Prenatal care

• Prenatal care is the care you get while you’re pregnant.
• Regular prenatal care helps keep you and baby healthy.
• A doctor, midwife or other health provider gives this care.

What is 3-D ultrasound?

3-D ultrasound is a prenatal test that uses sound waves to show a three-dimensional picture of your baby in the uterus (womb). Some providers may use this kind of ultrasound to make sure your baby’s organs are growing and developing normally.

The 3-D ultrasound is almost as clear as a photograph. A moving-picture version is called 4-D ultrasound.

You may know of some places, like stores in a mall, that aren’t run by doctors or other medical professionals that offer “keepsake” 3-D or 4-D ultrasound pictures or videos for parents. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Food and Drug Administration and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine do not recommend these non-medical ultrasounds. The people doing them may not have medical training and may give you wrong or even harmful information.  

See also: Ultrasound