Was that a smile? Unborn child now on video

As Claudette Gatt looked at the ultrasound screen, her eyes misted over and her face lit up with a big smile.

"He looks just like him," she said, pointing at her partner, James Ryder.

Rather than looking at conventional ultrasound images, state-of-the-art 4D technology allowed the couple to see a clear moving picture of their 30-week baby.

"It was an amazing and unbelievable experience," Ms Gatt said afterwards, her face glowing with happiness.

She agrees that seeing her son so clearly will help her bond with him even more.

"Although there are still 10 weeks to go, and babies do change, when I think of him now, I will be imagining the face. I was able to see his face, nose and facial expressions." It has also made her even more eager for the delivery date.

"I can't wait. But this is my second child and I have learned to be patient," she said.

Ultrasonographer Romain Muscat-Baron said studies have shown that clear imaging helps parents bond more strongly with their child, especially fathers. This seemed to be very true for Mr Ryder.

"She can feel the baby, while for me it is different. It was very nice to see him and know that he is real, not just her getting fat," he joked.

But apart from giving parents a clear picture of their child with movements in real time, 4D imaging is a very important diagnostic tool which helps detect defects in the unborn child, Mr Muscat-Baron said.

"This allows the doctor to plan the birth to avoid any harm to the mother and child."

In fact, although the technology is available at Mater Dei Hospital, it is only being used for high-risk pregnancies to make sure everything is progressing smoothly.

The technology can be life-saving because it can pick up foetal defects that are difficult to see with a normal ultrasound.

The equipment is usually found in big medical centres or private hospitals, and can be used throughout the pregnancy.

Although the equipment has been available for some three years, Mr Muscat-Baron said it has only just started being used regularly and he has an agreement with the Health Department to offer his services at Mater Dei Hospital.