Newest Trend In Baby Showers Are Gender-Revealing Parties With 4D Ultrasounds

LA MIRADA (CBSLA.com) — Technology is changing everything and baby showers are no exception.

The newest trend for parents-to-be are gender-revealing parties, with a big screen, 4D ultrasounds as the main attraction.

For Michelle and Vincent Van Der Lee, it's a chance to share what used to be a private moment in the doctor's office with all their family and friends.

"I definitely thought, 'wow, this is something my family has never done before. This is a little weird,'" Michelle Van Der Lee said.

Vincent Van Der Lee said he wasn't too sure about having all his friends and family see his face at the moment of the big reveal. But all eyes aren't on him – they're on the big screen, the main attraction in 4D.

The concept was created by Peek-A-View, a Santa Monica-based company owned by Lisa Dixon, an ultrasound technician.

"It's for entertainment purposes, non-diagnostic," Dixon says. "It's just for the family to bond more to the baby."

And what a way to share – this will be Jackie Di Pinto's first great grandchild and the setup is not like the olden days.

"Oh we just waited and when baby was born we said, 'oh boy,'" Di Pinto said.

There are some critics who worry about unnecessary ultrasounds. Dr. Peter Weiss, an OB/GYN, says he isn't concerned when it comes to one party.

"There's no studies to show that if you do too many ultrasounds it's gonna harm the baby," Weiss said. "Is there any medical value? No. Is there entertainment value? Sounds like a lot."

And while you can have a gender-revealing party, there are also simply ultrasound parties to share with family and friends. The cost is about $500 dollars.