Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs about 3D Ultrasound, 4D Ultrasound & HD Ultrasound

The questions listed below are the most frequently asked questions about our Prenatal Ultrasound sessions. Should you have any questions that are not answered below, please call us at (830) 627-9159

A 3d ultrasound is a static 3 dimensional image of your baby and 4D adds the dimension of time, allowing you to see your baby’s movements in the womb in real time. While you do go home with images of your baby (3D), the most miraculous part of the experience is seeing your baby move inside the womb. Watch as they smile, yawn and play with their toes. We spend the majority of your session in 4D mode so that you don’t miss any precious movements.. All of our sessions are done in 4D mode with the exception of gender determination. Our gender determination is done primarily in 2D for better accuracy.

Our ultrasound equipment offers not only superior 3D/4D Ultrasound technology but also a new feature called HD. HD goes beyond 4D Ultrasound to provide you with realistic images of your baby in the womb with unsurpassed clarity. Some are referring to this technology as “High Definition” and “5D “Ultrasound since it goes beyond what we have seen before with 3D/4D Ultrasound. HD has better skin rendering and shows more depth. We can also adjust a light source to provide a variety of views of the same image. The “HD” refers to the better rendering of the ultrasound and you can view it live, referring to the fact that we can see baby moving in real-time.

Yes, we are proud to offer a customized app that allows us to email you a link to your images that you can then instantly download, print or share. You may even share the link with family and friends. We do ask that you download within a week of receiving your images.

For video we also offer an option for a digital download of your ultrasound session. You may add this option in our office if it is not included in your package. This is a great way to share the entire ultrasound with family and friends who may not be around to watch a DVD. The Video is downloadable to a PC and editable if you would like to add your own touches too it. We also ask that you download within a week.

ABSOLUTELY NOT! Women seeking a prenatal Ultrasound with GoldenView Ultrasound must already be receiving treatment with a healthcare provider for prenatal care and have already undergone 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. During the ultrasound session we confirm the 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.
Yes, appointments are necessary for all of our services. Call (830) 627-9159 for all locations to schedule an appointment.
Depending on the session you choose, the 4D Ultrasound session will last between 15 and 30 minutes, however, plan on spending 30 minutes to one hour at our facility to allow time for you to complete forms and for us to finalize your DVD and print your photos.

If you plan on having only one 4D Ultrasound examination, we would recommend having the examination performed between the 26th and 32nd week of the pregnancy. However, excellent images of your baby can be obtained anytime after about 22 weeks of pregnancy. We schedule sessions up thru the end of the 36th week.

While we can never guarantee the quality or number of images obtained, the odds of getting images do tend to go down past the 35th week due to the large size of the baby, less fluid in front of the face and other factors. Consider more than one visit if you would like to come in between 22 and 26 weeks to see more fetal movement and after 28-32 weeks if you would live to see more developed facial features. We offer a repeat visits at a. Many mothers obtain more than one 4D Ultrasound and have images to enjoy from their second and third trimesters.

Not necessarily. Many clients with anterior placenta ( in front ) often ask if there will be difficulty seeing their baby with a 3d/4d ultrasound. A large percentage of our clients have anterior placenta and we are able to scan from the side and around the placenta to see the baby. In some cases, the baby will face into the placenta, whether it is anterior, posterior ( along the back) or fundal ( along the top), in which case, we will work to try to get the baby to move away from the placenta. Some of the images will have parts of the placenta in them, after all, we are imaging the baby in the womb. We will do our best to get as much of the face in view as possible but a full face shot is not always available.

Similarly, babies are often going to be putting their hands and feet in their face and may not free up a view of the entire face. Many moms write back to tell us that their babies make the same gestures and put hands and feet in the face after birth just as they did in the womb and it makes them treasure the ultrasound images even more.

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 more favorable position. We make no promises that the images will be similar to those you might have seen elsewhere or even from our studio, 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. We do not offer refunds on any of our services but do offer a free second session (weekdays only) if we are not able to obtain at least a partial view of baby’s facial features. While we do our best, we cannot guarantee full face images. The need for the return visit is at the ultrasound technician’s discretion and should be scheduled within 2 weeks or in the time frame deemed most appropriate by the ultrasound technician.

