If you or your partner are embarking on the journey into pregnancy, you may have already come across the term “sonography”.

A vital part of the process, the sonography test – also known as an ultrasound scan – helps monitor the development of both the uterus and the foetus during pregnancy, ensuring mother and baby are healthy.

From a parental perspective, the resulting images also provide expecting mums and dads the opportunity to see their unborn child for the very first time.

At First Encounters, we know how momentous this can be and offer a variety of scan options to make your first encounter with your child as memorable as possible.

Read on to find out how…

 

what is sonography,what does a sonographer do

 

What’s the difference between sonogram and ultrasound?

The textbook definition of sonography refers to it as the high-frequency sound technique used to create internal images of the body for analysis and diagnosis. However, in discussing sonography in the context of pregnancy, it can become a little confusing.

The confusion stems from the fact that US terminology often differs from the lingo used in the UK. As such, a Google search that returns sonography pages from both sides of the Atlantic can often include a mixed bag of British terms and Americanisms.

For Brits, the terms “baby scan” and “ultrasound image” are commonly used in place of the US word “sonogram”. So, if you come across the term “sonogram” in your online journey, chances are it’s in reference to the ultrasound image.

 

What does a sonographer do?

Also known as an ultrasound technician, a sonographer is the medical professional who operates the ultrasound equipment. It’s this person who will conduct the scan and produce the images of your unborn baby.

During a pregnancy scan, the sonographer directs high-frequency sound waves to the relevant area using the ultrasound equipment, manoeuvring the probe over the womb to provide the images of the unborn baby.

 

Sonography at First Encounters

At First Encounters, our sonography staff are highly trained professionals and conduct countless scans over the course of a working week. As a result, they are well-versed in the art of ultrasound scanning.

What’s more, we use the very latest ultrasound technology to provide you with state-of-the-art visual of your baby’s development, offering a wide selection of 2D scans, as well as 3D and even 4D experiences, using cutting-edge HD Live technology.

Our sonography techniques are designed to be minimally invasive with comfort and relaxation a key part of the service. We believe that these are moments to be cherished forever and pride ourselves in helping you create memories that will last a lifetime.

The revolutionary equipment available at First Encounters is truly second to none with an environment to match. For an ultrasound experience like no other, First Encounters is undoubtedly top of the list.

 

For more information on sonography and our ultrasound scans, why not drop us a line? Call today on 02920 732671 or get in touch online using the button below.

Contact Us

4D scan of a baby in the womb

At the First Encounters Ultrasound clinic in Cardiff, the price of a 4D scan ranges from £130 to £140 depending on which scan package you choose. Browse our 4D scans here >>

We get asked all sorts of questions here at First Encounters, but the most common question of all has nothing to do with how our scans work. Rather, it's related to the cost of our 4D ultrasound packages.

Many people think that 3D/4D scans will be too expensive for them, but most are pleasantly surprised when they see our price list. Obviously, the exact cost depends on which package you select, but whether you want a no-frills 4D scan or the full baby bonding experience, we think you'll find our prices very reasonable indeed.

4D footage is amazing if you want to bond with your baby. For example, we were able to capture footage of this adorable little baby cracking a smile!

4D ultrasound price list

We offer two 3D/4D ultrasound scan packages for expectant parents, both of which are available at 24 - 32 weeks:

  • 4DWellbeingAssure™ (£130) is a wellbeing observation scan that includes 4D imaging and optional gender confirmation. The ultrasound scan will be carried out by one of our trained sonographers, and you will receive a Digital Foetal Assessment Report to put your mind at ease. This 4D scan package also includes 3 x glossy colour photos and a complimentary video clip, plus digital downloads of all scan imagery from photocloud™.

If you want to take home a few extra gifts for the family, you may choose to purchase any of the additional baby scan souvenirs we offer in addition to those included in your package. Optional souvenirs include:

  • Additional glossy photos
  • Fridge magnets
  • Key rings
  • Heartbeat teddy bears
  • Gender reveal confetti cannons

Contact us now for more information about our 4D scan packages, or use the link below to browse all scans and book online.

View All Scan Packages

MORE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Given that pregnant women in the UK receive two (and, in some cases, more than two) free ultrasound scans on the NHS, some people may be a little unsure as to what private scan providers like First Encounters bring to the table. How do private baby scans differ from their government-funded counterparts? Is a hospital scan still necessary if you're planning to undergo a private scan anyway?
 
