Pregnancy trends come and go. From bump casts to 3D fetus models, it seems we're always on the lookout for a novel way to celebrate the arrival of baby—the latest of which is the ultrasound party. Your family and friends huddle around, drinks in hand, while the mom-to-be gets her belly squirted with jelly by the ultrasound tech.
According to an article in Today Mom, the latest in overshare involves "an intimate viewing of baby in utero."
Guests get to mingle and munch, while technicians prepare the ultrasound machine. Then everyone gathers around the chaise longue while the licensed techs point out teensy body parts on the monitor.
For around $100-$350 USD, members of the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography will perform 3D/4D ultrasounds weeknights and weekends.
“Gender reveal is probably the bulk of our work,” said Teena Gold, who founded Baby Face and More.
For some couples, the ultrasound party offers the chance for a longer, lingering glimpse of their unborn baby, beyond the clinical setting.
“It’s more of an experience and less of an in-and-out procedure,” said Gold, who claims it can be fun to share surprises, such as the discovery of twins.
The ultrasound has gone from procedure to party. But though the trend is gaining momentum, it's not for everyone. And, of course, there are unanticipated risks. Say the machine fails to detect a fetal heartbeat? What if the skull fails to develop?
Would you really want to face that possibility with a houseful of revellers? After all, the whole purpose of ultrasounds are for detecting abnormalities, such as "chromosomal disorders, malformations, and to aid in estimating fetal weight or the amount of amniotic fluid." They weren't created for the sake of entertainment.
Would you consider having an ultrasound party? Spill it.
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