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.
 
 

3D scan at 16 weeks

3D and 4D ultrasound scans provide an exciting opportunity to get a clearer look at your baby and many parents-to-be simply can't wait to book one in. If you’re hoping to see your little one in 4D soon, here’s everything you need to know before you book.

 

Can I book a 4D scan at 16 weeks?

Unfortunately, at just 16 weeks gestation, your baby isn't big enough to be seen clearly via a 3D/4D scan. The best time to get a good view of your baby in this way is between 24 and 32 weeks.

Fortunately, there are still plenty of 2D scans available from 16 weeks and even earlier, so you can still check up on your little one and take home lots of lovely black and white images in the meantime.

 

How do 3D & 4D scans differ from 2D scans?

2D, 3D and 4D ultrasound scans all use sound waves to generate an image of your baby. But unlike 2D scans, 3D and 4D scans are able to capture three-dimensional images of your baby. A 3D scan is a still image and a 4D scan captures a video showing your baby moving around inside the womb.

3D and 4D scans aren’t typically available to mums until around 24 weeks because time needs to be allowed for your baby to grow and gain some weight. If you have a 3D or 4D scan earlier in your pregnancy, you might be disappointed by the results because your baby’s facial features won’t be fully developed yet.

2D baby scan

What can I expect from a 2D ultrasound scan at 16 weeks?

At 16 weeks, a 2D ultrasound scan can tell you lots about your baby. The sonographer will be able to check on your baby's size and overall wellbeing.

Here at First Encounters, we offer a brilliant range of 2D scans at 16 weeks gestation, including:

All scans are performed by trained sonographers in a comfortable and welcoming clinic environment. For more information, click on a scan or click the button below to book a scan.

Book a 2D Scan

 

What can I expect from a 4D Bonding & Reassurance scan at First Encounters?

Once you've reached 24-32 weeks gestation, you can book one of our incredible 4d scans. You and up to six guests can watch your unborn baby in motion. All of our 4D scans are displayed onto a large HD LED screen in our spacious scanning room while we capture stunning 3D photographs for you to keep.

After your scan, we will provide a digital copy of the images and videos we captured, so you can share them with friends and family.

If you want to hear a first-hand testimonial on our ultrasound scans from bump to baby, check out our Scans Throughout Pregnancy page where new mum Zoe and her partner Antony share their experiences!

If you want to find out what else is included in our 4D Bonding & Reassurance Scans, then please visit our website to find out more information and book yours today. 

Book a 3D/4D Scan   Contact First Encounters

32 week ultrasound scan

It is very common for expectant mothers to have a growth scan at around 32 weeks gestation, in order to make sure the baby is developing as normal.

In this blog post we'll answer some common questions about the 32-week growth scan, such as why it is needed, what happens during the scan, and what can the results tell you.

 

Why have a growth scan at 32 weeks?

The main goal of the 32-week pregnancy scan is to check that your baby is developing and growing as expected. Hospitals may recommend a scan at 32 weeks if they suspect too much amniotic fluid, or you can book a scan for your own reassurance.

The results of your growth scan will tell you:

  • The position of your baby in the womb
  • If your baby is smaller or larger than expected

 

What to expect from your 32-week growth scan

Your growth scan will be conducted in the exact same way as all your other pregnancy scans, with gel on your stomach and an ultrasound transducer device that allows you to see an image of your baby.

Our trained and qualified sonographer will be able to...

  • Evaluate the volume of amniotic fluid surrounding your baby
  • Measure your baby's head, abdomen and femur
  • Measure the blood flow around your baby's body

 

What does the 32-week growth scan tell you?

The 32-week growth scan looks at your baby's wellbeing by measuring their biophysical profile. During the scan, the sonographer will be looking to see if your baby:

  • Opens and closes their hands
  • Stretches and flexes
  • Moves their arms and legs frequently
  • Makes breathing movements

During your growth scan, the sonographer will be able to see if your baby is smaller than expected for their gestational age, possibly due to a lack of nutrition through the placenta or restricted levels of oxygen.

The 32-week scan can also reveal if your baby is larger than expected. While this is usually not a medical concern, you may need to get tested for gestational diabetes if your unborn child is significantly larger than normal. This involves measuring the levels of glucose in your blood - high levels could result in birthing complications and enhance the likelihood of induced labour or a caesarean.

In regards to the position of your baby, your 32-week growth scan will show whether the baby is head down (normal position), feet first (breech position) or laying sideways (transverse position). Your doctor may advise you to have an ECV (external cephalic version) if your baby is in the breech position. This is a completely safe procedure whereby a surgeon pushes down and around on your abdomen in order to turn your baby into a normal head-down position for birth.

 

Book your 32-week growth scan now!

The following growth scans are available at 32 weeks:

 

 

 

  • 4DGrowth&Wellbeing™
    2D growth, reassurance and wellbeing scan with 4D bonding experience (24 - 32 weeks)

 

All of these scans are delivered at the First Encounters Ultrasound clinic in Cardiff. You may invite up to four guests to join you in the examination room, with five more guests in a separate viewing room (nine guests total, not including the mum-to-be).

If you have specific questions regarding any of our ultrasound scan packages, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Our friendly team members are always happy to help.

Browse Scan Packages


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.
First Encounters Safe Scan
Here at First Encounters Ultrasound, we are dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of everyone who visits our clinics. No matter which of our scan packages you select, we want you to feel completely confident and reassured when you choose us as your scan provider.
 
As you browse our website, you will likely see our 'Safe Scan' badge on a number of different pages. This is our own personal seal of quality, and it represents our commitment to keeping you safe from potential hazards and health risks when you undergo a First Encounters baby scan.
 
We accomplish this in two ways: by employing experienced, qualified sonographers and by using certified state-of-the-art scanning equipment from the world's leading supplier.
 

Our Sonographers

Our sonographers - the members of staff responsible for carrying out each scan - are all qualified health professionals who are capable of identifying diagnostic issues as well as capturing high-quality souvenir imagery. Every First Encounters sonographer is registered with either the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) or the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which means that they meet these regulators' exacting standards in a range of important areas such as hygiene and professional behaviour.
 
All of our sonographers are fully qualified, fully trained, and highly experienced. They all hold postgraduate diplomas and know exactly how to conduct a safe scan that gets the best possible results for the expectant mother while keeping her and her unborn child completely protected throughout. 
 

Our Equipment

The equipment we use to carry out our scans is all supplied by GE Healthcare, the world's leading manufacturer of ultrasound/baby scanning equipment. Our 2D, 3D and 4D scans are performed using the GE Voluson E6, with HDlive technology that's capable of capturing clearer, crisper images than ever before.
 
More importantly, though, all of our machines are rigorously tested and certified safe for use, so rest assured that your safety will be preserved no matter what type of scan you opt for.
 
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There are countless ultrasound clinics operating in the UK today, but many of them don't go anywhere near far enough in the safety measures they take. An alarming number of scan providers don't employ registered health professionals or use certified scanning equipment, and this approach can unfortunately lead to dire consequences.
 
Here at First Encounters, we do everything we possibly can to ensure the safety of you and your unborn child. Click here to browse our available scan packages, or feel free to contact us now if you have any further questions.