Growth & Wellbeing Scans in Bradford – Reassurance in Later Pregnancy

Your Growth and Wellbeing Scan, Explained

A growth and wellbeing scan, between 24 and 36 weeks, assesses how your baby is growing and observes their movements, position and the fluid around them in the third trimester. For many parents it bridges the long gap after the NHS 20-week scan, when you can feel your baby every day but have no scheduled scan for months. It costs £65 and is available to patients aged 18 and over.

What we measure and assess

• Head circumference, abdominal circumference and femur (thigh bone) length, the standard measurements used to assess growth
• An estimated fetal weight calculated from those measurements, plotted so you can see how your baby is growing
• Cardiac activity and your baby’s movements during the scan
• The amniotic fluid around your baby
• Your baby’s position: head down, breech or lying across
• The position of your placenta, where within the scope of the scan

Each private scan has a defined scope. A reassuring result means the features assessed appeared as expected at that time; it cannot rule out every fetal condition and does not replace NHS antenatal screening or urgent maternity assessment.

What to expect on the day

The scan is carried out over your tummy with warm gel, in a calm room with a large screen, and takes around 20 to 30 minutes. No full bladder is needed at this stage. Your sonographer talks through each measurement as it is taken and explains what the findings mean in plain language, with time for your questions. You leave with images of your baby and a written summary of the findings, and from 26 weeks you can add a 4D glimpse of your baby’s face for £15.

How accurate is the estimated weight?

An estimated fetal weight is exactly that, an estimate. Even in expert hands, ultrasound weight estimates carry a recognised margin of error of roughly ten to fifteen per cent either way, and single measurements matter less than the overall pattern of growth. Your sonographer will be honest about what the numbers can and cannot tell you.

If anything needs follow-up

If any measurement or finding falls outside the expected range, your sonographer will explain it sensitively and clearly on the day, document it, and provide a letter for your midwife or GP describing exactly what we found so your NHS team can review it promptly. As a clinic registered with the CQC for Diagnostic and Screening Procedures we have formal escalation pathways, and where a finding needs prompt attention we will tell you directly rather than leave it to a report.

Important: reduced movements need the maternity unit, not a scan

If you are worried because your baby’s movements have slowed, changed or stopped, contact your maternity unit or midwife straight away, at any time of day or night. Do not wait for a private scan appointment, and do not rely on a private scan instead of that call. Once your NHS team has assessed you, we are always here if you would like additional reassurance afterwards.

Who books a growth and wellbeing scan?

Parents whose bump is measuring bigger or smaller than expected and who want more information ahead of NHS review, those who have been told their baby may be large or small, anyone anxious after a previous complicated pregnancy, and many who simply want to see their baby again in the third trimester. If you only want to see your baby without formal measurements, our Reassurance & Bonding Scan may suit you better. From 36 weeks, our presentation scan checks whether your baby is head down, which is useful when you are planning your birth.

Planning the rest of your pregnancy

A growth scan pairs naturally with our 4D baby scan if you would like keepsake images of your baby’s face, and you can read about all of our scans on the main ultrasound page. No referral is needed for any scan, and free parking is available on site.