When is the best time to come for my 3D/4D Ultrasound Appointment?
Who conducts the Ultrasound Session?
What if we have any concerns with your Non-Diagnostic Ultrasound session?
What should I wear to my Appointment?
Do you provide Medical or Diagnostic services?
Do I need a note or requisition from my Doctor/Midwife?
Can you determine the gender of the baby?
Do I need a full bladder?
When should I book my 3D Ultrasound Appointment?
Can I bring Family and friends to my appointment?
What is 3D/4D Ultrasound?
How can I pay for my session?
Is 3D / 4D Ultrasound safe?

When is the best time to come for my 3D/4D Ultrasound Appointment?

Fetal Expressions requests that you obtain results from your routine medical 18-20 week ultrasound, which is required by your health care provider for diagnostic purposes, before your first Fetal Expressions imaging session.

Images can be obtained between 20-36 weeks of pregnancy. However prior to 26 weeks gestation, your baby is not as developed and baby fat deposits have not been distributed, making facial features not as well defined. We recommend having your Fetal Expressions session between 26-32 weeks. Full-figured mothers should book their appointments slightly later in the pregnancy 28-32 weeks to ensure the best opportunity for high quality imaging of the baby.

Ultrasound image quality can be affected by many factors including fetal position, placenta location, amount of amniotic fluid around the baby and maternal weight/size. Fetal Expressions will endeavour to obtain the best quality images of your baby; however image quality can vary from client to client.

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Who conducts the Ultrasound Session?

All of our Ultrasonographers are registered medical ultrasound technologists with many years of experience in medical diagnostic ultrasound. Our Technologists also work in the surrounding communities and you may have met them while having your routine diagnostic ultrasound. Our experience enables us to efficiently obtain any available images, ensuring the most from your 3D/4D ultrasound experience.

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What if we have any concerns with your Non-Diagnostic Ultrasound session?

The Ultrasound that our clients receive is NON-DIAGNOSTIC. We are emphasizing the aesthetics of the fetus for the purpose of family bonding and memorable keepsakes. Since our Technologists are ARDMS registered medical Sonographers and highly adept in high risk obstetrics, we may potentially discover an area of concern. In the event that we suspect an issue/concern, we have adopted the following policy.

In the event we observe an area of concern/issue during your non-diagnostic scanning session, Fetal Expressions will:

Contact the Primary Health Care Provider you have provided, with our concerns/issues. Upon the request of your Primary Health Care Provider, Fetal Expressions will obtain the services of a qualified Radiologist with an Ontario license. The Radiologist will be given the images to review and will produce a signed report which will be sent to the Primary Health Care Provider. This service will be paid for by Fetal Expressions and will not be charged to the patient or OHIP.

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What should I wear to my Appointment?

We recommend that you wear two-piece outfits for ease and comfort. Easy access to the baby makes for a comfortable and enjoyable experience. A dress is not recommended for our ultrasound sessions.

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Do you provide Medical or Diagnostic services?

Fetal Expressions provides only a supplemental service, determining gender, fetal position, an estimate of the fetal heart rate, and other non-diagnostic information. Fetal Expressions will not provide any medical measurements or calculate the weight of the baby. Any medical questions should be directed to the mother’s primary professional care giver i.e. Physician or Midwife.

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Do I need a note or requisition from my Doctor/Midwife?

No. This is a non medical ultrasound. You will need to have had a routine diagnostic medical ultrasound (done at 18-22 weeks) and have met with your health care provider for the results of that diagnostic scan prior to booking your session. You do not need a note from your health care provider. We will not be looking at the baby from a healthcare perspective. The emphasis of our sessions will be in showing you the baby’s movements, heartbeat, limbs, fingers, toes and their expressions.

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Can you determine the gender of the baby?

Yes! At Fetal Expressions we pride ourselves on gender accuracy and our years of experience can make all the difference in this area. We guarantee our accuracy on gender after 18 weeks or later in the pregnancy. Remember, this is your time and we will provide you with what you need and want from this visit. Several looks will be provided until you yourself visualize and agree with the determination.

If you wish to keep the gender a secret, we will respect your wishes.

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Do I need a full bladder?

While you should remain well hydrated, you do not need a full-bladder for our ultrasound services. However a sugary drink ½ hour prior to your exam helps make baby active.

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When should I book my 3D Ultrasound Appointment?

Ultrasound Appointments should be made as soon as possible! Weekends and evenings are the most highly desired appointment times and do fill up quickly. At Fetal Expressions we will do our best to accommodate your requests. Please click here to make your booking

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Can I bring Family and friends to my appointment?

We can handle 8 to 10 adults comfortably and arrangements can be made for larger groups, such as shower parties and larger families.

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What is 3D/4D Ultrasound?

3D ultrasound offers beautiful quality images of your baby. Our ultrasound images far surpass traditional 2D images providing easy understanding and visualization. 3D ultrasound allows the expectant mother and guests to clearly visualize the baby.

4D ultrasound is 3D ultrasound in motion or real time. This feature enables us to see any movements baby “may” want to share with us, including thumb sucking, waving, yawning, etc.

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How can I pay for my session?

We accept payment by Cash, Direct Debit, Visa, Mastercard or American Express.

No cheques accepted.

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Is 3D / 4D Ultrasound safe?

Ultrasound has been in routine use for over thirty years. While no detrimental effects from the responsible use of ultrasound have been definitively proven, we at Fetal Expressions encourage informed consent and ask that you visit the following links to better educate yourselves and form your own opinions.

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/97/104332?src=rss_cbsnews , an article about a recent ultrasound study into multiple ultrasounds and effects on children.

www.ob-ultrasound.net , a website by Dr. Joseph Woo for a complete history of the development and use of ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

www.ob-ultrasound.net/studies.html , information regarding the most recent studies on ultrasound.

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