Ultrasound was first used to check on baby\’s development towards the end of the 1980s. Who would have thought technology would enable expectant parents to visit a local clinic and within a few short minutes experience the joy of seeing your as yet unborn baby? During that visit today you would be able to see the developing baby move within the mother\’s womb and, if you choose to, you can walk out with a 3D DVD video and still images of your developing child.

When the use of ultrasound first started you were rarely even told the sex of your new baby. Any images provided by the health service clinics were of poor quality and very indistinct. Although a trained eye could pick out what was required from a medical standpoint, for instance if there were any abnormalities present, to most people the images generated seemed simply to be blobs on a small, low resolution black and white image.

There was no real requirement for a high resolution image as this image was enough for well trained medical staff to diagnose any issues, or at least if not, there would be enough of a visual image to alert staff that maybe a more in depth check was needed.

As time progressed and parents were offered these images more commonly, a requirement for better images giving more \’parent friendly\’ views was born. In the early days DVDs were not yet invented and video recorders were big, clumsy and incredibly expensive so the prospect of preserving your unborn baby\’s image on video was even less likely.

Through scientific advances and advances in computing power better and better image quality was obtained. This, combined with a gradual reduction in concerns about exposure to ultrasound waves grew less, pregnant mothers and fathers started attending pre-natal clinics specifically for the purpose of seeing an ultrasound image of their unborn baby safe in the mother\’s womb.

Imagery equipment costs have tumbled and the competency level required to use the equipment has also dropped substantially bringing the possibility of elective scans to a wide audience.

Nowadays image quality and the effectiveness of the 3D & 4D image scanning machines has increased to such a level that truly high quality images are possible. DVD computer authoring and burning has allowed high quality video to be added to the pre-birth experience. A growing number of small businesses are now operating to satisfy the demand by offering quick and friendly appointments offering high quality images, videos and other memorabilia.

Amazingly through using web technology some businesses are also able to offer remote viewing by family groups allowing them to see the developing baby from afar. With most people having access to an internet connection friends and relations from all over the world can share in the new parent\’s joy.

This is a far cry from the early medical use of ultrasound scans. It truly is incredible how a machine that is directly descended from WWII methods of detecting enemy submarines has transformed the birth experience for many.

Author Bio: 3D ultrasound is avalable from 3D Miracles. 3D Miracles has an office for 3D ultrasound in Ottawa and an office for an office for 3D ultrasound in Halifax.

Category: Parenting
Keywords: 3D ultrasound, baby imaging, pre-natal imagery