 
Well, first of all, we'd like to make one thing perfectly clear: our scans are not intended to replace the dating and anomaly scans offered by the NHS. Under no circumstances do we recommend getting a private scan instead of a standard hospital scan. Instead, services like ours are intended to complement the crucial NHS scans, allowing you to monitor the vital signs across a longer period and enhancing the pregnancy experience for you and those closest to you. 

Monitoring your pregnancy

Here are some examples of the data that our sonographers will record when you come in for your private scan:
  • Growth measurements
  • Weight measurements
  • Baby position
  • Placenta position
  • Fluid levels (low fluid levels can be dangerous and may lead to early delivery)
Your NHS scans will provide you with a lot of information and spot any problems that present themselves at the time, but augmenting your basic scans with an additional private scan allows you to monitor your baby's growth across a broader period. This means that we can not only give you continued peace of mind but also catch any problems that develop after your hospital scans.

Enhancing your experience

While pregnancy can be a very stressful experience, it is also a time of great joy and excitement, both for the expectant parent(s) and for their nearest and dearest. This is the side of pregnancy that First Encounters aims to enhance - here are some of the ways in which we do it:
  • Comfortable, modern clinics with state-of-the-art equipment
  • Space for up to 6 guests to observe your scan in our comfortable viewing area
  • 4D scan packages that let you glimpse your baby's world in incredible detail
  • A range of gender scan options (note that some NHS hospitals do not offer gender confirmation)
  • A wide variety of souvenirs to choose from, including our adorable Heartbeat Teddy & Confetti Shooters
These are the things that set our scans apart from standard hospital scans (and, indeed, from those available in other private clinics). While the NHS dating and anomaly scans are still a crucial part of ensuring that your pregnancy goes as smoothly as possible, undergoing a private baby scan is a different - and hopefully far more enjoyable - experience altogether.
 
 
how soon can you find out the gender 
 

Expectant parents are often very keen to discover the gender of their unborn baby, and understandably so - knowing the gender is one of those things that really helps you to feel closer to your little bundle of joy. The people who come to our clinics for gender scans frequently tell us that the baby seems a lot more 'real' to them once our sonographer has revealed whether it's a boy or a girl, and besides, finding out the sex is a nice little milestone to get excited for when the birth itself still seems a long way off.

With all of that in mind, it's easy to see why mums-to-be and dads-in-waiting might want to attend a gender scan as soon as possible. However, attend a gender ultrasound scan too early in your pregnancy and it may be impossible to accurately identify the gender - a foetus doesn't develop sexual characteristics until a few weeks in, and nothing conclusive will actually be visible on an ultrasound scan until a little while after that.

 

So, how soon can you find out the gender?

At First Encounters, we now offer a SneakPeek®  gender test – ideal for parents who are too eager to wait until their gender confirmation ultrasound! The SneakPeek® test is a DNA-base, non-invasive prenatal blood test that can tell you whether you’re having a boy or a girl from as early as 6 weeks into your pregnancy.

 

How can SneakPeek® determine my baby’s sex?

When you’re pregnant, your bloodstream contains DNA from your unborn child as well as your own DNA. If your blood sample contains male (XY) chromosomes, this means you’re going to have a boy. If there are no male chromosomes present in the blood sample, it means you are pregnant with a girl.

This gender testing method is 99.9% accurate at 6 weeks gestation and you should have your results emailed directly to you within 7-10 working days.

 

How early can you have a gender scan?

Here at First Encounters Ultrasound we don't offer any gender confirmation ultrasound scans before 16 weeks gestation. Other scan providers may offer slightly earlier scans, but we would strongly recommend that you do not attend a baby gender scan until at least the 16-week mark. Any earlier, and your baby probably won't have developed sufficiently for accurate gender identification.

 

Is it worth waiting a little longer?

While we're happy to provide gender scans from 16 weeks onwards, it's worth bearing in mind that not all babies develop at the same speed. Very occasionally, someone will come in for gender confirmation at 16 weeks and the sonographer still won't be able to find positive visual confirmation of the baby's sex. In these cases, we'll usually offer a complimentary re-scan at a later date (we'll never guess the gender if we're not confident in our prediction!) but to avoid disappointment, you may wish to wait an extra few days just to make sure that your baby has developed to the point where we're able to identify the gender.

