Over the years, prenatal ultrasound has come to represent the reality of a pregnancy for both women and their prenatal care providers. Preliminary studies suggest that 3D US may enhance maternal-fetal bonding. Look of Love is excited to offer this unique and special service to women and families in our beautiful studio in the destination city of Asheville.
The Look of Love's GE Voluson 730, a state-of-the art ultrasound machine, is able to render beautiful, accurate images of the in-utero child in 3D and real time 4D via its advanced software and in-line computer is able to use standard ultrasound to produce images in three dimensions - real time! You see your baby kick at the same time you feel it! Our packages may include a CD with 3D color photos and short movies, as well as a movie of the entire session.
The Look of Love provides you with a relaxed, personalized, and beautiful setting with an emphasis on the safety and comfort of the mother-to-be and her family and friends. The ultrasound room offers mom a comfortable bed with a couch and chairs for five to seven guests - children are welcome! Our large plasma screen permits easy viewing for everyone.
We are proud of our Johns Hopkins' trained ultrasonographer, whose extensive experience and up-to-date certifications in prenatal ultrasound make possible a professional and comfortable session. We require clients to provide us with the name of their prenatal care provider and we highly recommend that they discuss any questions they may have with their provider before visiting our office.
Look of Love 3D Prenatal Ultrasound studio is owned and directed by Melanie MacLennan, MD, an Asheville-trained Family Practitioner who attended medical school at Kings County Hospital/State University of New York, Brooklyn after having received a Master of Fine Arts in Photography from The California Institute of the Arts. Her experience caring for women and families, as well her artistic eye and expertise in fine art photography are combined here to offer parents-to-be a unique and personal bonding experience.
Call today! 828-271-4700
info@lookofloveasheville.com
PRESS
- 12/06 The Laurel Magazine, Ashevile, NC
- 4/25/06 Asheville Citizen Times
- 3/3/06 Western North Carolina Business Journal
- 2/14/06 Open House Announcement
The Laurel Magazine, December, 2006
Shop Talk Section
"This is much more of a celebration for mom and dads — and for the whole family — than a normal doctor's visit," says Melanie MacLennan, MD, owner of Look of Love ultrasonograph studio. "They're kind of like family reunions. Everybody has a lot of fun."
Melanie is an Asheville family practitioner with a master's degree in fine art photography. Unlike most clinical environments, Look of Love was designed as relaxed and personalized setting for the mother-to-be and her family.
Look of Love has all but done away with the days of 2D ultrasounds — flat, hard-to-read images. Instead, their state-of-the-art machinery offers amazing 3D and 4D photography, which shows depth and volume, giving a real-life picture of the baby.
Melanie is proud to employ an ultrasonographer trained at Johns Hopkins University, whose experience and up-to-date certifications help make both a professional and comfortable session. While Look of Love does not offer medical opinions or advice, all visitors are required to provide the name of a prenatal care provider, should any complications become evident.
"These visits are a lot of fun for everybody. They seem to have a particularly positive effect on the fathers," she says. "Thanks to this technology, these images allow the baby to become real in a whole new way."
Any of Look of Love's ultrasound sessions can be preserved in a variety of formats including a CD with color j-peg photos suitable for emailing, printing, and in the case of the 4D package, showing a short movie. Depending on which package you choose, the visits last between 30 to 45 minutes and range from $100 to $200.
Look of Love is located at 246 Charlotte Street in downtown Asheville. For a virtual tour, visit lookofloveasheville.com. To find out more, call the office at 271.4700.
Asheville Citizen Times, April 25, 2006
Health & Fitness Section
A Prenatal Preview
Elective Ultrasounds For Moms-To-Be Growing In Popularity
By Michael Flynn
ASHEVILLE — Looking at the images of tiny facial and body features displayed on the 50-inc plasma television screen put a big smile on Stephanie Pittman's face. "I think its amazing," she said. "She's beautiful." Lying back on a bed as an ultrasonograper slid a probe around on her pregnant stomach, Pittman, 28, was gazing at images of her baby daughter, who is due in July. I think when I first saw them, I wanted to cry," Stepahnie's mom, Darlene Mson, said about the images. The seven-person viewing party, which included Stephanie's husband, Jason, their two sons and other family members, was not packed in a medical exam space, but relaxing in the viewing room at Look of Love, a new prenatal utlrasound studio on Charlotte Street. As the Asheville area's first elective, nondiagnostic ultrasound center, Look of Love aims to provide a memorable family experience, said founder and family physician, Dr. Melanie MacLennan. "Its for the family to bond and have a look at the baby," se said, " You can actually see if the baby's nose looks like mommy's or daddy's." A common diagnostic procedure for decades, ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to produce images or sonograms of internal organs, tissues or for obstetric purposes, a developing fetus. To produce the three-dimensional, real-time images at Look fo Love, registered ultrasonographer Cynthia Walker maneuvers a probe around gel-slicked areas of the mother's stomach. Ultrasound technology turns the reflected sounds waves into computer-generated images, which at Look of Love are transmitted to a flat-screen TV. "It's a miracle to see your baby developing," Walker said. "We have found that we can can great images as early as 17 weeks."
