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How Can Ultrasounds Help to Reveal your Baby’s Gender?

How Can Ultrasounds Help to Reveal your Baby’s Gender?

 

There was a time when parents waited till birth to know their baby’s gender but this is not the case anymore. Advancement in technology has made it possible for would-be parents to know their baby’s gender before birth. Excitement and liberty to make choices drives parents to go for gender determination. Knowing the gender in advance helps parents better plan things for their baby. Today, the majority of parents want to know their baby’s gender. They have a common motive, but the reason to know their baby’s gender may differ from parent to parent.

 

A research study performed in 2012 throws more light on these reasons. Four hundred pregnant women undergoing amniocentesis participated in this study. Its findings were published in the journal, Obstetrics and Gynecology.  They were given a questionnaire that asked them why they wanted to know fetal gender after amniocentesis or ultrasound investigation. They gave three reasons for this. 77.8% of the women wanted to know “out of curiosity.” 68% “just wanted to know,” while 66.8% wanted “because it was possible.”

Knowing their baby’s gender in advance helps parents make plans accordingly. They can buy gender-specific clothes and toys. Furthermore, they can choose gender-specific nursery decor. If having other children, they can know which things to keep and which ones to deliver to the charity shop. Additionally, gender knowledge helps parents plan a gender reveal party to enjoy with their near and dear ones.

 

How can parents determine their baby’s gender?

Ultrasounds

A prenatal ultrasound enables medical experts to identify the gender of a baby growing in the mother’s womb. The ultrasound uses audible sound waves to produce images of a fetus’s shape and position in the uterus. These images display on the monitor. Called fetal anatomy survey, this ultrasound is primarily done to find fetal anomalies. Moreover, it is used for finding the gender of the baby.

 

Procedure:

You must lie on the examination table in a reclined position for the prenatal ultrasound. Then the ultra-sonographer will apply a gel to your abdomen. Afterward, ultra-sonographer will glide a plastic transducer over the abdomen, emitting high-frequency sound waves. These waves will bounce back after touching your baby’s body and produce an image of the body. The image will display the baby’s soft tissues, organs and other anatomical structures, including reproductive parts. The image will get displayed on the monitor for your viewing.

 

How do doctors identify your baby’s gender?

 

The doctors look for certain signs (characteristic features) in the image of the ultrasound to determine the gender of your baby. The signs in boys differ from the signs in girls.

 

What are these signs?

 

Girl Ultrasound signs:

 

Hamburger sign: This sign indicates the appearance of the labia and clitoris in an ultrasound. Looking closely at the image, you will see that the labia lips look similar to a hamburger bun. Furthermore, the clitoris will resemble a hamburger patty.

 

Sagittal sign: Both genders have a sagittal sign. It is obtained by looking at a profile view of the fetus (known as the midline sagittal plane). There is a nub (a small lump or protuberance) at the spine’s end, called a caudal notch. The fetus is a girl if the nub points downward at a 10-degree angle.

 

Boy Ultrasound Signs:

 

Male fetuses are not always easier to identify than female fetuses. Identifying male fetuses is difficult before week 14 as the external genitalia has not appeared externally until about 13 weeks. In weeks 18 to 20, a baby boy’s gender can be determined based on the following signs:

 

Sagittal sign: The fetus is a boy when the caudal notch is pointing upward at more than a 30-degree angle. It can become harder to make a definitive determination if it is somewhere in between.

 

The flow of urine: The flow of urine can be spotted in a fetus. If the urine is seen moving upward, the baby is likely a boy.

 

Male genitalia: The presence of male genitalia, including the penis, scrotum and testicles, is a clear sign of male sex. This is often viewed by weeks 18 to 20.

 

Is gender reveal ultrasound accurate?

Ultrasound - Gener Reveal

The majority of prenatal ultrasounds performed for gender determination are accurate. But errors may occur in identifying gender. The most common mistake is male fetuses are assigned as female. Various factors can impact the accuracy rate of these ultrasounds.

 

Gestational Age of the baby

Over 99% of ultrasounds performed between weeks 18 and 20 determine the gender correctly. But their accuracy rate can decrease when ultrasounds are performed before week 14.

