Medical ultrasounds
Every pregnant women in the Netherlands has the right for a due-date ultrasound (normally between the 10th and 12th week of pregnancy) and the structural ultrasounds research (or the SEO’s), also known as the 13-weeks and 20-weeks ultrasound. All medical ultrasounds, indicated by your midwife, are covered by Dutch health insurance.
During the due date ultrasound we’ll measure the baby from head to bottom to determine your due date. During the 13-week and 20-week ultrasound, we’ll make different measurements of baby to check how the baby is growing and look in great detail if there are no structural abnormalities. For more info about the those ultrasounds, please visit this website: www.pns.nl
It might occur there needs to be an additional ultrasound, for example, to check up on the growth of the baby or to locate its position in the belly. Your midwife will communicate if this is necessary. These extra ultrasounds are also covered by health insurance, since your midwife are indicating them as medical necessary.
If you’re not insured, you’ll have to pay for the medical ultrasounds yourself. Ask your midwife for the prices.
Ultrasounds for fun or by request
As the name suggest, the fun ultrasound is done for fun. This is possible if, for example, you want to relax and look at the baby or want to determine it’s gender. Doing a ultrasound for fun is possible during the entire pregnancy, however please realize that when the baby becomes bigger, it’s more difficult to get a full picture of the baby. An ultrasound done at 34 weeks is not as ‘pretty’ as one for example done at 28 weeks. We are able to perform an ultrasound in 2D (Normal), 3D and even 4D (Small Film).
In addition to the timing of the ultrasound, factors such as your BMI or the position at the time of the ultrasound of the baby influence the result of an ultrasound. We do our best for you to be able to look at the baby as long as possible with the best picture quality as possible. It may happen that during an ultrasound, the position of the baby hinders a good view of the baby. In these situations, you’ll be able to make another appointment for a fun ultrasound on short-term. It will take place at our practice, and you don’t have to pay extra/double.
Who can attend an Ultrasound?
Everybody is welcome to join an ultrasound session, it’s your choice. However it is important to realize that we are watching your baby both during medical and fun ultrasounds. We will always inform you if we find an anomaly. Because of the size of our consultancy room, we would like you to inform us if you are planning on bringing more than three people to the ultrasound.
It is important for the ultrasound operator to be able to concentrate during the 20 week ultrasound session. Because of it’s importance, we would kindly ask you for this session to bring only 1 other person than yourself, your partner or another close one. Children are not allowed for the 20 week ultrasound session.
Do I get picture’s?
You’ll get free pictures from every ultrasound. We’ll print a few pictures for you, the rest you’ll receive a downloadlink by SMS. It’s also possible to buy an USB stick with the photos on them. Unfortunately it’s not possible to bring your own USB stick, this in order to ensure the security of the ultrasound device.
Quality Assurance
Our Ultrasound operators are certified for all medical pregnancy ultrasounds and are signed in the national quality register for ultrasound operators (BEN). Our practice has a quality assurance and cooperation agreement with the AMC. They assure the quality control of the 20 week ultrasound and will carry out the second opinion when we need to refer you, in case of incomplete examination or abnormalities seen with the ultrasound.