 

You may have heard - or read - about the 'Doppler' heart monitors that are currently very popular among expectant parents. Dopplers are small handheld devices that use ultrasound technology to monitor your unborn baby's heartbeat, ostensibly giving you an easy way to hear your child's heartbeat in the comfort of your own home.

It's easy to imagine why these devices have become so popular. They are relatively cheap to purchase, and when they work, they enable you to hear the heartbeat (a very moving experience for many parents-in-waiting) without having to visit a hospital or a private ultrasound clinic.

But there's one problem with Dopplers that we've come across time and again: they sometimes fail to find a heartbeat. Unborn babies tend to move around and change position a lot (especially prior to 30 weeks gestation), and this means that it is often very difficult to find the right spot. And even if you do find the right spot, there's still no guarantee that you'll hear anything - our highly-trained sonographers occasionally struggle to pick up an audible heartbeat, and that's with a visual representation of the baby on-screen.

When a Doppler fails to deliver an audible heartbeat, it can understandably be a source of panic for the mother. In the majority of cases, the foetus turns out to be absolutely fine, but getting stressed and rushing to the hospital is neither healthy nor a particularly enjoyable experience when you're pregnant!

This isn't to say that Doppler monitors should necessarily be avoided. They have provided many heartwarming moments for expectant parents, and in some cases, they can be a great source of reassurance. However, they can also have the opposite effect, breeding panic when in reality the unborn baby is perfectly healthy. Please bear this in mind before using a Doppler, and remember that these handheld home devices are no substitute for a full ultrasound scan carried out by a registered health professional.

We have seen a few scan providers who do offer home visits, but these really are best avoided, for the following reasons:
  • Portable scanning equipment is generally inferior to the state-of-the-art machinery found in the best ultrasound clinics

  • Plugging equipment into an unprotected power source may result in electric shock to the mother / baby

  • As explained here, regulated scan providers in England are not allowed to perform home scans as regulation only extends to a clinic environment
As much as we'd like to offer our clients the full First Encounters experience in the comfort of their own homes, there are simply too many obstacles - we wouldn't be able to deliver the professional, high-quality service that's available in our clinics.

Click here to see details of our ultrasound clinics in Cardiff and Bristol, or visit our Scan Packages page to browse the baby scan packages we offer.
 
While we often place a great deal of emphasis on the unique and moving experience our scans provide for expectant parents, our ultrasound packages are designed to offer a unique insight into your baby’s world for all the family, including children.
 
If you’ve already started a family, you’ll no doubt want your child to be able to experience the excitement of your pregnancy, allowing them to form a close bond with their little brother or sister before they arrive! Luckily, our ultrasound scans give you the perfect opportunity to share this beautiful bonding memory with your child, either during or following the scan.
 
Here’s why First Encounters Ultrasound is the perfect choice for expectant parents and their children:
 
  • Give your child a detailed glimpse of their unborn sibling. Your child will naturally be rather curious about their new sibling, and a 3D/4D scan gives them an incredible opportunity to see their future brother or sister for the first time, in strikingly clear imagery. If you would prefer not to have your child with you when the scan itself takes place, we offer a variety of souvenirs that will allow you to share this important memory with them in the comfort of your own home.

  • Enjoy our comfortable, spacious surroundings. Our scan rooms are able to accommodate up to six guests, which means that there will be more than enough room for you and your child(ren) during the procedure. The spacious size and relaxing atmosphere of our clinics are ideal for small children, who may find themselves becoming bored or impatient in a small, stuffy space.

  • Take home our child-friendly gifts. As well as having a detailed image of your little one to share with your child, you will also have the opportunity to present them with one of our adorable scan gifts! For £20 you can record your baby’s heartbeat onto one of our cute and cuddly Heartbeat Bears, providing a sentimental keepsake and a treasured companion for your child.

  • Find out whether it’s a brother or a sister! Many of our scan packages offer you the opportunity to discover your unborn baby’s gender, which means that your child will also be able to find out whether they are having a little brother or sister. Again, this will give them a unique glimpse into the baby’s world, and will allow them to share in your excitement as you discover the happy news.
 
Click here to view our scan packages and book your ultrasound experience online!