 

Position of the baby

If the ultra-sonographer faces difficulty seeing between your baby’s legs, this will affect the ability to determine the baby’s gender. Some fetuses tend to keep their legs together, which impairs gender determination. If the genitalia of the fetus is not visualized, the ultra-sonographer may not be able to examine it perfectly. As a result, he may make mistakes in guessing baby’s gender.

 

Mother’s body size

If you are overweight or obese, your larger body size can prevent a clear image of your baby. However, an experienced sonographer should be able to obtain a clear picture of women of all sizes.

 

Multiple babies

If you are pregnant with more than one baby (twins, triplets or more), your babies could hide their siblings. Due to this reason, the gender determination of one or more babies will become more difficult.

 

The expertise of an ultrasound technician

How experienced and trained ultrasonographers are in their work will impact the accuracy of the gender determination.

 

Are prenatal ultrasounds safe?   

 

When conducted by trained technicians for medical purposes, ultrasounds are considered safe. Moreover, they do not use x-rays or radiation. They only use audible and high-frequency sound waves. All ultrasounds, including prenatal ones, are non-invasive and cause no harm to the patients.

 

Other ways of gender determination

 

Apart from ultrasounds, the gender of the baby can be confirmed with amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS). In the amniocentesis procedure, fluid is extracted from the sac surrounding your baby using a needle and syringe. In CVS, a needle is used to take cells from the placenta.

 

Both of these procedures carry risks. But they are extremely accurate in making the gender determination. Furthermore, they can return a result as early as week 11 for CVS and week 15 for amniocentesis.

 

We hope you are well aware of how a prenatal ultrasound can help identify your baby’s gender. So, if you have decided to go for this ultrasound and are looking for a reputed gender reveal ultrasound center then you can opt for DigiBaby. We have specialist medical professionals and ultrasound technicians. Moreover, we have state-of-the-art ultrasound imaging equipment. You will certainly get a safe ultrasound experience and an enjoyable baby viewing experience here. So, get in touch with our experts to seek more information about the ultrasound. Their advice will help you better prepare for your ultrasound and enjoy it fully.

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Importance of prenatal care during pregnancy

Importance of prenatal care during pregnancy

Pregnancy brings a lot of changes to a woman’s body. Women who have been healthy before pregnancy might also experience certain issues during the pregnancy phase. Thus, a woman needs to take proper care, nutrition, supplements after conceiving a baby. Women should focus on proper prenatal care to minimize the risk of complications during and after their pregnancy. Prenatal care is also called antenatal care, and it helps in improving both fetal and maternal outcomes. It helps the doctor properly diagnose, treat, and manage the women’s health conditions before getting serious. Women should always start their prenatal care at the early stage of pregnancy (first trimester) for better health. 

The Importance Of Prenatal Care And Where To Find It - MIBluesPerspectives

Knowing prenatal care in details 

Prenatal care is the medical healthcare that a pregnant woman receives. Regularly going for prenatal check-ups helps know any potential concerns or issues at an early stage of pregnancy and reduces birth complications. It would be best if you visit your physician/gynecologist/obstetrician for screening, diagnostic tests, ultrasounds, counseling, education, emotional and social support, and fetal monitoring. With the help of prenatal check-ups, you can monitor your baby’s growth, heart rate, any signs of premature labor, maternal blood pressure, etc. Doctors will generally schedule your first prenatal appointment when you are at least 8 weeks pregnant. Moreover, the doctor also checks the pre-existing conditions for the mother-to-be, such as diabetes or high blood pressure before pregnancy.

Women having no complications during pregnancy can visit for their scheduled prenatal appointments as follows –

  1. Up to week 28 – 1 prenatal visit per month
  2. Weeks 28 to 36 – 1 prenatal care visit in every 2 weeks
  3. Weeks 36 to 40 – 1 prenatal visit every week

What should you expect from your first prenatal visit?

Prenatal care visit includes tests and general information about what a pregnant woman should and shouldn’t eat or do to stay healthy during their crucial time. The first prenatal visit is often the longest one because the doctor needs to review the entire medical history of the mother and the father. During your first, the doctor would do the following –

  1. Takes blood and urine samples
  2. Records your weight
  3. Checks your blood pressure
  4. Performs a pelvic exam
  5. Review your ultrasound

What will you get from your prenatal appointments? 

