Fetal Welfare Scan | Well Being Scans

14 Weeks of Pregnancy to Full Term

Also known as a Well Being Scan or Fetal Well-being Scan this type of scan is usually performed at the later stages of your pregnancy.

By measuring your baby’s head, waist and femur (leg bone) and using special charts to compare them with the earlier measurements, the sonographer or consultant will be able to see how your baby is growing and alert you and your obstetrician or midwife if they think growth is slowing.

Such growth measurements form the basis of most scans done later in pregnancy and some consultants may want more frequent scans if they have particular concerns.

Sometimes extra reassurance is necessary should there be concerns about the welfare of your baby within the womb.

Common reasons for requesting a Welfare Scan would be if you have had strange pains in the tummy, unusual spot bleeding, your baby has been moving less, you may have had a fall or been involved in a traffic accident.

At this type of scan the consultant or sonographer will:

• Measure the circumference and diameter of your baby’s head
• Measure the size of your baby's waist
• Measure the length of your baby's femur (leg bone)
• Examine your placenta
• Check and the amount of fluid around your baby
• Check the baby’s movements
• Measure blood flow in your umbilical artery and other places in your baby’s circulation
• Input all the measurements and data into our Fetal Database to compare and chart your baby's growth

As a private patient you will often have a Welfare Scan performed every 4 weeks to check the growth of your baby, if there is reason to think that your baby might be small or for other medical reasons.

More frequent checks are done if you are having twins.

For bookings information and prices please see our Prices page.

What is my next scan?

Provided your pregnancy is between 24 and 34 weeks (20 and 30 weeks for twins) you may be starting to consider a 4D Scan.

For more information on 4D Scans including media packages with our exclusive edited DVD please visit our separate 4D baby scan website; Cocoon4D.