Expectant parents will soon face a charge if they want a printed scan of their baby.

The John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford will start charging £5 for two pictures of a routine scan this month.

Last night, Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the JR and the Horton Hospital in Banbury, said income generated by the new charge would be used to subsidise NHS services.

The trust said it took between 1,000 to 2,000 scans each month, but was unable to say how many of these were printed out, or what the unit cost for each photograph is.

However, it estimated it costs about £1,000 a month in photographic paper and staffing costs to print out foetal scans.

It said the current voluntary donation scheme was not covering costs.

Rosalie Wright, senior midwifery manager at the John Radcliffe, said: “Ultrasound scans are a medical procedure to establish critical medical information such as any anomalies in the baby’s structure, multiple pregnancies, due dates for the baby’s birth and the size of the baby.

“Scans are part of NHS antenatal treatment and are free to all NHS patients.

“Photographs of scans have always been made available to expectant mothers who want them.

“Expectant mothers will be notified in their appointment letters when the change is implemented. For mothers who are on income support, the charge will be waived on production of documentation.”

The Horton Hospital, in Banbury, already charges parents £4 for a photograph, but this charge is set to increase by £1 to bring it into line with the JR.

At the Royal Berkshire Hospital, in Reading, a £2 donation is suggested for a photograph.

The Buckinghamshire Hospitals Trust said it charged £4 for a printed scan at its hospitals, while Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Swindon charges £5 for scans.

At Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust no charge is in place.

Last night, the Taxpayers’ Alliance said the trust needed to be transparent about where any excess money would be used.

Richard Mackenzie, 30, from Witney, whose fiancée Jackie is three months’ pregnant, said: “The idea of them charging us £5 for something which literally costs them pennies is just obscene.

“Everyone will want at least one scan of their baby. It seems to be just another money-making scheme.”

Claire Thompson, 31, from Bicester, who is 20 weeks’ pregnant, added: “I think that along with parking at the hospitals, it makes the whole process quite expensive.

“I think if this is your second or third baby, you’d probably begrudge paying for something you once got free.”

But mother-of-two Vikki Probets, 24, of Greater Leys, Oxford, who is 30 weeks’ pregnant, said: “We have been given them for free for a long time, so I think it is fair enough to start charging.

“A print out of a scan is a very important thing to have when you are expecting, so I don’t think too many people will moan about having to pay £5. It is not a huge amount.”