  1. 6-12 weeks – As mentioned above, the obstetrician or gynecologist takes your detailed information during the traditional first prenatal visit, including a family history of genetic disorders. They also conduct ultrasound, pelvic exam, blood work, blood pressure, weight, and urine screening for proteins and sugar.12-16 weeks – The second visit is generally suggested after a month of your first appointment. During this visit, the doctor checks the blood pressure, urine screening, and weight recording of the mother and recommends any additional tests. 
  2. 18-22 weeks – During the 18th to 22nd week, ultrasounds are done, and the doctor measures the fundal height (FH) and fetal heart tones (FHTs). Fundal height is the distance in centimeters (cm) from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus. Fetal heart tones include listening and measuring the fetal heart rate with the help of fetal doppler. 
  3. 22-26 weeks – This prenatal visit is almost similar to the last visit, but the only difference is that the doctor also screens the gestational diabetes level of the mother-to-be. The doctor may also check for the swelling in your hands and feet. 
  4. 26-30 weeks – Again, the doctor repeats the measuring of fundal height and fetal heart tones along with the screening for diabetes if not already done. 
  5. 28-32 weeks – At this level of pregnancy, you should visit for prenatal tests frequently as you are getting close to your delivery. FH and FHTs are conducted at every visit to check the growth of your baby. 
  6. 32-36 weeks – At the 36th week of pregnancy, the doctor starts the cervical checks to locate the baby’s position in the womb. 
  7. 36-40 weeks – By now, you must frequently be visiting your doctor, and you’ll be asked to visit every week until the 41st week of your pregnancy. These visits are done to check the mother’s and baby’s health, growth, position of the baby with few additional tests. 

Prenatal care and tests | Office on Women's Health

What is the need for getting regular prenatal check-ups during pregnancy?

Prenatal is essential during pregnancy due to following reasons –

  1. With the help of regular prenatal check-ups, doctors can easily spot pregnancy complications (if any) that may lead to poor fetal growth. Doctors can spot if the baby has any weight issues, neurological problems, etc. So, proper care and attention during pregnancy can reduce the risk of complications for the fetus or baby.
  2. After noting all the factors such as the mother’s age, medical history, etc., the doctor can set up proper tests as per the conditions. It helps control and monitors the mother’s pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes, anemia, and blood pressure. Thus, this helps to prevent future complications.  
  3. Prenatal care is also helpful in estimating the delivery date. It puts mothers at ease and helps them to decide on the best plan for her baby.
  4. Antenatal or prenatal care during pregnancy gives a lot of support to the mother-to-be. Proper education and counseling are also part of prenatal care treatment and gives the expecting mother the aid she needs. 
  5. Moreover, proper nutritional advice is also given to the mothers during this crucial stage. A properly balanced diet is essential to prevent several health problems and gives the baby complete nourishment for better growth. Mothers are generally given prenatal vitamins that consist right amount of folic acid and other essential vitamins for baby’s growth.  

Get your regular prenatal visit with Digibaby 3D/4D Ultrasound for a healthy pregnancy 

It is not always too late to seek a doctor’s help during pregnancy. Women who do not go for timely prenatal visit delivers baby with low weight and several birth complications. Every woman needs to stay healthy immediately before, during, and after pregnancy. Thus, it is important to stay updated on all the healthcare appointments as instructed by a doctor.  

You can consult them for 2D ultrasounds, gender determination, and 3D/4D HD live ultrasound as well. All the prenatal care services at Digibaby 3D/4D Ultrasound will be given to you at a genuinely affordable price.

To learn more, contact the center at 877-470-7531 or info@thedigibaby.com now.

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Different types of ultrasound scanning during pregnancy

Different types of ultrasound scanning during pregnancy

Seeing your baby for the first time through a monitor screen can be an emotional and special moment for every parent. Besides taking the first photograph of your baby to your home, ultrasound scanning tests are also vital for many other reasons. The ultrasound scan tests are essential for the doctors to get valuable information such as baby’s growth, detect abnormalities, predict the due pregnancy date, show the position of your placenta, indicate the sex of your baby, etc. These ultrasound scan tests are always performed under the guidance of a trained healthcare professional called a sonographer. Ultrasound scans are performed at different stages of pregnancy for getting all the specific information about the baby.

