First of all, congratulations again on the pregnancy. A new a special phase of life awaits you. Your body is changing every day as your baby grows and grows. You may already feel your little one move from time to time, but actually seeing and holding it will take some time. And they have thought of something fun to do, namely a pre-echo. The name says it all, this is an ultrasound for your pleasure to peek inside your belly. This blog explains what a pretecho is, what forms it takes and who pays for it.
What is a pretecho?
The name may give it away; it is a professional ultrasound done for fun or pleasure. As with other medical ultrasounds - think of the 20-week ultrasound - A pre-analcho is not looking for abnormalities. This ultrasound is meant to give the parents a glimpse of what is happening in the belly. The ultrasound technician puts an ultrasound head on the belly of the mother and takes the almost parent(s) into what she sees. Hands, feet or a bunch of hair. It is very special to see your baby! Should the ultrasound technician come across an abnormality it is of course discussed, but know that this is not the purpose of this ultrasound (Admire Bee, 2020).
What types are there?
There are different types of pretechos with different outcomes. A photo or video, it's all possible nowadays. There is no perfect time tied to this ultrasound, so you can often decide when you want to perform it.
2D echo - this is the standard black and white photo that I'm sure we've all seen at one time or another. Here you are watching the heart beat and implantation in the womb.
3D ultrasound - this is a photo made up of multiple 2D photos, so you can actually see depth and the contours of your baby.
4D ultrasound - this is moving image made up of different 3D images. Here you get a live picture of what your baby looks like and how it moves (The Birth Cause, s.d.).
The costs
The medical ultrasound scan is covered by your health insurance. This fun-moment is unfortunately not covered, therefore the costs for the ultrasound are for your own account. The costs differ per ultrasound and per type of image. The costs often run between 50 and 10 euros (Bewonder Bij, 2020).
We understand that you can't get enough of your little one, and that's why we understand that you're considering a pretecho. Remember that the costs are for you, but we think it's worth it to admire your little one as often as possible. Also, at the end of the ultrasound you often get the pictures physically or on a USB stick so you can enjoy your little one at home. Scan the physical images of the ultrasound or take a picture of it, because the quality of these images deteriorates quickly. And that is of course a shame!
Sources:
Admire Bee. (2020, September 6). Pre- ultrasound - All you need to know - Collected in one place. Accessed October 17, 2021, from https://bewonderbij.nl/pretecho
The Birth Cause. (s.d.). Pretecho. Accessed October 17, 2021, from https://www.degeboortezaak.nl/pretecho