What Dads Think
Elective prenatal ultrasound is a growing trend in te United States, with non-diagnostic studios operating in many major metropolitan cities. MacLennan, who has a graduate degree in fine arts, said the endeavor allows her to combine her interest in photography with her medical background. Douglas Maderas, who designed popular downtown restaurants, created the 1,400-square-foot office and utlrasound space to reflect a sleek, modern feel. "It was designed to be a beautiful, comfortable space that celebrates women and life," said MacLennan, who eld a grand opening for the facility in February. In addition to the onscreen viewing, customers can take home a disc of images or a movie of the session. MacLennan also plans to offer artist-desgined picture frames and photo albums for families to keep the images. Although she had a medical utlrasound several weeks ago, Stephanie Pittman said she was interested in a session that was more of a family affair and to confirm her baby's gender. "I like the setting, the mood that it gives," she said. "Its real calm and relaxing." Seeing the images can be particularly fulfilling for fathers, who clearly aren't as connected to the developing chills as the mother. " For some fathers, particularly first-time fathers, it makes a huge difference," MacLennan said. Stephanie's husband, Jason said he was able to recognize some of his features on the screen. "She has my lips," he said with a smile. " Its amazing, it really is."
No Evidence That NonDiagnostic Utlrasound Can Harm Baby, Doctor Says.
The growing popularity of non- diagnostic sessions has sparked concerns about possible health effects of higher level ultrasound on a developing baby, including warnings from the Food and Drug Administration. Ultrasound is a form of energy that can cause physical eggects in tissue, such as vibrations or a temperature rise. "Although there is no evidence that these physical effects can harm a fetus," the FDA said in 2004, " the fact that these effects exist means that prenatal ultrasounds can't be considered completely innocuous." There are no data documenting any adverse effects on children who were subjected to multiple ultrasound sessions, said Look of Love founder Dr Melanie MacLennan, who compared the issue to theortetical health concerns about cell phone use. " There is no evidence that this damages your baby," she said. A former resident at the Mountain Area Health Education Center, MacLennan said she notified pre-natal providers in the region when she opened Look of Love and that a customer's prenatal care provider receives a notice about the session. Jason Pittmann said his wife Stephanie, consulted with her physician, who was OK with her having a nondiagnostic ultrasound session.
For Immediate Release: March 3, 2006
For more information contact: Look of Love 828-271-4700
Look of Love Brings Baby Up Close
Asheville's first prenatal ultrasound facility, The Look of Love, offers moms-to-be an "up close and personal" view of their babies while they are still in the womb. Located at 246 Charlotte St., the facility allows expectant parents to see smiles, thumb-sucking and facial features on a 50-inch plasma screen television.
"Preliminary studies suggest that 3-D ultrasound may enhance maternal-fetal bonding," says Dr. Melanie MacLennan, owner. "And from the smiles on the parent's faces - especially the father's - I know this is true!"
Look of Love uses state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment. The GE Voluson 730 renders accurate three-dimensional, real-time images of the in-utero child. The sonograms are performed by a registered medical ultrasonographer.
It's a miracle to see your baby developing," says John Hopkins-trained ultrasonographer, Cynthia Walker. "Most ultrasound facilities will only do a sonogram if the pregnancy is 26-32 weeks along. We have found that we get great images as early as 17 weeks."
Baby's first picture takes on a new meaning in the facility's sonogram room. Surrounded by works of art celebrating womanhood and fertility, parents see baby's first photo, and the photo-quality image can be printed or emailed, so they can share it with friends and family.
Douglas Madaras, who designed popular restaurants, Doc Cheys and Zambras, created the office space and ultrasound room to exude comfort and relaxation. Mom, dad, siblings and extended family members can view the baby in a peaceful and artistic environment and see clearly on the large plasma screen TV.
Look of Love plans to add artist-designed photo albums and picture frames for proud parents-to-be to use to display these unique images. Additionally, a typical 30-minute session is recorded on DVD or VHS for a keepsake.
Look of Love is owned by Asheville family physician, Melanie MacLennan. Previously a family physician at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Asheville, she received her medical training at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., and did her internship at the MAHEC Family Practice Program in Asheville.