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But first, let’s understand the purpose of ultrasound tests

Ultrasound scans are used for getting a sneak peek of your baby during pregnancy and examine how the fetus is developing in the womb. Ultrasound uses sound waves for creating images of your baby along with the images of your uterus, placenta, and surrounding blood vessels and organs. The healthcare professional performing an ultrasound exam uses an instrument called a transducer that sends sound waves through your body. The waves produced are then echoed back to the transducer for transforming them into images. The produced images are then seen on the video screening monitor. With the technological advancement nowadays, 3D and 4D colour scans are also available for ultrasound pregnancy tests for better quality images.

  • It helps in conforming to pregnancy and determining how many weeks pregnant you are.
  • Ascertaining  how many fetuses you are carrying.
  • Confirming the growth of your baby and figuring out your pregnancy due date.
  • It helps to check the abnormalities in your cervix and uterus, if any.
  • Monitors your baby’s heartbeat, muscle tone, movement, and development.
  • Diagnosing any complications during pregnancy such as abnormal bleeding, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, and miscarriage.
  • Determining the position of the baby.

Different types for pregnancy ultrasound scanning tests

Different ultrasound scanning tests depend on how long your pregnancy is and what the doctor has to check. Here are some common kinds of ultrasound tests –

  1. Transabdominal ultrasound – In this kind of mid-pregnancy scan ultrasound, the doctor uses a transducer for scanning and is the most common ultrasound test. For this, you must lay down on your back on the examination table, and then the doctor covers your belly with a thin layer of gel. The gel applied to the belly helps the sound waves to move easily for a better image. Then the transducer is moved all across your belly. The patient should drink several glasses of water before the transabdominal ultrasound to have a full bladder during the test. A full bladder helps move sound waves easily. The transabdominal ultrasound is a total of 20 minutes’ process.
  2. Transvaginal ultrasound – During a transvaginal ultrasound, a wand-shaped transducer is placed inside your  vagina. This ultrasound test is generally used at the early stages of pregnancy for verifying your pregnancy, checking your baby’s heart rate & position, etc. For this test also, you have to lay down on your back with your feet in stirrups. Then the doctor moves the transducer in your vagina for getting the required information. Your bladder for the transvaginal ultrasound should be empty or just partly full.  
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Here are some other kinds of ultrasound tests that are done for getting more information about your baby –

  1. Doppler ultrasound – The Doppler ultrasound is useful for checking the baby’s blood flow and the blood flow in your uterus and placenta. It is essential for observing the movement of the blood vessels in your baby. The doctor uses the transducer to listen to the baby’s heartbeat and measure the blood flow in the umbilical cord. Doppler scanning is normally used in the last trimester of your pregnancy.
  2. 3-D ultrasound – This kind of scanning ultrasound test can be done transvaginal or transabdominal. It is used for taking more detailed images of your baby. A 3-D ultrasound test takes thousands of pictures at once and helps in getting a clear 3-D image. Doctors might use this ultrasound to check whether the baby’s organs are developing at a normal pace or not.
  3. 4-D ultrasound – The 4D ultrasound scan is just like the 3D ultrasounds. But the only difference is that it also shows the moving video of the baby’s movement instead of still images. It captures the highlights and shadows for creating a clearer image of the baby’s face and movements. This ultrasound scan can only be requested after 26 weeks of pregnancy.

Consulting the experts for pregnancy ultrasound scanning tests – Digibaby 3D/4D Ultrasound

The ultrasound tests give the highlights of your pregnancy, and it is a truly exciting experience for the parents to see their baby in the mother’s womb. However, you must always trust the experienced professionals who follow all the medical procedures to ensure a healthy pregnancy and safe deliver. Consult the highly trained team at Digibaby 3D/4D Ultrasound now. Their experienced sonographers will keep the mother and the baby safe and inform you of the accurate pregnancy data. You can connect with them to look for affordable and high-quality 2D/3D/4D live ultrasounds. Watch your baby grow, smile, yawn and blink with the latest technology by Digibaby 3D/4D Ultrasound.

