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01 What will I see when I’m being scanned?
Depending on the position the baby is in may see your baby sucking its thumb, moving around, changing position, wriggling its fingers and toes and occasionally kicking
and stretching. During a 4D scan, facial expressions such as blinking, yawning and smiling can often be seen. You will also be able to see its hands and feet and depending
on its age, whether it takes after mummy or daddy.
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02 Is it safe?
Extensive studies over 35 years have found that ultrasound has not been shown to cause any harm to mother or baby. Ultrasound scanning of all pregnancies is now normal
Practice throughout Australia. 3D/4D scanning uses exactly the same type and intensity of ultrasound as the more familiar conventional 2D scan. 3D/4D ultrasound utilizes low frequency sound waves to look inside the body. The technology is similar to radar. A probe placed on the body emits sounds waves into the body, listens for the return echo, and
generates an image. No adverse health impacts have been found. There is no radiation. Ultrasound scans do not raise body temperature/amniotic temperature any higher than if
Mum was to take a walk in a park, or if she were outside in hot weather.
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03 How many scans can I have during my pregnancy?
There is no limit as to the number of scans that can be performed during a pregnancy. Most women in Australia will have 2 scans one at 13 weeks the other at around 20 weeks.
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04 Will the scan always be successful?
Unfortunately no, not always. Every baby scans differently, depending on its gestational age, position, amount of fluid, and mother's condition. If the baby is persistently looking
down towards your spine or is lying up against the placenta wall it may be difficult to see the baby's face. Occasionally, the baby may lie in a difficult position or there may not
be a pocket of fluid in the correct place to outline the areas of interest of your baby. When this happens a satisfactory scan may not be achievable. In these cases we will send Mum off for a walk or give her a drink and this may cause the baby to move to a more favorable position. Should this not occur
then we would reschedule the scan for another day at no extra charge. We make no promises that the images will be similar to those you might have seen elsewhere, or that we
can always meet everyone's expectations. We promise to make every effort to obtain the best possible images of whatever parts of the baby that can be seen.
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05 Does the scan replace my doctor’s scan?
No! Any mum-to-be wishing to undergo a 3D/4D Early Image scan must already be receiving treatment by a doctor and have already undergone at least one medical, diagnostic
ultrasound ordered by their doctor to confirm their due date, screen for fetal anomalies, and to look for any other pregnancy related issues.
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06 What is 4D?
A 4D ultrasound represents the difference between still photography (3D) and video. Through this revolutionary technology your baby’s 3D image is continuously updated providing you with live action. In reality this means that, for the first time, you can watch your baby smiling, sucking its thumb, yawning and stretching as it happens and in colour.
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07 When can I have a scan?
If you plan on having only one 4D Ultrasound examination, we would recommend having a scan performed between the 25th and 34th week of the pregnancy. However, excellent images of your baby can be obtained anytime after about 22 weeks of pregnancy. Many mothers have more than one 4D Ultrasound and have a range of images to enjoy from their second and third trimesters as well.
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08 How long does my appointment last?
Up to 15 minutes depending on where the baby is and how good the images are. Saying that, our aim is to get the best 3D/4D scan of your baby possible. We appreciate the fact that
not all babies will be lying in the ideal position on arrival, so if we need to get the baby to move we may well run over, time wise. We find that this is preferable to rescheduling for another day. Most of all we appreciate that this is a very exciting occasion for you and your family, and being flexible with our appointments not only allows us to show different
aspects and features of your baby but gives you more time to relax in our non-clinical atmosphere, and fully appreciate your Early Image experience.
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09 Can I bring my family along?
Absolutely! We are a mother centered and family friendly environment. This is truly a family affair and each location can comfortably handle six to eight adults. Our beautifully
designed ultrasound viewing rooms have sofas and wall mounted plasma screens to enhance the viewing experience of the baby and some locations provide toys and play-space
for younger siblings.
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10 Do I need to have a full bladder?
No. While you should be well hydrated, unlike a traditional hospital ultrasound scan there is no need to have a full bladder before you attend. You can relax and enjoy the
experience without any discomfort.
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11 Do I need to bring anything with me?
No, you don’t need to bring anything with you.
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12 Can you tell me the sex of my baby?
Absolutely! Gender determination is very accurate using our state-of-the-art equipment and can be made anytime after 20 weeks gestation. However, due to the anatomic position of the
umbilical cord or simply the position of the fetus, it can sometimes be difficult to get a clear view of the genital area. If this happens we will send you for a walk to move the baby so we can see clearly. If you have decided not to find out the sex of your baby our
highly trained technicians will avoid scanning the lower area of your baby.
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13 Can I have a scan if I am expecting twins?
Absolutely. The only difference is that the scan will take longer. Please note, it is not usually
possible to see both babies in the same image area.
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14 What is included in the price?
Please refer to our What We Offer section.
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15 How do I book a scan?
Simply ring Early Image Melbourne on 03 9529 7433 to make an appointment for a scan or book online. Alternatively, call in to our offices at Suite 5, 444-456 High Street,
Prahran Victoria 3181. Due to the huge demand for scans and the small number of hours we are available to scan each week, all appointments include a $50 non-refundable booking fee at the time of booking.
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16 Is the scan covered by Medicare or other health insurance?
Medicare and private health insurance in Australia does not currently view the huge benefits of parental and sibling bonding as valid for covering the costs of ultrasounds.
Since this is an elective procedure and is not intended to be a replacement for your doctor ordered ultrasound, you will need to pay the cost of this ultrasound as an out of pocket
expense. We accept cash, checks, Visa, MasterCard, and debit cards.
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17 Can I add music to the video of my scan?
Absolutely. We have a large selection of music to choose from or you can bring your own CD with you.
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18 Does the scan record onto DVD?
Yes, the baby and music all get recorded onto DVD which you will take home with you on the day.
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19 Do you provide photos?
No, we do not have the facility to produce photos in-house. We do take still images during the scan which we then airbrush and edit and place in a private gallery which we build for your baby on our website so that you can share baby with friends and family that were not able to be there on the day. Should you wish to print photos, all the images taken during the scan as well as the images we edit are available on CD-ROM for $35.00
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