South Norwich’s first 4D baby scans
4 dimensional pregnancy scans are being offered in south Norwich for the first time, by a private clinic on Newmarket Road. Pregnant women can to see detailed images of their babies moving around within the womb. Unlike a normal ultrasound, expectant Mums can see their babies smile, yawn and wiggle their toes.
Until now, parents in south Norwich who’ve wanted a 4D scan have either had to travel to Cambridge, Peterborough or Ipswich, or attend clinics held by A4DBaby at The Ramada Hotel on Boundary Road. The scan is not a medical examination but allows parents an insight into life inside the womb. Some use it to let their own parents have a glimpse of their future grandchild. Others pay for the scan to find out the sex of their child.
A computer layers the images to create a 3 dimensional picture. The fourth dimension is time/movement.
Offered to women over 20 weeks pregnant, Pam Kapur, the radiographer behind the new service, still advises pregnant women to attend their routine scans offered on the NHS. “The 4D scan gives a far more detailed image than you get on an ultrasound. It’s more defined. But we’re not checking for abnormalities. Women still need to attend their routine 20 week scan. You can see the skin covering the fingers, the face, the feet, the baby’s hands. It can make mothers feel more connected to their babies and can mean they take better care of themselves during pregnancy.”
One pregant Mum who was helping test out the new equipment, Nikki Jenkins-Pike said she would definitely have considered paying for the service. Through the 4D scan she could see a close up of her baby’s face, and see it wiggle flex its toes. After the scan she said: “The baby looks exactly like my daughter did when she was born.”
With around 8000 babies delivered at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital each year, Pam Kapur thinks there will be demand for her business. Her own research shows that around half the expectant Mums she’s spoken to would consider paying the £150 fee for the scan. Other members of the family are allowed to attend the 45 minute sessions and all clients get a dvd of the moving image as well as still pictures to take away with them.
The clinics start next week from Newmarket Road and from St Stephen’s Gate Medical Practice.
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