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Can you predict a baby’s gender through skull theory?

Can you predict a baby’s gender through skull theory?

For every parent-to-be, it is a great sense of excitement to think about their little one. From reading belly shapes to calendar dates, parents throughout the ages have discovered different ways to identify their baby’s gender during pregnancy. There are several old wives’ tales that claim to predict the gender of the baby inside the womb, yet there are no proven results for such tales.

Many parents are keen, and they find it hard to wait till a 20-week scan test to find out if they are havinga baby girl or a baby boy. So, for those parents who want to determine their baby’s gender soon, a theory called the ‘skull gender theory’ proves to be helpful. This theory works by looking at the shape and size of a baby’s skull to identify whether it’s a boy or a girl. Skull theory is the procedure for predicting the gender of the baby from the 12th-week ultrasound scan picture. This theory typically counts on the ultrasound assessment of the baby’s facial bony features and the skull’s shape.

Here in this particular blog, we will be discussing this skull gender prediction theory and its effectiveness in detail.

What does skull gender theory mean?

Skull theory is also called the skull gender prediction theory, and it helps identify the shape, size, and other related factors of your baby while in the womb. The skull theory is based on an analysis of the cranial differences between women and men. In simpler terms, this theory works on the idea that the female and male babies’ heads grow in different shapes in the mother’s womb. This theory judges gender by looking at how blocky, round, large, or small the baby’s skull is. The skull of the baby boy is generally said to larger and blockier in shape and has a squarer chin, whereas the baby girls are more likely to have a skull with a smaller brow ridge and more pointed chins. All these factors develop in the early few weeks of the pregnancy. Thus, it makes gender skull theory a more convenient method for identifying the gender even before the 20 week’s scan test, which is the traditional way for getting the opportunity for gender reveal. For getting better results at this stage, it is important to get ultrasound test images of the baby in the right positioned profile. It helps measure the skull more precisely from front to back and gives an accurate view of the shape and the size of the skull.

What is the accuracy rate for the skull theory?

Determining the gender of the babies in such an early stage of pregnancy is challenging, and thus, there is no 100% guarantee for the results by skull theory. More researches need to be conducted to prove the accuracy rate of early skull gender tests. Thus, you must not completely rely on the results obtained by the skull theory test. Furthermore, getting the exact results from the skull comparison at such an early stage might be unreliable because it is said that many of the skull differences between a boy and a girl are only visible in the adult skulls. It means that the gender results acquired from the shape of the baby’s skull in your 12-week scan are not 100% obvious and defined.

So, if you want to know the gender of your baby, then you must wait a little longer for a proper scanned ultrasound test.


Consulting the best professionals for accurate ultrasound results – Digibaby 3D/4D Ultrasound

Seeing your baby grow in the womb is an exciting experience for both mother and father. However, during your pregnancy, you might get several questions regarding your baby’s growth and health. Here is the chance for you to get 100% accurate answers related to pregnancy with Digibaby 3D/4D Ultrasound. You can consult them now and get the professional help to determine the gender of your baby. Their experienced team of sonographers will help you get the exact results for determining the gender of your baby. Consult them for the gender determination ultrasound test between the 15th to 23rd weeks of your pregnancy. Digibaby 3D/4D Ultrasound is known for its simple and safest tests for allpregnant women. Get in touch with them now to know about their cost effective ultrasound packages

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Fetal Doppler- Is it safe to use baby fetal doppler during pregnancy?

Fetal Doppler- Is it safe to use baby fetal doppler during pregnancy?

