Researchers have found a way to better monitor a fetus as it grows inside the womb, giving an edge to how physicians identify and treat any abnormalities.

Using a new technology that transforms MRI and ultrasound data into 3D virtual reality, researchers from Brazil have created models of fetuses, according to the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The research will be presented at the organization’s annual conference next week.

The 3D models are very similar to the postnatal appearance of a newborn baby. Researchers can recreate the entire internal structure, including a detailed view of the respiratory tract, details that can help doctors identify any abnormalities. The technique has already been used on patients at a clinic in Rio de Janeiro.

"The 3D fetal models combined with virtual reality immersive technologies may improve our understanding of fetal anatomical characteristics and can be used for educational purposes and as a method for parents to visualize their unborn baby," said study co-author Heron Werner Jr., MD, PhD, from Rio de Janeiro's Clínica de Diagnóstico por Imagem, in a statement.

Additionally, the researchers have used the Oculus Rift 2 headset to study the 3D fetal anatomy, which allows them to monitor the fetus’s heartbeat.

"The experience with the Oculus Rift has been wonderful," Werner said. "It provides fetal images that are sharper and clearer than ultrasound and MR images viewed on a traditional display."