What is Ultrasound: Purpose, Procedure, and Preparation

What is an Ultrasound?

An ultrasound scan is a medical test that uses high-frequency sound waves to capture live images from the inside of your body. It is also known as sonography.

At Fetal Fotos we do not perform ultrasounds for medical purposes. We can however show you your sweet baby and point out body parts, movement, number of babies, listen to the heartbeat, and determine the gender if desired.

What is the purpose of an Ultrasound?

Within pregnancy the purpose of an ultrasound can provide parents a look at their unborn baby in the womb. It can bring comfort, education, and moments to bond with your baby. An ultrasound can help determine the gender of your baby and to hear the heartbeat. Many mothers say they love to see what their little baby is doing in the womb. As the baby gets bigger, it is exciting to see how the baby is positioned and the body part of the baby you could be feeling. There are so many changes that happen throughout your pregnancy and being able to witness your baby grow and move around through ultrasound is so special!

What is the Procedure of the Ultrasound?

When you come to Fetal Fotos we strive to provide a relaxed stress-free environment that is comfortable for you and your family to enjoy seeing your baby. When you come in and are finished filling out paperwork, an ultrasound technician will take you back into the ultrasound room. Once in the room, you can lie down on the ultrasound bed. The Technician will ask you to pull your shirt to your ribs and to place your pants on your hips to expose a small portion of the stomach. The technician will then use warm gel on your belly and start the session. They will pull the baby into view and explain each part of the baby, so you are aware of what you are looking at. The technician will point out the heartbeat and play it for you and your loved ones to hear. Depending what session, you choose, we will take time to look for gender or show you the baby in 3D/4D. The technician will be thorough and work with your baby so that you can receive the best images and be confident in the ultrasound scan. The scan will be paced so you can watch your sweet baby wiggle, yawn, and kick. Sometimes we will even catch smiles, open eyes, hiccups, and tongues sticking out.

Once the ultrasound scan is over, the technician will softly wipe the gel from your stomach with a towel and offer you a paper towel to wipe off any excess gel. The technician will then print off the desired images of your baby as a keepsake. You can expect the session to last anywhere from 10-30 minutes.

What is the preparation?

For the best images of your baby, we recommend being well hydrated for your ultrasound appointment. Staying well hydrated is always important, but the few days leading up to your appointment can make a big difference in what images we are able to get during your session.

If you are between 8-13 weeks of pregnancy, we suggest you keep your bladder full. The purpose of this is to help see the baby. A full bladder can help the baby be in better view for the ultrasound technician. If you are past 14 weeks, we no longer need your bladder full. We ask that you still stay hydrated, but you are welcome to use the restroom before the appointment.

Plan to arrive 5 minutes early for your appointment to fill out the needed paperwork and give plenty of time for the ultrasound technician to scan your baby. We want you to get the most out of your appointment and babies can often be in difficult positions. We want to make sure we have the time needed to get the best images of your baby.

What is the cost of an Ultrasound?

At Fetal Fotos we want you to have the best experience at an affordable price. We have several different packages you can choose from that will best fit your needs. Our packages range from $50 to $179. Each package is tailored to the week of pregnancy you are currently in. Depending on the package they include printed black and white images, digital uploads of both the video and all the images taken in the scan, colored images, as well as various retail items that are included in some of our packages.

The ultrasounds we offer can provide comfort for a worried mama, excitement in finding out the anticipated gender as early as 14 weeks, and the joy in seeing your baby grow and develop at each stage of pregnancy.