Being pregnant is an exciting and beautiful experience for a woman. The chance to hear the joyous sound of your baby’s heartbeat is truly a miraculous experience. Many parents become anxious and want to reassure that everything is fine with their baby’s growth during pregnancy. It is the major reasonwhy the use of baby fetal doppler is so popular these days. Baby fetal doppler is the test device that usessound waves to check a baby’s heartbeat while inside the mother’s womb. In this particular test, a handheld device is being used to detect changes in the baby’s movement inside the womb that is translated as sound.These fetal dopplers are becoming increasingly popular and exciting among parents nowadays because they are available for independent, at-home use. However, it is an effective device for testing the heartbeats of a baby only if it is used correctly by the trained professionals like your doctor. The main problem arises when untrained people at home try to use this fetal doppler. In such situations, it can give you a false sense of security or set off needless alarms. At times, you might get mistaken by not hearing any sound, which creates stress among people.Here in this blog, we will discuss the baby fetal doppler in detail and why ultrasounds are a much better technique for examining your baby’s growth.

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What exactly is a baby fetal doppler, and how does it work?

The baby fetal doppler is a small handheld monitoring machine that helps detect and emit the sound of your baby’s heartbeat. It works like the ultrasound technology used by obstetricians and gynaecologists in hospitals. The baby doppler doesn’t produce the images of the baby; instead, it just picks up the sound waves of the heartbeats of a baby. This device is also available for home use, and thus, it can be referred to as pocket baby fetal dopplers. Hold the one end of the device in your hand where the controloptions are located, and the sound is emitted. The other end is generally attached which a cord (dopplerapparatus). This doppler is then placed onto the pregnant woman’s stomach and moved until the sound of the heartbeats is heard. Mostly, gels are used on the stomach beforehand for the easy and comfortable movement of the doppler. However, this baby doppler can pick up other sound waves inside your body, including your heartbeat along with your baby’s heartbeat. The fetal doppler sends the sound waves through your skin in search of any movement. And when any movement is being detected, the waves bounce back, forming a pattern that records and plays back as the results.The ultrasound machine with doctors uses higher frequency waves and makes more accurate and reliable results. The ultrasound machine used by the doctors is also capable of providing images, whereas the fetal doppler you use at home gives the sound results.

Is it safe to use baby dopplers at home?

If you are using the fetal heart dopplers with the help of a trained professional or a doctor, it is entirely safe. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned for the use of at-home fetal doppler monitoring devices mentioning that the trained operators or doctors should legally use them. Here are the reasons why you must not use baby dopplers at home –

  • Lack of training– Gynecologists, obstetricians, and nurses are trained well before performing the doppler ultrasounds tests on pregnant women. They know the normal baby’s heartbeat sounds and can carefully diagnose the condition. But moms who use the fetal dopplers at home do not have any experience and training about the baby’s condition
  • Risk of wave overexposure– According to U.S Food & Drug Administration, the effects of extreme tissue heating and cavitation caused by the doppler tests are unknown to the general public. So, it is always suggested to take medical help from only the experts in this field. Mostly, people who use the fetal dopplers use them for too long, not knowing the harmful effects of long-term tissue heating
  • False sense of security– A home baby doppler might mislead the to-be-mothers. They might think that the baby is okay and thus, ignore the potential warning signs of a potential problem. For instance, the would-be mothers might just have heard their heartbeat instead of their child’s. So, to minimise such conditions, it is essential to consult a trained professional who can use the right equipment for the complete test.
  • Inaccurate results– The fetal dopplers you use at your home are less efficient than the ultrasound machines. Dopplers don’t give the exact results of the baby’s heartbeat because it doesn’t have the technical qualities compared to ultrasounds. Thus, fetal dopplers make the to-be-parents more anxious and nervous because of the incorrect results.

Get the professional consultation for Digibaby 2D/3D/4D Ultrasound

If used correctly with complete knowledge, the fetal doppler can help you get the baby’s heartbeats andlearn about their health. However, lack of training, unfamiliar consequences, and inaccurate results might lead to many complications. And this is the reason why we suggest you consult the professional team for pregnancy ultrasound tests.Get in touch with the highly professional team at Digibaby 2D/3D/4D Ultrasound now and confirm your pregnancy, determine how long you have been pregnant, hear your baby’s heartbeat, and also look for any possible complication to address the situation on time. The Digibaby team is known for their 2D, 3D,4D, HD Live Ultrasound imaging techniques. They offer different ultrasound packages depending upon the requirement of the parents. You can consult them now and get the remarkably clear captured images and results of your baby’s movement and heartbeats.