Ultrasound works best when the sound waves have plenty of fluid to travel through. A well hydrated system of the mother will help to optimize the images. This is probably the most important factor.
Increased body weight of the mother can often affect the quality because sound does not travel as easily through tissue as it does fluid. Full figured mothers should consider having their ultrasound
session around 31-35 weeks.

Yes. In fact, we encourage our clients to invite family and friends to attend the ultrasound session. This is a joyous and wonderful experience, one that can be shared with your family and loved ones. We can comfortably accommodate up 5 to 8 people in addition to the mom. More than 5 guests may come with you but this gives you a general idea of the amount of seating in the room. We can work to accommodate others. Our seating is specifically arranged so that everyone in your party will have an excellent view of our large screen 4D images of the baby. Babies and children are also always welcome at our facility.

Don’t forget to ask about Internet Streaming. Our internet streaming service is ideal for family and friends far away that cannot attend the session with you for just a small fee of $16.95.

Yes, We offer gender ultrasound starting at just 13 weeks. In most cases we can provide an indication of the sex of the baby starting at just 13 weeks.. 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 sex. If we are unable to determine the sex of the baby, we will reschedule a return visit one week later at no additional cost. We will continue to offer this return visit until we can obtain an optimum view of the gender.

For expectant mothers that just can’t wait until 13 weeks to find out the gender of their baby by ultrasound , we also offer a DNA Gender blood test starting at just 6 weeks and up. Many of our moms that get the blood test done also come back for the gender ultrasound for reconfirmation and to connect with baby by seeing baby move around and hear the fetal heartbeat. We offer a 10% discount on future ultrasounds services to all clients that visited Great Expectations for a DNA gender test. Learn more about the DNA Gender blood test below.

I’ve previously had a boy. Will that skew my results?
Clinical studies have shown that fetal DNA clears from mom’s bloodstream between a few hours to 2 days after birth.

I’m having twins. Can SneakPeek determine fetal sex for each one?
In the case of identical twins, if male DNA is found, then both babies are boys. If no male DNA is found, then both babies are girls. For fraternal twins (or more!), finding male DNA will confirm at least one baby is a boy, but cannot distinguish if the second is a boy or girl.

Do hormone disorders such as PCOS affect my results?
SneakPeek is a DNA-based test, so hormones do not impact results.

Do blood thinners affect my results?
SneakPeek looks only for the presence of Y chromosomes and is extremely sensitive and accurate. No blood thinners or other drugs are known to impact SneakPeek gender results.

Is this test safe?
SneakPeek Clinical is a non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT), and it’s safe for both mom and baby.

How quickly can I get my results?
Great Expectations is not responsible for shipping delays caused by FedEx for any reason . There are no refunds due to shipping delays. Standard will receive results the day after it is received by the lab. Fast check will receive results the evening it is received by the lab. Please feel free to ask for a tracking number.

Are results guaranteed?
SneakPeek Clinical is the most accurate early gender test on the market. If your test result does not match the gender of your newborn, you’ll receive a full refund.

How is my privacy protected?
We know your DNA information is personal. To protect your privacy:

  • SneakPeek tests only for baby’s gender. No data is gathered about disease states or other health-related information.
  • After the test is run, your DNA sample is disposed of by a professional chemical management company in compliance with federal standards.
  • SneakPeek never shares your results with anyone other than the email address you provide

At this point, insurance does not cover the costs of our Ultrasounds. Since this ultrasound is elective and is not intended to be a replacement for a complete diagnostic Ultrasound, you will need to pay the cost of this Ultrasound as an out of pocket expense, however, you will find that our services are very affordable. We accept cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Amex, and debit cards.

We use the state of the art equipment from Samsung with HD to complete all Ultrasound examinations.
Our sonogram equipment allows you to see your baby in live motion with unbelievable clarity.

We have sessions to fit just about anyone’s budget. Please refer to our pricing section of the website for pricing.

Please try to allow us at least 48 hours notice for cancellations. Any cancellation or reschedule less than 24 hours prior to the appointment is subject to a $30 late cancellation fee. Any no show will also be subject to a $30 fee.

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