Private Growth Ultrasound

Growth ultrasounds are offered from 24 to 40 weeks. If you are unsure whether you are eligible for this pregnancy scan, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team.

We are here to answer your questions.

There is nothing more important than your baby’s well-being, and that’s why we believe in delivering the highest standard of medical care to expectant parents. Our comprehensive foetal growth ultrasound will give you information about the following:

• The position of your baby
• The position of your placenta
• Amniotic fluid (which surrounds the baby) levels
• The size of your baby, called foetal biometry, including head, body, and thigh bone measurements
• The estimated foetal weight (EFW), which will be calculated and plotted on a growth chart
• Foetal growth velocity, which helps your doctor assess how fast your baby is growing
• Blood flow to your placenta and baby via umbilical artery Doppler studies
• Foetal movements
• Foetal development, including a basic assessment of your baby’s stomach, kidneys, bladder, diaphragm, heart, and brain

Your trusted medical team may request you undertake a growth ultrasound.

Throughout your pregnancy, your midwife or doctor will measure the size of your bump, called fundal height. If your bump is measuring smaller or larger than expected, you may need a growth scan.

In addition, several factors put you at greater risk of having a small or large baby. Some of these conditions include a low or high BMI, high blood pressure, and gestational diabetes.

The purpose of a foetal growth ultrasound is to check your baby’s health and development, so you can take any necessary steps to ensure the remainder of your pregnancy and post-birth journey are as safe and smooth-sailing as possible. In some cases, growth scans can identify babies that might need to be born early.

During your pregnancy scan, your Specialist will check the size of your baby by measuring different parts of their body, including the head circumference, tummy circumference, and thigh bone (femur) length.

If your baby’s measurements are within the expected range, they are likely to be average-sized. However, your doctor may request further testing if your baby is tracking small or larger.

In addition to taking your baby’s measurements, your Specialist will assess your placenta, estimate the foetal weight, evaluate your baby’s major organs, and check the amniotic fluid. Using a Doppler scan, they will also check the blood flow to your placenta and baby.

During your ultrasound, you lie down on an examination table or bed. a special gel will be applied to your abdomen and pelvic area.

The gel is water-based, so it shouldn’t leave marks on your clothes or skin. The gel helps the sound waves travel properly.

Next, a small wand is used, called a transducer, onto your belly. The transducer is moved around the gel area to capture black and white images onto the ultrasound screen.

They may ask you to move or hold your breath while they capture images. The technician then checks to see if the necessary images were captured and if they are clear.

If your baby is smaller than expected for the week of your pregnancy, it may be labelled small for gestational age (SGA). These babies often have a lower birth weight.

There are several reasons why a baby might be SGA. In some cases, small parents have small babies. In others, problems occur during pregnancy, such as intrauterine growth restriction, which happens when the baby cannot access the oxygen and nutrients needed to develop.

Sometimes, chromosome abnormalities cause growth restrictions. So, too, can issues with the placenta or disease in the pregnant person.

SGA can heighten risks during pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

That’s why it’s so important to keep on top of your ultrasounds. Scans are non-invasive and safe for you and your baby and empower you to take any required steps to protect your little one’s health.

If your baby is larger than expected for the week of your pregnancy, it may be labelled large for gestational age (LGA). These babies often have a higher birth weight.

There are several reasons why a baby might be LGA. Sometimes, the baby’s size is hereditary, meaning they have larger parents. In addition, people who gain a lot of body weight during pregnancy are at a higher risk of giving birth to a larger baby.

However, gestational diabetes is the most common cause of LGA babies. Therefore, if your baby measures larger than expected, you may be offered a blood sugar test.

Risks associated with babies that are LGA include long and challenging deliveries and injuries at birth. You may need a caesarean section delivery to safeguard the health of you and your baby. 

Unmanaged gestational diabetes can also lead to a higher risk of congenital disabilities, difficulty breathing, and low blood sugar in your baby.

Yes. Foetal growth scans are accurate. However, they are not perfect and depend on your baby’s position. For example, as your due date nears, your baby’s head may be too low to get a precise and accurate measurement.

What’s more, babies tend to grow in spurts. If your baby measures on the smaller side, it may grow enough in the following two weeks to reach the average range.

Despite this, growth scans are a safe and easy way to keep tabs on your health and your baby’s development. Your results can help you make important decisions about further testing, your birth plan, and more.

Your doctor or midwife will want to know the results of your scan and are likely to ask you for a copy.

If you have any concerns about your scan, we can arrange for you to discuss with an on-site/local Consultant Obstetrician.

To obtain good images we require you to have a full bladder. We advise drinking at least 4 glasses of water 45 minutes to an hour before your private ultrasound scan.

There is no particular type of care required after a Growth Ultrasound Scan You may resume your regular diet and daily activities unless your doctor advises you differently.

There are no confirmed adverse biological effects on patients or instrument operators caused by exposures to ultrasound at the intensity levels used in diagnostic ultrasound.

But depending on your particular results, the doctor may give you additional or alternative instructions after the procedure.

Many of our patients are concerned that if they come to us for an ultrasound, they won’t be able to go back to public health. That simply is not the case.

Our goal is to give you answers as quickly as possible and get you on the right treatment path fast – no strings attached.

When you come to us, you will be seen by a qualified specialist who can determine if your situation is serious or not that same day.

We don’t want you to wait weeks on end for an appointment because every minute counts when it comes to something as important as your health.

If your situation is serious, our specialist will write to your doctor on the NHS advising them that you need an urgent appointment.