17 weeks pregnant - Gender Scan

 At 17/40 your baby is now nearly 11cm long from crown to rump and weighs about 140g. The skeleton is mostly rubbery cartilage, but will start to harden as the weeks go by. A protective substance called myelin slowly begins to wrap around the spinal cord. Sweat glands are starting to develop all over the body. Just as the grows bigger, the umbilical cord, the lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker, too.

At this stage in pregnancy we can begin to accurately assess fetal gender.


IT'S A BOY!





First Choice Baby Scan at the first Cheshire Baby and Childrens Show 16/04/2011

Cheshire Baby & Childrens Fair took place at Winsford's Lifestyle Centre on 16th April 2011, and First Choice Baby Scan was very happy to exhibit here. It took off to quite a shacky start, despite having booked a specific stall from plan provided by organisor on arrival there was a free for all for the prime pitch. Eventually we got our stall set up and were ready for the public. "Footfall" on the day was slow but steady (it was a lovely sunny day out side!). There was a good selection of different companies representated, and live demonstrations. Would I recommend that they do anything different ? We'll my husband (who I'd volunteered to help out on my stall that day) suggested that something serving snacks (hot dogs, drinks or even BBQ if out door event) would have gone down great!

Thanks must be givern to Alisha our receptionist for all her good effort and work :-). Plus to my husband (Joe) and my 2 x daughters who were good little helpers on the day!

Ultrasound in the First Trimester.....

Now you know you are pregnant.....embryo has a beating heart and you are feeling sick, tired and your breast are so sore!
But what is actually happening.....how is your baby developing........

8 weeks pregnant:-
 This week, many changes take place in your baby, who now measures about 1.6cm. The embryonic tail is just about gone, and all  organs, muscles and nerves are beginning to function. In the embryos brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. Your baby's hands now bend at the wrist, and there feet are starting to lose their webbed appearance. The eyelids cover more of the eyes and tastebuds are forming on the tongue.

By 12 weeks :- Your baby is about 5.4cm long from crown to rump CRL (head to bum) and weighs slightly less than 14g. Fetal nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly and the neurological connections in the brain (synapses) are forming. The fetus can close their fingers, curl their toes and clench their eye muscles.
All the while, your baby's face is beginning to look more human. Their eyes, which started out on the sides of the head, have moved closer together. The ears are almost in their final positions on the side of the head. Inside the body, the organs are performing more complex tasks. The liver is making bile and the kidneys are secreting urine into the bladder

FIRST TRIMESTER SCREENING / NUCHAL TRANSLUNCY:-
A nuchal scan is a sonographic prenatal  screening scan  to help identify higher risks of Down syndrome in a fetus. High thickness measurements are also associated with heart defects / problems. The scan is carried out at 11–13.6 weeks pregnancy and assesses the amount of fluid behind the neck of the fetus - 'the nuchal translucency'. This together with a simple blood test can can give you an individual risk of Down Syndrome for this pregnancy. Any risk less than 1:150 is deemed has a high risk pregnancy, this is when diagnostic screening ( eg amniocentesis) maybe considered



At this stage the fetus begins to look & act human on 3D/4D technology!



13 week thumb sucker

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http://www.firstchoicebabyscan.com/

A word from the Director

As a practising Obstetrician and a father of two, I personally understand the emotional challenges of wanting to be sure that a baby in the womb is in good health. I also recognise the unique feeling of seeing your baby in the womb moving on the screen of an ultrasound scan. It produces a difficult to describe feeling that sets in motion the process of long-term bonding. At First Choice Baby Scan Limited, we offer you the choice of knowing your baby a little more before the bundle of joy finally arrives. Why don't you pay us a visit and see what's on offer.
With best wishes,

Mr G.O. Okunoye MBBS MRCOG Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist

Our Warrington premises.....

If you are pregnant, or trying to get pregnant........ need an ultrasound scan
why not check out FIRST CHOICE BABY SCAN       http://www.firstchoicebabyscan.com/
info@firstchoicebabyscan.co.uk  01925 230091

Our scan studio is conveniently located on Arpley Street, opposite the main police station in Warrington, Cheshire. We are about a 3 minute walk from Warrington Bank Quay train station in the town centre. We also provide onsite parking.
On arrival into our spacious studio, our friendly studio manager will welcome you into our comfortable reception area, designed to provide maximum comfort and relaxation, after which you will be ushered into the scan studio.
We recognise that this occasion is a unique bonding opportunity for the whole family often including grandparents to be, we have therefore made provision for everyone to be involved. At the end of the scanning session, our studio manager will process and package your specific 'bundle products' ready for you to take home.

First Choice Baby Scan, 54 Arpley St, Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 1LF

First Signs of pregnancy on Ultrasound

Everyone knows the first signs of pregnancy....nausea & sickness, tender breast, missed period.....but what are the first signs of pregnancy on ultrasound?

LMP = 4 weeks:-
The lining of the womb will become thickened and slightly brighter than in the "none pregnant" uterus
We may see a small cyst on 1 of your ovaries - this is nothing to worry about and is called the corpus luteum [it is what is left behind after ovulation - and releases hormones to stop you from having a period :-) ]

LMP = 5 weeks :-
A small "black hole" (the gestation sac) will appear within the lining of the womb.

During this week a small circle will appear within the gestation sac - this is the yolk sac (just like the yolk in a chickens egg) and this will provide nourishment for the developing embryo...

Next development we see is a small line / "blob" THIS IS THE EMBRYO!

At just over 6 weeks gestational age the embryo should development heart beat (by the time the embryo measures 6mm it should be beating!)
Although sometimes we can scan sometimes see things doing a transabdominal scan (tummy scan with full bladder) the best why to scan this early in pregnancy is to do a transvaginal scan (internal scan). This does not compromise your pregnancy in any way, but allows us to use a higher frequency ultrasound probe (thus we can see smaller things more clearly).


(NB; LMP = 1st day of your last menstraul period)

Thinking of getting pregnant / IVF abroad / Gynae Ultrasound Examnation

If you are having trouble conceiving or are embarking on fertility treatment abroad you may consider a gynae scan.  (we will also perform gynae scans from "self referring" ladies with pelvic problems eg. heavy periods, pain, bloating, family history of ovarian cancer etc)

This would be a transvaginal scan (a small probe placed gently inside and gently moved from side to side), during which the uterus (womb) and ovaries are assessed for pathology. Please advise Sonographer if you have a latex allergy!

We will measure the endometrium (the lining of the womb), and assess the ovaries (we can accurately count the follicles - potential eggs) All of which will help you get pregnant. Recently had a lady who looked like she would ovulate over the following weekend....advised her to have a "romantic time".......and yes!!! It happened.....
A full diagnostic report will be issued with all our scans, and forwarded onto any organisation you wish.

The uterus , the lighter area being measured is the endometrium (the lining of the womb) where a pregnancy will embed.

An ovary, the little "black holes" are follicles. These are your potential eggs - we can scan you at regular cycles throughout your menstraul cycle to see if & when you ovulate - thus advising when would be the best time in your cycle to attempt to conceive :-). Plus this is what Fertility Clinics require prior to treatment (helps them know what form of treatment for you to embark on!)