PhotOBaby Launches First Consumer Product for Customizing and Sharing Prenatal Images...
PhotOBaby Launches First Consumer Product for Customizing and Sharing PrenatalImages and Video Taken in Physician's OfficePhotOBaby Encourages Prenatal Family Bonding, Ultrasounds by LicensedPersonnel Only; Unique Image Giveaway Offers Parents Chance to Win $25,000
DEL MAR, Calif., Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- PhotOBaby(R)
(http://www.MyPhotOBaby.com) today launched the world's first serviceavailable to consumers that allows parents to customize and share baby's firstimages and video in the clinical setting. PhotOBaby offers the ability topersonalize the images and videos taken during the normally scheduled prenatalcheck-up with a choice of content, including baby's name and sex, date of theultrasound, border art, and music. By utilizing images and video capturedduring the medically-necessary ultrasound, PhotOBaby helps to ensure that theprenatal imaging is being conducted in a safe, medical environment by alicensed professional. (Note to Editors: Please see accompanying image.)
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071129/AQTH033)
By personalizing the ultrasound, PhotOBaby enhances early"family bonding" -- the close emotional tie between parents and siblings withbaby and one of many keys to good newborn health. Until recently, families andfriends were only able to get to know the newest family member by looking at asnapshot or living vicariously through the expectant mother. Now, PhotOBabyallows parents to share their ultrasound bonding experience withspouses/partners, siblings, family and friends. Specialized content enablesusers to humanize their infant's first images before sharing it.
PhotOBaby offers greater incentive for parents to capture images taken inthe medical setting, rather than seek out additional ultrasound scans fromso-called "strip mall sonography" shops. While this has become a popular itemfor expectant couples, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM)recommends that only appropriately trained and credentialed medicalprofessionals perform all fetal ultrasound scans. According to an officialAIUM statement issued in June 2005, "The AIUM recommends that appropriatelytrained and credentialed medical professionals (either licensed physicians,registered sonographers, or sonography registry candidates) who have receivedspecialized training in fetal imaging perform all fetal ultrasound scans ...Any other use of 'limited medical ultrasound' may constitute practice ofmedicine without a license."(1)
PhotOBaby's founder is a father and ultrasound industry veteran whorealized first-hand the difficulty that parents-to-be and physicians have informatting and sharing ultrasound images and videos. "Like most expectantfathers, I was unable to identify my child in the printed sonogram image andfound it difficult to make a connection until he was born. However, withPhotOBaby, families and friends are able to begin to bond with the childbefore birth, providing a unique connection that has previously only beenexperienced by the mother."
PhotOBaby also announced a $25,000 giveaway for the most unique prenatalimage as judged by registered MyPhotOBaby.com visitors. Only legal UnitedStates residents of at least 18 years of age at time of entry are eligible toenter. Contestants may enter by registering at MyPhotOBaby.com. Ten finalistswill be selected from all eligible entries received by 11/30/2008. The tenpotential winning entries will be posted on http://www.MyPhotOBaby.com and thewinner will be determined by the vote of registered MyPhotOBaby.com visitors.The winner will be notified on or about the day of selection.
About PhotOBaby
PhotOBaby (http://www.MyPhotOBaby.com) is the world's first serviceavailable in the clinical setting that allows parents to customize and sharebaby's earliest images and video. PhotOBaby is only intended for use withscans performed by an experienced and licensed sonographer using modernultrasound equipment. PhotOBaby is the brainchild of a proud father who justhappens to also be in the ultrasound technologies business, and who realizedfirst-hand the difficulties that parents-to-be and physicians have informatting and sharing ultrasound images and videos.
(1) American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. Official Statement:Keepsake Fetal Imaging; 2005.SOURCE PhotOBabyShannon Murphy or Mary-Katherine Juric, both of Schwartz Communications, Inc.,+1-415-512-0770, PhotOBaby@schwartz-pr.com, for PhotOBaby