MacLennan also has an undergraduate degree in fine arts and a Master of Fine Arts in Photography from The California Institute of the Arts. Her medical background and artistic eye offer parents-to-be a unique, personal bonding experience.
Prenatal Ultrasound is a growing trend in the United States with ultrasound centers operating in most major metropolitan cities. Tom Cruise recently purchased an ultrasound machine so he and fiancée, Katie Holmes could monitor their baby's development in-utero. Look of Love is the only ultrasound center within a two-hour drive from Asheville and the only center in the region that offers a 50" plasma screen for viewing.
-End-
- Established in December 2005 by Melanie MacLennan, MD, MFA, MPH, FABFM.
- Dr. MacLennan blends her degrees in fine arts, photography and medicine to create a unique bonding experience for parents and their baby.
- Cynthia Walker, RMDS brings her seven years of experience at Johns Hopkins in Obstetric Ultrasound to produce excellent and touching images.
- Designer, Douglas Madaras, planned Look of Love with a focus on aesthetics, comfort and privacy. Artwork from around the world celebrates women and life itself.
- Baby is viewed on a 50-inch plasma screen TV that produces pictures with amazing clarity and detail.
- Look of Love's state-of-the-art GE Voluson 730 uses highly advanced software to render accurate three-dimensional images that are also in real time.
- Preliminary studies suggest that three-dimensional ultrasound may enhance maternal-fetal bonding.*
- Studies are showing psycho-social benefit for expecting women, where viewing an ultrasound resulted in benefits from improved diet to smoking cessation as well as decrease in anxiety. **
- Ultrasound technology works with sound waves to produce a signal that is processed and transformed into an image such as a picture or a photograph. ***
- Packages are available that include movies on VHS, photos on CD and color and black and white photos.
* (Maier B., Steiner H, Wienerroither H, et al: The psychological impact of three-dimensional fetal imaging on the fetomaternal relationship. In Baba K, Jurkovic D (eds): Three Dimensional Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. New York, Parthenon, 1997, p 67.)
** Kovacevic, M. Impact of Fetus Visualization on Parents' Psychological Reactions. Per- and Perinatal Psychology Journal, Vol. 8 (2), 1993, 83-94; Pretorius, Dolores H. 1996 "Maternal smoking habit modification via fetal visualization." University of California tobacco related disease research program. Annual report to the California State Legislature. 1996: 76
*** www.radiologychannel.net/ultrasound
For Immediate Release: February 14, 2006
For more information contact: Look of Love 828-271-4700
Asheville's first 3D/4D Prenatal Ultrasound Facility Hosts Grand Opening and Open House Celebration
Asheville, NC - 02/14/06: Look of Love, the first 3D/4D prenatal imaging facility in Asheville, NC will host a grand opening celebration and open house on Valentine's Day, with champagne and chocolate from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. The Chamber of Commerce will be on hand to conduct a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:15, followed by popping corks and performances by local musicians. Live music will be provided by gifted young harpist, Estella Cumberford, and New Orleans artist Karen Rose on violin from 4:30-5:30 pm. Renowned world musician, River Guerguerian, and his Rhythm Experience will play from 6:00 - 7:00pm. Throughout the evening, the beautiful facility will be open to the public, showcasing the state-of-the-art GE Voluson 730 ultrasound machine, which uses highly advanced software to produce unprecedented views of a baby before birth, including smiles, thumb-sucking, and exciting kicks and flips!
3D/4D ultrasound has rapidly gained popularity across the US, with locations springing up in almost every major city in recent years. It was further popularized by a commercial aired by General Electric last year for their GE Voluson 730, the machine used by Look of Love. Touching images, facial expressions, and exciting movements of third trimester babies are seen with amazing clarity and accuracy, and the whole session may be taped on VHS or DVD for a lifetime of viewing and sharing.
Look of Love, located at 246 Charlotte St., is owned by local family physician Melanie MacLennan, MD, who fuses her extensive experience serving women and families with her background in fine photography and artistic design to offer area women and their families this unique and fun experience.
Look of Love offers a variety of packages which may include a movie of the session, color and B&W photos, a CD of jpeg images to take home for printing and emailing, as well as AVI clips of the session for home computer viewing and emailing. Family and friends are welcome to join the mother for her session in a comfortable studio equipped with seating and a 50" plasma screen television for ease of viewing.
Our Studio is located at 246 Charlotte St, on the left at the corner of Lenox and Charlotte Sts, just past the Jewish Community Center.
Call today! 828-271-4700
info@lookofloveasheville.com
LOOK OF LOVE
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Tel: 828-271-4700
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Half mile North of Exit 5B off Interstate 240
Just after 3rd traffic
light on Charlotte St.
between Kimberly and Lenox