The DIY baby scan you do on a mobile phone

PREGNANT women can now check up on their babies with a smartphone device.

The handheld tool, developed by Israeli company PulseNmore, allows women to perform ultrasounds at home, then send the scans to their doctor or specialist medical staff to receive feedback.

Initial studies show that the device detected heart beats and amniotic fluid – the protective liquid that surrounds a growing baby – in 95 per cent of cases.

The ultrasound device clips into the base of a smartphone. The patient applies a gel to her stomach and rolls the scanning probe over the area. A scan is beamed directly on to the patient’s smartphone as they move the probe, showing the foetus inside.

Women are provided with guidance by a special app throughout the scan.