1. The social meaning of 3D ultrasound scans
Franziska Wadephul
Julie Jomeen
Lesley Glover
Faculty of Health & Social Care University of Hull
5 July 2012

2. Ultrasound scans: 2D and 3D
2D image of fetus at 23 weeks
3D image of the same fetus, also at 23 weeks

3. Aim
to explore how the websites of private scanning clinics represent 3D ultrasound scans

4. Critical Discourse Analysis
Adapted from Fairclough (2003):
Social context
Intertextuality & assumptions
Interdiscursive analysis
Linguistic & semiotic analysis

5. Selection of private clinic websites
Just over 100 private clinics in the UK:
Small, local/regional clinics
National chains of clinics
Individual consultants
Clinics part larger private health care companies and hospitals

6. Clinic websites chosen for the study
1 large national chain of clinics
2 small, local clinics
1 individual obgyn consultant
1 private health care company

7. A social event … A chance to bond: As a performance:
‘bonding scans’
a chance to feel ‘wonderfully bonded’
As a performance:
a chance to ‘capture this special moment with a movie of your new baby before he or she is born’
A chance to see and meet ‘the baby’:
‘seeing is believing’
a ‘chance to ‘meet their unborn child for the first time’
‘getting to know you’ scan
Not medical:
‘self-referred’ and ‘non-diagnostic,
‘purely for your enjoyment’
A way of making the fetus into a person and family member:
‘if your baby is being a bit naughty, hiding or being shy’
the baby is ‘exhibiting many of the characteristics of the newborn’
‘come and see the new family member’
Something to share with others:
‘share with family and friends’
‘a family experience!’
A way of creating memories:
mementos ‘to cherish now and forever’
‘treasured mementos’

8. … with an underlying medical discourse
Part of a range of scans and tests
dating scans, viability scans, growth scans
screening tests
Latest technology and skilled staff:
‘state-of-the-art, technologically advanced ultrasound equipment’
‘highly skilled and trained sonographers’
links with NHS
Medical benefits of 3D scans
‘Improved bonding has been shown to enhance the mothers care of herself and therefore her baby.’
‘we will scan the baby to make sure that all is well’
‘you will receive a copy of the scan report at the end of the appointment.’
links to articles
Medicalised conceptualisation of pregnancy
pregnancy as a time of anxiety and risk  technology is needed for reassurance and to reduce risk
need for technology to ‘get to know’ the baby
the 3D scan is ‘completely optional ... You must still attend all of your normal hospital appointments.’

9. Conclusions
While 3D ultrasound scans are represented by scanning clinics as a social event, these websites are also permeated by an underlying medical discourse, both explicitly and implicitly.
There are some variations between different clinics, largely dependent on the category of clinic.

10. Reference
Fairclough, N. (2003) Analysing Discourse: Textual analysis for social research. London: Routledge