Embryo 3D: Expectant Parents in Russia Hold 3D Printed Likenesses of Their Babies

Whether you are just having your first child—and may have waited quite some time to experience the wonders of pregnancy—or whether you are having your third or fourth child, the magic and the anticipation are like little else you will ever experience in life, especially as you have been responsible for creating it. Most parents spend countless moments and hours imagining what their babies will be like, how they will sound, smell, and of course, who they will resemble the most.

Ultrasound appointments are usually a time of excitement and joy after moving past those first tenuous weeks when you may have been on pins and needles waiting to hear a heartbeat and hear that everything was ‘okay.’ And while this technology seems miraculous—allowing you to get a glimpse of your child—3D printing has been delighting families around the world in taking that process several steps further.

We’ve seen everything from babies being produced ahead of time in lithopane form to likenesses of fetuses 3D printed as keepsakes. One thing is obvious: moms and dads are impatient about seeing their new kids!

Now, Embryo 3D, headquartered in Russia, allows waiting parents to get a close-up look at their future progeny, and hold the results in their hands. After medical professionals are able to obtain a full scan of an embryo, it is converted into a 3D print. And thanks to rapid-speed progress in the use of materials for 3D printing, new parents are able to hold high-quality 3D prints made from plastic or heavy-duty plaster, and even have the option to plate a plaster model in precious metals.

Ivin Gridin is the head of Embryo 3D, and in a recent interview explained that the inception of the company was based on inspiration from new parents—and especially that of a friend who was concerned about her unborn baby’s health.

“I was fond of new technologies at that time, and 3D-printing,” he said. “Earlier we printed only from plastic, but now we are able to make plaster models and cover them with precious metals.”

The detail in the 3D prints is impressive, and it is easy to see why the products from Embryo 3D would be causing quite a stir in Russia. While Embryo 3D is situated in Ufa, their techniques and services will most likely be in demand far and wide due to growing interest in forging ahead beyond the typical pregnancy ultrasounds that usually produce just a few paper photographs to show off.

3D prints are created from ultrasounds

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