FAQs
The questions listed below are the most frequently asked questions about our elective 3D/ 4D and gender determination ultrasound packages. Should you have any questions that are not answered please Contact us.
We offer elective 3D & 4D prenatal ultrasounds to provide a positive bonding experience for the mother, father and family members with the unborn baby. We feel that realistic surface images provide a connection between the parents and baby that can be beneficial to the whole family. We make no claims that 3-D as used in this examination is performed to better assess the baby for abnormalities. A routine ultrasound examination should have already been performed to assess the gestational age of the fetus and to evaluate for fetal anomalies as well as the basic components of fetal anatomy recommended for screening.
ABSOLUTELY NOT! Women seeking an elective prenatal ultrasound with Toes to Nose must already be receiving treatment with a healthcare provider for prenatal care and may only rely on a medical, diagnostic ultrasound ordered by their provider to confirm their due date, screen for fetal anomalies, and to look for any other pregnancy related issues. The issues that we are evaluating in the elective prenatal ultrasound session include a limited diagnostic scan to confirm heartbeat, the number of babies in the pregnancy, the position of the baby, and the placental location. Please note, at no time is this exam to be used in place of a complete diagnostic ultrasound.
Many women have a diagnostic ultrasound performed at 18-20 weeks. In some cases, your doctor or sonographer may even take some pictures and video of your baby in 3D/4D but this is a very different experience than an elective ultrasound at our facility. A medical ultrasound is focused on looking for abnormalities and performing diagnostic measurements. While fascinating, we feel this focus detracts from the relaxed environment and interactive bonding experience we provide and with the lengthy, unhurried session we schedule you for. In addition, the best pictures of your baby will be captured later in your pregnancy when the baby is bigger and more developed.
Extensive studies over 30 years have found that ultrasound has not been shown to cause any harm to mother or baby. Routine scanning of all pregnancies is now normal throughout the United States. In 3D/4D scanning exactly the same type and intensity of ultrasound is used as with conventional 2D scanning. 3D and 4D Ultrasound both utilize sound waves to look inside the body. The technology is similar to radar. A probe placed on the body emits sound waves into the body, listens for the return echo and generates an image. 4D ultrasound will be similar to a conventional scan in terms of exposure.
Yes, appointments are necessary for all of our services.
We schedule a full 45 minutes for all of our 3D/4D ultrasound sessions and the ultrasound itself will last between 25-30 minutes. The end of the session will be used to choose the pictures of your baby you would like to print.
It depends on what you’re wanting out of the ultrasound session. If you’re wanting more detailed and clear images, then we recommend 26-35 weeks. Some mothers like to come in at 15 weeks to try and get a gender indication and the return later for a more detailed session.
Usually, but not always. Sometimes if the baby is persistently looking face down, i.e. towards your spine it may be difficult to see the baby's face. If this happens, a repeat scan will usually succeed because the baby has turned to a favorable position. We make no promises that the images will be similar to those you might have seen elsewhere or even from our clinic, or that we can always meet everyone's expectations. Every baby scans differently, depending on its gestational age, position, amount of fluid, and mother's condition. We promise to make every effort to obtain the best possible images of whatever parts of the baby that can be seen.
First, pay attention to when your baby is most active during the day and try to schedule your appointment during that time. Second, pay attention to whether eating and drinking impact your baby's energy levels and try to eat or not eat right before your ultrasound. Many babies seem to perk up after Mommy drinks cold and/or fruity beverages so we recommend having a fruit smoothy on your way to your appointment. It is important not to get dehydrated right before your appointment because this may negatively impact your level of amniotic fluid and your pictures. Finally, many times, the best pictures of your baby will be obtained when he or she has turned head downward so if you know that your baby is breach, you may want to post-pone your appointment a week or two to increase the chance of your baby turning before your appointment.
We are located in the Bearden area of Knoxville, TN and serve all surrounding areas: Alcoa, Clinton, Concord, Farragut, Kingston, Kodak, Lenoir City, Louisville, Madisonville, Maryville, Morristown, Pigeon Forge, Powell, Oak Ridge, Sevierville, Seymour.
Yes. In fact, we encourage our clients to invite family and friends to attend the elective 3D/4D ultrasound session. This is a joyous and wonderful experience, one that can be shared with your family and loved ones. We can accommodate up to 5 guests seated and many more standing. Currently our record attendance is 23 guests!
Yes, in most cases we can provide an indication of the gender of the baby. We can't however guarantee that the baby will cooperate during your session. Certain factors such as body tissue content, developmental stage and fetal position all affect the ability to determine gender. If we are unable to determine this, we will bring you back at no charge to try again.
At this point, insurance does not cover the costs of our ultrasounds. Since this is an elective procedure and is not intended to be a replacement for your doctor ordered ultrasound, you will need to pay the cost of this ultrasound as an out of pocket expense. We accept cash, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover cards.
We use the state of the art GE Voluson 730 Expert to complete all ultrasound examinations. The GE Voluson 730 Expert has been seen in GE television commercials and many printed articles from around the world. This machine is the best 2D, 3D and 4D ultrasound machine available. Please note, many organizations claim to use "state-of-the-art" equipment, when in fact they use older or inferior technology.
We have packages to fit just about anyone's budget. Visit our pricing page to view available packages.
We make every effort to get great and clear pictures of the baby's face but there are times where the baby's position makes it impossible to do so.
In these situations, we will bring you back for one FREE redo appointment in an attempt to get better photos of the baby.
If we are still unable to get clear photos after the redo appointment, then unfortunately, we're unable to book additional redo appointments.
We do not offer refunds even in the situations where we can't get any clear photos after the redo appointment. The cost of the appointment is to pay for the trained ultrasound technician, the equipment and other expenses it takes to provide the Toes to Nose experience for you and your family.
As mentioned, we do our best to ensure you leave your appointment with the highest quality photos and include a free redo to make every attempt to provide a great experience for you.