age of the fetus and to evaluate for fetal anomalies as well as the basic components of fetal anatomy recommended for screening.
Q: Does this take the place of an ultrasound at my doctor's office?
ABSOLUTELY NOT! Women seeking an elective prenatal ultrasound MUST be receiving treatment with a healthcare provider for prenatal care and have already undergone a medical, diagnostic ultrasound ordered by their provider to confirm their due date, screen for fetal anomalies, and to look for any other pregnancy related issues.
The issues that we are evaluating in the elective prenatal ultrasound session include a limited diagnostic scan to confirm heartbeat, the number of babies in the pregnancy, the position of the baby, and the placental location. Please note, at no time is this exam to be used in place of a complete diagnostic ultrasound.
Q: Is it safe? Are there any risks to me, or my baby?
Extensive studies over 35 years have found that ultrasound has not been shown to cause any maternal or fetal harm. Routine diagnostic scanning of all pregnancies is now a normal procedure. 3D/4D scans use EXACTLY the same type and intensity of ultrasonic waves as in conventional 2D scan.
The combination of increased data gathering (listening) by the transducer and software interpretation after data acquisition creates these amazing 3D 4D images and not a higher intensity, frequency or ‘power' output. Our guidelines dictate the systems to be used in the Obstetric Application Mode. This mode is capped by the manufacturer (GE) below the FDA limits (94 milliwatts/cm2) for exposure. In fact, the system takes simultaneous 2D scans in saggital, coronal and transverse planes and the software renders the 3D 4D images. It's that simple!
Our guidelines also dictate that scanning times never exceed 30 minutes during one scan.
We provide forms to mothers and physicians/midwives with clear written statements of the services offered at Island Baby Ultrasound. We highly recommend that parents discuss with their doctor about any safety concern on 3D 4D ultrasound.
Q: Do I need an appointment?
Yes, appointments are necessary for all of our services.
Q: How long does the 3D and 4D ultrasound take?
Depending on the package you choose, the 4D ultrasound session will last between 20 and 30 minutes. Overall, it will be about one hour as we have to have some time to print and edit the pictures.
Q: How far along should I be before I have a 4D ultrasound?
If you plan on having only one 4D ultrasound examination, we would recommend having the examination performed between the 24th and 32th week of the pregnancy. However, excellent images of your baby can be obtained anytime after about 22 weeks of pregnancy. Many mothers obtain more than one 4D ultrasound and have images to enjoy from their second and third trimesters.
Q: Will I always get a beautiful image of my baby?
In most cases you will. Unfortunately there are no guarantees. There are things that are beyond our control. Sometimes if the baby is face down, i.e. toward the spine position, it may be difficult to see the baby. In this case a complimentary rescan will be scheduled. However, scanned images may not be similar to those you saw elsewhere or even from our studio. EVERY BABY SCANS DIFFERENTLY, depending on the gestational age, position of the face, the amount of amniotic fluid, placenta location and the mothers body type. We have an experienced sonographer who is innovative and this rarely becomes a problem. If it does happen we encourage you to come back another day. We want everyone to be totally satisfied.
Q: Will I have to pay if I am not satisfied with the results?
Our best customer is a happy one. We get more business from word of mouth then anything else. In the rare event the baby is in a position that does not allow for satisfactory pictures we'll make arrangements to have you try again.
Q: Can I bring my family and friends?
Absolutely, this is a family event. The more the merrier. We do have somewhat limited space so if you are going to bring friends and/or family, please call ahead so that we can make sure we can accommodate everyone.
Q: Are you able to tell the sex of the baby?
Yes, in most cases we can provide an indication of the sex of the baby. We can't however guarantee that the baby will cooperate during your session. Certain factors such as body tissue content, developmental stage and fetal position all affect the ability to determine sex.
Q: “I see that Baby Peeks is FREE in all of your packages. What is Baby Peeks?”
Baby Peeks is an online, customized baby website for hosting pictures, video files, posting your registry and journaling. This allows you to share your pregnancy with friends and family via the web. It is one of the most robust pregnancy sharing websites on the Internet today.
Q: What is Sonostream Live?
For those family members and friends who can't accompany you to your ultrasound, we now offer our exciting new Sonostream LIVE technology whereby they can watch your ultrasound session live, in real-time over the internet from the comfort of their home or office! Click here to learn more about Sonostream LIVE!
Q: What kind of ultrasound equipment do you use to perform the 3D/4D ultrasounds?
We use the state-of-the-art GE Voluson 730 Pro to complete all ultrasound sessions. The GE Voluson 730 Pro has been seen in GE television commercials and many printed articles from around the world. This machine is the finest 2D, 3D and 4D ultrasound machine available anywhere. Please note, many organizations claim to use "state-of-the-art" equipment, when in fact they use older or inferior technology.
Q: Is the 4D ultrasound covered by Insurance?
This is an elective procedure so they do not cover it. We do accept Mastercard, Visa, and cash. We cannot accept personal checks.
Q: How much does it cost?
We have packages to fit just about anyone's budget. We continuously strive to provide the highest quality products and packages at the most affordable costs. We always have special discounts so continue to visit our website or call us for details on our latest discounts at (718) 980-BABY (2229).
Click here to see our list of packages and additional details!
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Call (718) 980-BABY (2229) today for your
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