Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time for a 3D/4D ultrasound?
Where are you located?
What is the difference between 3D and 4D?
Do I need a full bladder? Should I drink water?
What happens if I do not get great pictures?
Why choose Ultrasona?
What is a Limited Medical Fetal Study?
What is a Level One Study?
What kind of training do your technicians receive?
Is ultrasound safe?
Do I need to make an appointment?
How long do appointments take?
Will my pictures look like the ones on your website?
Can I bring my family?
How early can you find the gender?
What type of payments does Ultrasona accept?
What are your office hours?
When is the best time for a 3D/4D ultrasound?
27 to 31 weeks is the best time for a 3D/4D ultrasound. In general, it also depends on what you would like to see. If you would like to see lots of movement, have the ultrasound closer to 27 weeks. If you would like to see your baby's "chubby cheeks" and as much facial detail as possible, have the ultrasound closer to 31 weeks. Also, keep in mind that if you have the ultrasound before 30 weeks or so there is plenty of time to do a makeup session if required.
Ultrasona St. Louis is located at 394 Mid Rivers Mall Dr. in St. Peters, Missouri. From Hwy 70, you will take Exit 222, the Mid Rivers Mall Drive Exit. Follow Mid Rivers Mall Dr. (heading toward Mexico Rd.) approximately .6 mi, and we will be on the left hand side in the Mid Rivers Plaza with Clarkson Eyecare. We are across the street from Weekends Only.
What is the difference between 3D and 4D?
3D ultrasounds are still photos, 4D ultrasounds include motion. Think of 3D as photos on your wall and 4D as a movie. In simplest terms, the fourth dimension (according to Einstein's Theory of Relativity) is time. So 4D ultrasounds include motion.
Do I need a full bladder? Should I drink water?
Only if you are having a 2D pregnancy verification performed. Otherwise you do not need a full bladder for
your ultrasound appointment at Ultrasona. Yes, you should definitely drink water.
Why drink water?
Drinking water for at least 4 to 5 days prior to your appointment will help ensure you have plenty of clear
amniotic fluid. This helps improve the quality of the ultrasound images.
What happens if I do not get great pictures?
Everyone is different, usually we get lots of great pictures. Sometimes, things do not go as planned. For reasons
completely out of everyone's control, the images we get are not as good as they could be. For example, if the
baby decides they are going to face the wrong way or cover his face with his hands, the baby's mind is made up and
no one can change their mind. When this happens, we will schedule you to return to try again in a few days to see if
we can get better images. If we are still unsuccessful, we will refund part of your money.
Our only goal is to meet or exceed your expectations. If we can not accomplish that, we will do whatever we can
to meet our goal. For the majority of our clients, the second try works. If it does not, we are willing to try a
third time. If that fails, we will try again. We will keep trying until we get quality images or you run out of patience
or time.
The only caveat is to remember that everyone is different, not everyone will get absolutely perfect images, however
we will do all we can to get the best images for you possible. If that does not work, we will downgrade your package
and refund you the difference between the package you paid for and what we were actually able to get.
At Ultrasona, our focus is unique. The traditional prenatal ultrasound is enhanced by family-centered, advanced imaging methods to bring you closer to your baby, sooner. During each study, attentive highly trained technicians use the most advanced system available, the GE Voluson 730 BT05, to connect parents to their baby and show development during that stage of pregnancy. We have seen that through this process, many patients feel more connected to the pregnancy and increase their commitment to their prenatal health behavior. We provide a family friendly space, with plenty of room for you to share the experience with friends and family.
What is a Limited Medical Fetal Study?
A Limited Medical Fetal Study includes basic information about the baby, including the verification of heartbeat, assessment of the baby's position and, if desired, gender determination. If there is more than one baby present, we verify the number and determine the above information for each baby. In addition, our Doctor will also review images of the baby’s face, spine, profile, fluid levels and placenta.
A Level One Study includes the information found in a Limited Medical Study as well as more in-depth information about the baby, including measurements of the head, femur, abdomen and fluid volume. This information is used to determine/confirm the baby's size and due date.
What kind of training do your technicians receive?
Ultrasona employs ultrasound technicians from a variety of backgrounds. Some are licensed, registered technicians (ARDMS), others are certified through clinical ultrasound schools around the country, and still others have been trained directly under the supervision of an obstetrician. Whatever the educational background or years of diagnostic experience the technician has before coming to Ultrasona, the imaging techniques exclusive to Ultrasona require the same lengthy period of intensive training and supervised scanning. The result--each Ultrasona technician is one of a limited number of sonographers around the country counted among the best in the nation in fetal imaging and diagnostic Scanning.
Ultrasound has been used for over 35 years and has been proven through countless studies to be a non-invasive tool with vast benefits. We strictly adhere to the standard set by the FDA which "restricts ultrasound exposure to levels that produce few, if any, effects on the fetus, based on epidemiological evidence" (FDA Consumer magazine, January-February 2004 Issue). Our Three- and Four-Dimensional ultrasound imaging uses ultrasound energy subject to these same limits and is not a product of increased frequency or "power" levels, but a combination of increased data gathering (listening) by the transducer and software interpretation after data acquisition. The result is a vast array of benefits without any harm to mother or baby.
How early can you find the gender?
We begin gender determination at 15 weeks and can do so up until the end of pregnancy. We are highly skilled at using ultrasound technology to our best advantage in determining gender and, despite the inherent imperfections in any technology, have an unsurpassed accuracy rate. And if for any reason our sonographer cannot determine the gender, we will bring you back free of charge. We are so confident in our accuracy rate that we also offer a $75.00 gift card to the baby store of your choice if we should ever make an inaccurate determination.
Do I need to make an appointment?
Yes. Because we work with your prenatal provider, appointments are necessary and can be made by calling (636)978-8778, or toll free (866)717-8778.
How long do appointments take?
Appointment length varies according to the specifics of each study but allow 30- 45 minutes for most of our sessions (scan time being less). Please arrive early to complete the necessary paperwork. Also, please keep in mind that we need to honor our other appointments scheduled for the day and will need to reschedule your appointment if you are more than 10 minutes late.
Will my pictures look like the ones on your website?
Unlike many in the industry every photo on our website was taken at our facility and by our technicians, so you can see what is possible with our technology and expertise. However, picture quality depends on several factors; the amount of maternal tissue, the amniotic fluid levels, and the position of the baby are all important. In order to get the best result, you must follow your Doctor’s recommendations and drink plenty of water.
You are welcome to bring family members and/or friends to accompany you through your appointment. We also welcome children, in fact, our ultrasound room is equipped with a separate play area for smaller children where they can watch movies of their own or play while mom and dad enjoy watching their newest addition. This is a wonderful time of bonding for all involved. We do ask you to remember that this is time for you and your family and we advise you use caution in inviting anyone with whom you are not comfortable. For viewing comfort, we have a 50" plasma that is adjustable so your entire party has an exceptional view of your session.
What type of payments does Ultrasona accept?
Ultrasona accepts cash, checks and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover).
We are available by appointment only. Call us today at (636) 978-8778 to schedule an appointment.