Two weeks ago we booked a fetal morphology scan for our baby here in Tainan and at 23 weeks pregnant, we were finally able to do a proper ultrasound of her to make sure everything was fine. This was the perfect time to also do a 3D ultrasound, which was included when doing the fetal morphology scan. Any opportunity to see our baby girl was always a huge blessing and we were super excited to see what she has been up to.
What Happens in a Fetal Morphology Scan?
The fetal Morphology scan is typically done from 19 to 20 weeks but can be done up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. It is an important scan that helps identify any issues or concerns of your growing baby during the second trimester.
During the scan, the trained professional will check:
– The gender of the baby
– If you are having multiple or singular babies
– The size of the baby (hands, feet, head, organs, legs, arms etc.)
– The volume of amniotic fluid around the baby
– Detect any abnormalities or concerns
– The heart beat of the baby
The fetal morphology scan is typically mandatory to complete for any mom. However, the 3D ultrasound is optional and it will be up to you whether or not you opt for this.
Our Experience of the Fetal Morphology Scan
Our obstetrician advised us to book with a private practice called FMC, standing for Fetal Medicine Center. The cost was roughly $150AUD and included the morphology scan as well as a 3D scan of our baby, ultrasound photos and medical results which will be forwarded to our obstetrician.
We booked for the 3rd of June 2016 after lunchtime. FMC seemed very busy and only had this time slot available due to someone cancelling. When we arrived, we went to the front desk and was greeted by the receptionist. Since we had booked 2 weeks prior, we gave her our details and paid for the morphology scan.
She asked us to sit at the foyer, where there were comfortable chairs, magazines and a massive TV. She also gave me a small snack (a cake) to eat beforehand and told me that it will help encourage the baby to kick and be more active. This would help the health professionals to examine the baby more thoroughly, particularly if the baby is covering his or her face or in a position that is difficult to perform the scan.
The waiting time took a while but once we finally got in, we spoke to two health professionals who went through the whole process with us beforehand. We were super happy that they were able to speak fluent English as the whole process can be time consuming and overwhelming for any new parent.
Basically, I laid down on a bed, where the physician conducted an ultrasound. My husband sat next to me the entire time. There was a TV screen right in front of us, where we could watch what was happening in the womb. The trained professional went through all the body parts as she scanned our baby. The other professional was in another room, monitoring what was happening.
His role was to make sure the baby was doing fine, that the organs were developing normally as they should be and to check for any deformities, problems or concerns of the health of our baby. We also got an official confirmation that we were in-fact having a baby girl 🙂
The 3D ultrasound was also conducted during this time. It was amazing to see her facial features and a closer look of her hands, feet, arms and legs. We also got great photos of her too. She was even yawning at the time of her scan! Super cute!
After about an hour, the doctor printed off a few cute photos of our baby and we went back to the foyer. We waited for about 20 minutes afterwards and then were called into an office. We got handed over a folder filled with all the tests and results, along with larger 3D images of the baby and a CD with the photos in high resolution.
Overall, they told us that everything was fine and that it was a healthy pregnancy. There was nothing to be concerned about at all. We were very relieved and happy with the results as well as the service we were provided for both the 3D ultrasound and the fetal morphology scan. The doctor told us that they would email through a copy of the results from our 23 weeks pregnant ultrasound to our obstetrician to review in our next appointment.