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3D Printed Ultrasound Helps Blind Mom “See” Her Unborn Child

Published

4 years ago

August 28, 2020

Taylor, a 26-year-old mom of three, has had very little vision since she was born with glaucoma.
When she was pregnant with her third child, she was upset being unable to see her face during her 20th-week scan.
The doctors decided to give her a 3D printing of her unborn baby and that was life changing” for her!

It’s amazing how technology nowadays has helped people in the most life-changing ways. Just like how it enabled a blind mom “see” her unborn child — thanks to the revolutionary 3D-printed ultrasound.

Taylor Ellis, the 26-year-old mom of three, who has very little vision because of glaucoma, was so upset at being unable to see how her baby looks like during her 20th-week scan.

She was in tears and realizing her pain, the doctors decided to make a 3D print of her daughter’s face through a special ultrasound.

For Taylor and her also visually impaired husband, Jeremy, being able to touch and feel the shape of their baby’s tiny face was a dream come true.

Baby Rosalie was born healthy and is now over 3 months old. The 3D printing that’s normally used for manufacturing car parts was “life changing” for her, she said.

Although Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, normally uses 3D printing only for unborn babies with spina bifida for surgeons to have a clear picture of the babies’ spines, they also offer now printing 3D models of unborn babies for blind parents. It was first suggested by an ultrasound sonographer and they are thought to be the first-ever to offer this service.

“I always thought about what my baby would look like and was always saddened to know I wouldn’t have the same opportunity as seeing mothers,” Taylor said. “My sight wasn’t as bad with my first two children, so I could see the 2D ultrasound.”