Doing prenatal checkups on time is responsible for the health of the baby and the mom-to-be. If mothers-to-be are asked to choose which type of ultrasound they want to have, the most popular answer will be: the more advanced the ultrasound, the better. Because of this, the original simple ultrasound examination, so many mothers-to-be into the choice of “two-dimensional, three-dimensional or four-dimensional” in the confusion. So, which choice should be made? What is color ultrasound? Want to clearly understand the color ultrasound, first of all, from the ordinary ultrasound is also often referred to as “black and white” ultrasound, medical black and white ultrasound for two-dimensional ultrasound, the image shows the organs or structures of the two-dimensional section of the image (flat image, like the effect of the photo), only medical professionals can observe, diagnosis, generally as a means of routine screening. The color ultrasound is a medical imaging tool that can only be used by medical professionals for observation and diagnosis. The color ultrasound in people’s mind is called color Doppler ultrasound, which presents images that not only show cross-sectional images of organs or structures, but also use the Doppler principle to observe the blood flow of blood vessels, for example, to observe whether the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck of the fetus. What is 3D or 4D ultrasound? The so-called three-dimensional or four-dimensional ultrasound, medically known as real-time three-dimensional ultrasound, includes the functions of two-dimensional ultrasound and color Doppler ultrasound, which reconstructs the image of some organs or structures through ultrasound instruments to form a three-dimensional image. In front of the color ultrasound plus three-dimensional, four-dimensional words, does not mean that it is upgraded to the “noble version”. According to professional doctors, three-dimensional ultrasound is a three-dimensional dynamic display, four-dimensional ultrasound is actually a two-dimensional ultrasound cross-section to do real-time three-dimensional reconstruction. The difference between three-dimensional color ultrasound and four-dimensional color ultrasound is: in a time dimension, three-dimensional color ultrasound is a picture, four-dimensional color ultrasound is a video. For example, 4D ultrasound allows the mother to see the fetus in a series of movements, and the doctor is able to determine the development of the fetus based on the movements of the fetus. Are 3D and 4D ultrasounds more accurate? This idea is incorrect. Doctors say, at present pregnant women in the hospital obstetric examination, three-dimensional, four-dimensional is only a “supporting role” in the screening, the doctor will still be two-dimensional ultrasound for systematic screening; three-dimensional, four-dimensional is based on two-dimensional surface imaging, equivalent to the baby’s photographs and videos. At present, the main diagnostic work of detecting fetal malformations is still done by 2D ultrasound. The images of 3D color ultrasound and 4D color ultrasound are generated at a later stage, which does not mean that the observed images are 3D and 4D, but are still observed with ordinary color ultrasound, and then the observed flat images are converted into 3D and 4D three-dimensional images through the conversion software in the instrument, so that the parents who do not know how to use ultrasound images can also see what the baby looks like. Other aspects of the effect The main purpose of systematic ultrasound for mothers-to-be in mid- to late-term pregnancy is to screen the fetus for structural malformations, and it is one of the standardized prenatal ultrasound examinations. Four-dimensional color ultrasound can observe the dynamic movement of the internal organs of the human body in real time, and can observe the growth and development of the fetus in the uterus in multiple directions and angles, providing a scientific basis for the early diagnosis of fetal congenital malformations of the body and congenital heart disease, and facilitating the doctor’s judgment. Four-dimensional ultrasound can also check the fetal body surface, such as cleft lip, spina bifida, brain, kidney, heart, bone dysplasia and other conditions. Whether it is necessary to do 4D ultrasound, expectant mothers still need to listen more to the advice of professional doctors. Generally speaking, 4D ultrasound is recommended when normal ultrasound examination reveals fetal malformations, such as cleft lip and palate, abnormalities in the fetal heart structure, etc., and 4D ultrasound can be used to better demonstrate the condition. In most cases, 3D and 4D ultrasound mainly assist and complement 2D ultrasound. The Importance of Choosing a Regular Hospital It is important to note that although ultrasounds are safer during pregnancy, this does not mean that they can be done as often as you like throughout your pregnancy. Usually, the best time for pregnant women to do 4D ultrasound is when they are 20 to 28 weeks pregnant, because at this time of the year the fetus’s limbs and all the major organs are fully developed, and the amniotic fluid is more suitable for screening for fetal malformations. It is not recommended to go for 4D ultrasound when you are 1~2 months pregnant. Color ultrasound energy is greater than ordinary B ultrasound, if a long time on the fetal head or genital area irradiation, relatively speaking, will not be conducive to the development of the fetus. For example, parents-to-be would like to see their baby’s cute face through 4D ultrasound, but the baby may keep moving in the stomach, and it may take a few minutes or ten minutes to capture the moment.The probe of ultrasound will stay in the same position for a period of time, and if the sound waves are intensively concentrated in a certain fixed place and gathered for a long period of time, there may be a thermal effect. When this thermal effect reaches a certain level, it may have an adverse effect on human tissues, affecting substances within the cells. For the protection of the fetus, it is recommended that the mother-to-be must go to a regular hospital and have the ultrasound operation performed by a professional physician.