Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

You do not have to have a referral letter from your GP/Consultant/Midwife.

Yes you do need to contact the unit in advance to arrange an appointment even if you feel it is an emergency please contact us first so we can advise you of the best time to come in. Phone 4996300 or email us.

If you are seeking a reassurance scan it is best to wait until at least seven weeks from your last period to be certain of seeing a heart beat and avoid the disappointment and expense of having to have a repeat scan.

If you are experiencing pain/bleeding you can book in with the unit for an ultrasound from around 6 weeks.

When you arrive at the unit you will be greeted by our secretary and you will be asked to fill out a basic form , you will need to give details such as the date of your last period, date of positive pregnancy test and some clinical details.

You will have a few moments before the scan during which your sonographer will explain the procedure of the scan to you and give you the chance to ask any questions that you may have. A small amount of ultrasound gel will be placed on your abdomen. This is a water based gel necessary to transmit the sound waves via the probe which will be move across your abdomen to reproduce pictures of your womb and your baby on the ultrasound monitor.

You will need a full bladder for an early pregnancy scan performed between 7 -14 weeks. For a transvaginal or internal scan normally performed between 6-8 weeks you will require an empty bladder. For all other scans we would recommend a small amount of fluid in the bladder i.e. Do not empty bladder directly before scan.

Sometimes it is necessary to perform a vaginal or internal scan if more information is needed. This involves inserting a narrow ultrasound probe (tube) which is covered in a sterile cover, just inside the entrance to the vagina. The probe does not enter the cervix or the womb.

One other person is welcome to attend your scan with you be it your partner or a close friend or relative. We have a separate monitor for both of you to view the scan.

If there is a heartbeat present the pregnancy will be assessed as “ongoing” and a measurement of the baby will be taken to establish the expected date of delivery (the first trimester of pregnancy is the most reliable time to date a pregnancy). There will be times when the ultrasound dates differ from your own but we will discuss this in detail with you before changing the dates. We will also be able to establish whether it is a single or multiple pregnancy (twins or more!). You will be given a picture of your baby together with your report to bring home with you.

The optimal time for determining the sex of the baby is around 18 weeks although frequently it is possible the sex at later stages also.

Yes it is possible to perform a 3D/4D scan on twins, we would recommend around 24/25 weeks for this.

Ultrasound scanning has been around for over 30 years and there is no significant evidence to suggest that it should be avoiding during any stage of pregnancy.