Thanks to a leading obstretrician, parents-to-be now have the chance to see their developing baby in more detail than ever before, writes Jennifer Bradly

Imagine having a clear idea of what your baby is going to look like even before it is born.

A new, revolutionary three-dimensional scanner (sometimes known as a 4D scanner as it can provide the fourth dimension of movement) can help you to do this and more besides.

It's a massive step forward for the medical profession and parents alike.

Since the procedure was introduced in the 1960s, visits to the obstetrician for ultrasound scans during pregnancy has become the norm for mums-to-be.

Although the routine scan given to all expectant mothers produces a rather blurry image of the unborn child, it is sufficient for the medical team to estimate how many weeks pregnant the mother is, measure the baby's growth and look for abnormalities.

However, in this conventional 2D scan, the image is made up of a series of thin slices, and only one slice can be seen at a time. It can look far removed from what you expect a baby to look like.

With state-of-the-art 3D/4D scans, a computer takes multiple images, which are stored digitally and shaded to produce life-like pictures of the foetus.

The results are astonishing. Vivid images of a 12-week-old foetus "walking" in the womb hit the headlines when they were released and unborn babies have been recorded moving in real time and blinking, yawning, crying and smiling with a clarity never seen before.

The 3D/4D ultrasound was pioneered in the UK by Professor Stuart Campbell, after it was originally developed in Austria. It is now available at his Create Health Clinic in Harley Street.

Professor Campbell said: "It's fantastic. Every day I see something new the foetus does. I just love studying the behaviour of foetuses; I like the interaction between the parents and the unborn baby, and, of course, exploring the new diagnoses you can make."

To the untrained eye, these rare, golden pictures of growing babies moving, scowling and kicking just as you would expect are almost miraculous.

But to those studying the development of foetuses in the womb, they are invaluable source of information.

"The ability to visualise the foetus has become quite stunningly good, especially abnormalities of the face and palate," explains Professor Campbell, who can use these 3D/4D ultrasound images to examine the unborn child's anatomy and diagnose conditions such as cleft palate and heart problems.

"It's helpful to parents who want to know what the extent of the problem is and to help them to prepare for it."

The scanner also has its advantages for parents of healthy babies; the professor carries out a set of thorough tests including measuring the baby and working out its current weight, measuring blood flow in the placenta and predicting a birth weight.

Parents are also given a DVD of their baby to keep forever.

"It's the movement of the foetus which parents just love, It's mind-blowing. But it's not just about entertainment bonding is a very important thing.

Parents really do demonstrate loving feelings when they see their baby."

Samantha Donald and her partner Warren Rosenberg visited the clinic for a 3D ultrasound scan during the 28th week of her pregnancy and were overjoyed with the experience.

She said: "I am so pleased I had the scan. You feel an even bigger bond because you can see the baby is a tiny little person.

"I would say to people who were having difficulty bonding and getting their heads round the whole pregnancy experience this would make them see it from a different perspective."

For further information, call 020 7486 5566, email info@createhealth.org or visit createhealth.org

Professor Campbell's book, Watch Me Grow!: A Unique, 3-Dimensional Week-by-Week Look at Your Baby's Behaviour and Development in the Womb, is published by Carroll & Brown, priced £9.99.