Pregnancy ultrasound is the best way to assess the condition of the baby in the mother's belly. In recent years, modern 3D and 4D cameras have appeared. How do they differ from classic 2D ultrasound and is it worth doing?

Pregnant ultrasound , no matter if it is2D ultrasound, 3D ultrasoundor4D ultrasound , allows you to see the inside of the body, including the developing fetus in a woman's body. Ultrasonic waves are used for this - they reach internal organs, which absorb or reflect the ultrasound beam in various ways, and a special device converts the received signals into an image that appears on the monitor. On its basis, an ultrasound gynecologist can determine the age and sex of the fetus and, above all, observe its development. The classic USG, which has been used for years, provides a two-dimensional (2D) image. A specialist can read a lot of important information from it - the size and shape of various parts of the child's body, its internal organs, the location of the placenta, the amount of amniotic fluid, etc. information about the function of the heart and placenta. However, watching the image on the monitor, the expectant mother often sees only light and dark spots. Therefore, three-dimensional 3D and 4D imaging turned out to be a real revolution for future parents.

3D ultrasound during pregnancy

Modern ultrasound machines enable three-dimensional reconstruction of the image of the fetus and the inside of the uterus. Thanks to the three-dimensional 3D ultrasound, the outer surface of the unborn child's body can be viewed for the first time. During the 3D examination, parents see not spots, but the face and the clear shape of the child, and as a souvenir they get a picture from the abdomen: an image of the baby recorded on a CD, which clearly shows its expression and the entire figure.

4D ultrasound in pregnancy: belly film

An even greater revelation is the so-called 4D imaging. It gives an image similar to 3D, but in a 3D study it is a static image, while 4D gives a three-dimensional image that changes in real time - in other words it is a belly movie! It is as if we put a camera in the womb and had a live preview of what the baby is doing - what movements it is doing, grimaces, whether it smiles, etc. For parents it is extremely touching - here they canfor the first time to see with your own eyes your child, who until now was still an abstract being for them. According to psychologists, this contributes to the formation of an earlier and stronger emotional relationship between the parents and the child.

3D and 4D ultrasound: advantages

However, 3D and 4D imaging is not only "a treat for parents" - as some believe. Although the basic part of the pregnancy ultrasound examination is still performed in a 2D image, 3D and 4D imaging also gives the doctor more possibilities, because it enables the capture of anatomical details that are much more difficult to see in 2D ultrasound.

3D ultrasound examination: what should you know about it?

2D, 3D and 4D ultrasound: important differences

Two-dimensional ultrasound can only be performed through the mother's abdomen and vagina, because the fetus is covered from below by pelvic bones, from the side and from above by gas in the mother's intestines and ribs, and from the back side by her spine. On the other hand, in a 3D or 4D examination, the fetus can be rotated almost freely on the camera screen, obtaining sections that are not available in a 2D examination. During the 3D examination, the skeleton is also better visible, because it gives an image similar to a radiological one, but without the use of harmful X-rays. It has been found in scientific research that thanks to 3D ultrasound it is also possible to more precisely assess the nasal bones, which is very important in the diagnosis of Down's syndrome. It was thanks to the 3D examination that it turned out that some fetuses with Down syndrome have only one of the two nasal bones abnormal, which is more difficult to verify in a 2D image and may be an indication for invasive genetic tests. In some he althy fetuses there is a wide gap between the right and left nasal bones, which in a 2D image may be misinterpreted as missing nasal bones, which may lead to unnecessary amniocentesis. In the 3D image, the assessment of this break and the correct formation of the nasal bones is easier. The advantage of the 3D examination is also the fact that the spatial image of the entire fetus is saved in the camera's memory and later it is possible to return to it and observe any cross-section - even one that was not viewed during the original examination - by making new measurements and analyzes. 4D imaging has only recently been used, therefore little is known about its usefulness in diagnostics. However, it was found that it is more reliable in assessing such defects as cleft lip and palate, deformities of the hands and feet, and slight spina bifida. Medicine also associates 4D imaging with hopes for the future, for example, research on the relationship between the motor activity of the fetus and the functioning of its brain is ongoing. Despite these advantages, classic 2D imaging still remains the primary methoddiagnostic, because the most important thing is not the equipment, but the experience and knowledge of the doctor.

You must do it

According to the recommendations of the Polish Gynecological Society, ultrasound examinations during pregnancy should be performed three times - between the 11th and 14th week of pregnancy, between the 18th and 22nd week of pregnancy and after the 30th week.

monthly "M jak mama"

Category:

Pregnant examinations