Expectant mums will usually get two scans during their pregnancy, but some opt to have a 4D scan as well during the nine months.
So what is a 4D scan, what are they like and why do couples get them?
We headed to The Scan Clinic in London and followed a couple, Roxana and Dan Bracken, who were having a scan with their first child.
The couple have had three previous miscarriages and wanted to have a scan for reassurance and connection to their daughter.
“We had a really tough time getting pregnant, well not getting, staying pregnant,” the mum-to-be told The Huffington Post UK.
“So when we reached the mark where we could have a 4D scan, we really wanted to experience seeing our baby and what she looked like.”
Mums-to-be are usually advised to have a 4D scan around 26-32 weeks. This way, the baby will be developed enough to see their features.
Unlike a 2D scan, where you get a flat, grey image of your baby in the womb, a 4D scan creates a moving 3D image of the baby.
Dr Usman, a consultant practitioner at The Scan Clinic explained: “A 2D scan is essentially sound going from the camera into mum’s tummy and being reflected off the surface of the baby.
“What a 4D scan is, is the moving, three-dimensional image of the baby, so the added dimension is time.
“Most people that come to us just want reassurance that the pregnancy is going well and it allows them to walk away with a different perspective and visualise the baby.”
And this is something especially poignant for dads to experience.
“After the issues we had losing three previous babies, the chance to see our daughter and feel like we knew her more was something we always wanted to do,” dad-to-be Dan Bracken said.
“Actually seeing her move on the screen there, when Roxana said she is kicking and I see the foot going, makes it more connected for me.
“That was something quite special.”
The Scan Clinic, based in Redbridge, London, offers 4D baby scans from £79 with images for couples to take away. For more information, visit their website.
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