Ultrasound: the first photo of the baby 2026

Ultrasound has no side effects for the mother or baby (it does not carry the risk of X-ray exposure). The pregnant woman lies on a stretcher, a gel is applied to her abdomen and the doctor moves a transducer over the skin, which emits ultrasound signals, which the technology then translates and composes into images. In some cases, especially in the first weeks of pregnancy, instead of being abdominal, the ultrasound is performed by introducing the probe into the vagina to better appreciate some details.

What do ultrasounds tell us?

• They confirm the pregnancy and its characteristics (normal, ectopic, multiple).
• How the fetus grows: by measuring the head circumference and the length of the femur, it is verified that the size is appropriate for the expected delivery date.
• Markers of chromosomal abnormalities.
• If you suffer from heart malformations.
• If your spine develops normally (looking for any signs of spina bifida).
• If there are alterations in the brain, such as hydrocephalus.
• If there is no abnormality in the fingers and toes (clubfoot).
• If there is a cleft lip and a bad palate (although these problems are not always seen).
• The position of the placenta.
• The health of organs such as the kidneys, liver, intestine or bladder.
• The sex of the baby.

Where to go

To find out where they perform more specific ultrasounds, the most practical thing is to call the College of Physicians and ask which clinics and professionals perform 3D and 4D ultrasounds. On the website of the General Council of Official Medical Colleges of Spain there are the telephone numbers of the colleges in each province.

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2D In two dimensions

In recent years, three-dimensional ultrasound scans (3D and 4D) have emerged with force, allowing us to obtain unforgettable images of the future baby, due to their quality and reality. They are a complement to 2D ultrasound, but do not replace it. They have such interesting advantages as that the images can be sent by email to consult other professionals and thus obtain other opinions before making a diagnosis.

3D In three dimensions

Three-dimensional ultrasound allows you to observe the fetus with incredible clarity. Sometimes you can see the hair and even the nails. The 3D ultrasound can be done at any time, although the ideal is to carry it out between weeks 24-25 or 30-31. In the last trimester it is more likely that a lack of fluid, the hands in front of the face and/or the umbilical cord do not allow a good view of the child's face.

Since it was introduced into the field of gynecology in 1989, it has developed in such a way that the realism with which images of the face and organs of the fetus are achieved is astonishing.

4D ultrasound

It is a 3D ultrasound but in motion. Hence it is called 4D ultrasound not because it refers to the fourth dimension, but simply to distinguish it from 3D. Using dozens of 3D images per second, it allows you to see the movement of the fetus in real time, in addition to making more precise measurements. Future parents have the feeling of seeing their baby on a video; You can see how he sticks out his tongue, blinks, smiles, sucks a finger, yawns and moves his arms.

Private clinics record this ultrasound on a DVD so that parents can always keep the memory. About 20 minutes of recording cost approximately 150 euros. The best images are obtained between the 26th and 30th weeks of pregnancy.

Advisor:Dr. Miguel Ángel Herráinz Martínez, Head of Section of the Obstetrics Unit of the San Carlos Clinical Hospital (Madrid) and responsible for the website www.ecografias4d.com.