News

29th June 2004

New 3D Ultrasound shows baby 'walking' in womb

An incredible new type of scan has shown 3D pictures of a 12 week old foetus 'walking' in the womb as well as yawning and rubbing its eyes.

The scans, pioneered by Professor Stuart Campbell at London's Create Health Clinic, are much more detailed than conventional ultrasound which show 2D images of the growing baby.

Professor Campbell has produced a book of the images called Watch Me grow and says his new technique not only produces detailed 3D images but records foetal movement in real time. He says his work has been able to show for the first time that the unborn baby engages in complex behaviour from an early stage of its development.

The images have shown: " From 12 weeks, unborn babies can stretch, kick and leap around the womb - well before the mother can feel movement " From 18 weeks, they can open their eyes although most doctors thought eyelids were fused until 26 weeks " From 26 weeks, they appear to exhibit a whole range of typical baby behaviour and moods, including scratching, smiling, crying, hiccoughing, and sucking.

Until recently it was thought that smiling did not start until six weeks after birth.

The new technology is not yet available on the NHS and an hour long session will cost £275.

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