Does the scanning present any risk to the baby?
The state-of-the-art scanning equipment used by Baby Premier (The GE Voluson 730 Expert) is used by the world's finest prenatal clinics. Ultrasound technology has been the subject of hundreds of clinical studies over the past 30 years and has not been shown to cause any harm to the mother or baby. For your peace of mind, please feel free to speak to your doctor about the safety of ultrasound. 

Is self-referral allowed?
Yes - for most of the scans. However, for medical scans we advise you to speak to your midwife or doctor on your intention to have a scan with us. We will ask you to fill out a registration form on your arrival so that any information we find at the scan can be passed on to your midwife / doctor.  Please phone the centre on (0161 233 0194) for a convenient appointment.

Do I need a note from my doctor?
No - not for the 4D bonding scan (non medical) however for other obstetric scans it is important the scan results are available to your obstetric team and again we encourage you to speak with your midwife / doctor about your intention to visit if you have any concerns.

How far in advance should I schedule my appointment?
We can usually secure an appointment within a few of days.

How much time should I plan for my visit?
You should allow about 45 - 60 minutes for the examination. However you should arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment to fill out registration forms etc.

At what stage of pregnancy should I visit?
This is dependent on the type of scan required - see previous page. (Packages and fees). For 4D scanning we recommend visiting between weeks 26 and 32 when we can generally capture optimal facial images. We can however perform scans outside of these times with stunning images. We can usually determine your baby's gender by week 20. 

When is the best time to scan twins?
Women with twins should visit before 27 weeks, as twins have less space.

What factors determine the quality of my images?
The most important factor is the position of the baby. Other critical factors are the amount of amniotic fluid (the more the better) and the amount of tissue between the probe and the baby.

Who performs the scan?
The 4D scan will be performed by a fully trained ultrasonographer. 

How many guests may I bring?
Most of our clients bring friends or family to their appointment. Due to limited space within the scanning room, we normally recommend no more than 2 other people are present as the procedure is taking place.

What should I bring to the appointment?
If attending for a medical scan i.e. anomoly or wellbeing - Please bring your hospital records / maternity card in order for us to compare our results on the expected delivery date and weight.

Should I still attend for my hospital scans?
Yes. If you are having the 4D bonding scan (non medical) this should be considered as additional scan and is not part of your routine antenatal care. It is important that you attend your regular appointments at your hospital so that additional investigations are not missed.

What happens to any report?
If requested by you, a copy report will be formally typed and sent to your GP or Maternity unit. (Not applicable to 4D bonding scans)

Can an ultra sound scan detect everything?
Ultrasound does have its limitations. It cannot identify bone and air so regions such as the lungs, stomach, bowel and bones are better examined using different methods that may require the use of radiation.

What if an unexpected abnormality is found?
The 4D bonding scan is not performed as a check for foetal abnormalities. If however, any incidental abnormality is found the ultrasonographer will explaine the findings as fully as possible to you. At your request we will liase with your GP or maternity unit to pass on this information.

What exactly is a 4D ultrasound scan?
This scan shows a moving 3D image of your unborn baby - giving you live action, on screen images of your baby yawning, stretching and rubbing its eyes .

How long before I get my Images?
After the session you can choose to purchase the images from a range of options such as CD or DVD etc. The basic scan price includes 5 black and white images. Once you have chosen your options you can take them away with you immediately.

How can I pay?
We accept credit / debit cards, cash or cheque payments at the time of the scan. Alternatively you can send a payment to the clinic prior to your appointment. Cheques are to be made payable to SMI Ltd.   No cash payments can be taken at Bradford and Hertford

What kind of ultrasound machine do you use?
We use the GE Voluson 730, the top-of-the-line ultrasound machine for obtaining 3D and 4D images.