Safety, in plain words.
The FDA says ultrasound imaging “has an excellent safety record.” The FDA and medical societies also advise against scans done only for keepsakes. You should hear both from us.
What an ultrasound is
Sound, not X-rays. The probe sends sound waves too high to hear into the body and listens for the echoes. A computer turns the echoes into a picture.
2D, 3D and 4D are different ways of drawing those echoes: a flat slice, a still picture with depth, or that picture moving live.
The short answer
- The FDA says ultrasound “has an excellent safety record.”
- The FDA also says it can heat tissue slightly and that the long-term effects are unknown.
- So experts say: use it with care, and only for a reason, not just for keepsakes.
- Sessions are short: a gender scan can take as little as 2 minutes, and a 4D session usually takes 10 to 15. We never replace your prenatal care.
What the experts say
In their words, not ours. Both pages are worth reading in full.
The FDA
“Ultrasound imaging has been used for over 20 years and has an excellent safety record.” The FDA also calls it “generally considered safe when used prudently by appropriately trained health care providers.”
“Ultrasound waves can heat the tissues slightly.” “In some cases, it can also produce small pockets of gas in body fluids or tissues,” the FDA says, adding: “The long-term consequences of these effects are still unknown.”
“…the use of ultrasound solely for non-medical purposes such as obtaining fetal ‘keepsake’ videos has been discouraged.”
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Ultrasound Imaging”, page current as of September 19, 2024.
The AIUM
The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine is a professional association for medical ultrasound.
The AIUM “strongly discourages the nonmedical use of ultrasound.”
On bonding, it says “there is only some scientific evidence that 3D sonography has a positive impact on parental-fetal bonding.”
It also asks that scans be done by trained, credentialed people, at the lowest exposure that gets the picture.
AIUM, “Prudent Use and Safety of Diagnostic Ultrasound in Pregnancy”, approved May 19, 2020.
How we work, knowing that
We won’t tell you the experts are wrong. We’ll tell you what we do about it, and let you decide.
Sessions are short by nature.
A gender scan can take as little as 2 minutes. A 4D session usually takes 10 to 15. When a baby won’t cooperate, we do take extra time. That is part of our promise. Whether it’s right for you is your decision.
Experience helps.
Irina, our lead sonographer, has done more than 30,000 pregnancy ultrasounds.
We don’t diagnose.
We don’t screen or diagnose, and we will never tell you that everything is fine. We can’t know that. The one number you’ll hear from us is the heart rate at a gender scan. What it means is a question for your doctor or midwife.
Alongside your prenatal care, never instead.
Keep every appointment and every scan your doctor or midwife orders. Ours replaces none of them.
We say when we’re not sure.
No guessing on boy or girl. If the view isn’t clear, you come back free.
Questions about safety
Is a 4D ultrasound safe for my baby?
The FDA says ultrasound “has an excellent safety record,” and it uses sound rather than X-rays. The FDA also says it can heat tissue slightly and that the long-term effects are unknown, which is why the FDA and the AIUM advise against scans done only for keepsakes. Sessions are short: a gender scan can take as little as 2 minutes, and a 4D session usually takes 10 to 15. We never present them as medical care.
How many keepsake scans is too many?
There’s no official number, and we won’t invent one. Most families visit more than once: first for a gender scan, then for one or more 4D sessions. If you’re unsure what’s right for you, ask your doctor or midwife.
Can you tell me if my baby is healthy?
No. We’re not a medical provider. We don’t check growth, anatomy or anything else about health, and a session with us can’t rule a problem in or out.
Does a session with you replace my 20-week scan?
No. That scan is a medical exam with a long list of things to check. Ours is a keepsake visit. Keep every scan your doctor or midwife orders.
Who is your lead sonographer?
Irina. She has done more than 30,000 pregnancy ultrasounds over nearly two decades.