# scared ive harmed baby with doppler? plz read



## nicksi27

Hi ladies my pregnancy is high risk after losing my first baby and the only thing that brings me any comfort is using my doppler. Ive been using it since about 10+4 and usually pick up the hb in a few minutes. I have an anterior placenta so usually its hard to pick up the hb for any length of time to get an accurate hb reading so i often spend a while "chasing" it. I usually use it for about 10mins once a day but sometimes if i cant get a proper listen to it ive used it for about 15+ mins. 

I thought id read everyday use was ok but i was reading last night that dopplers can cause brain issues and deafness so now im petrified ive harmed my baby, id never forgive myself. Im not using it everyday anymore. Im just gonna use it every few days for a few minutes only. 

Do you think i will have harmed my baby? had no sleep last night worrying about this :wacko:


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## rooster100

As far as I know they are not harmful? They are essentially just a little microphone, no harmful rays or anything like that. I got told that having lots of ultrasounds was bad for baby but I have friends who are high risk that have had u/s every week during their pregnancys and have perfectly healthy baby's. I think there is a negative report on the Internet about any intervention with pregnancys. Try not to worry, if your very worried call your midwife, they use dopplers all the time!
I know it's terrifying after losing a baby that something will go wrong again but I'm sure your baby will be just fine. 
I had a m/c at 12 weeks last year, I'm 18 weeks now and only just starting to except that maybe baby will be ok. So I can't imagine your worry of something going wrong after losing baby at 20 weeks :hugs: 
Sorry if this Is a bit of a long message but what I'm trying to say Is enjoy listening to that little hb, I'm sure your not the first mummy to listen for a while daily! Xxx


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## mrsc81

At my 14wk appointment my midwife asked me how often i used mine and i told her everyday, she didnt say anything.. Now i feel kicks i dont feel the need to use it as often


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## nicksi27

rooster100 said:


> As far as I know they are not harmful? They are essentially just a little microphone, no harmful rays or anything like that. I got told that having lots of ultrasounds was bad for baby but I have friends who are high risk that have had u/s every week during their pregnancys and have perfectly healthy baby's. I think there is a negative report on the Internet about any intervention with pregnancys. Try not to worry, if your very worried call your midwife, they use dopplers all the time!
> I know it's terrifying after losing a baby that something will go wrong again but I'm sure your baby will be just fine.
> I had a m/c at 12 weeks last year, I'm 18 weeks now and only just starting to except that maybe baby will be ok. So I can't imagine your worry of something going wrong after losing baby at 20 weeks :hugs:
> Sorry if this Is a bit of a long message but what I'm trying to say Is enjoy listening to that little hb, I'm sure your not the first mummy to listen for a while daily! Xxx

thank you :hugs: i should really keep of google it scares the life outta me. Im going to ask my midwife this afternoon. She doesnt like women using dopplers in case they cant find a hb but ill just explain my worries. yep im sure im not the only person to ever overuse a doppler. Im gonna put it away tonight and not use it anymore. Congrats on your pregnancy, you must feel so much better now that youve got to 18 weeks. Ill feel better once i get past 23 weeks i think. xxx


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## lily28

The doc that did one of my 1st tri U/S told me that doppler (we only did this without the doppler) is not exactly safe for early weeks, but definitely ok for 2nd tri. Don't worry about it!


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## lauren1991

Most dopplers don't use ultrasound and just amplfy the noises inside u. What Doppler are u using? I'm sure ur baby will be fine. 

I used a Doppler everyday sometimes 10x a day when pregnant with my son x


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## 3Beans

I don't think you've likely done any harm thus far, but you shouldn't be using a doppler daily and no more then 1-2 min each time. Dopplers can be harmful. They are similar and often stronger to ultrasound machines as they transmit waves to the baby to give you back a reading. Too much exposure can pose risks. Just like too many ultrasounds can be dangerous, it's just something you shouldn't push. A quick check in every 2-3 days for no more then a minutes here and there is no big deal, but don't use them any more often or for longer periods of time.


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## nicksi27

lauren1991 said:


> Most dopplers don't use ultrasound and just amplfy the noises inside u. What Doppler are u using? I'm sure ur baby will be fine.
> 
> I used a Doppler everyday sometimes 10x a day when pregnant with my son x

I was using a Sonoline B doppler. Ive just spoken to my midwife who said everything should be fine just to lay off it a bit.


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## AmeliePoulain

I used my doppler daily or even sometimes more than daily with my daughter til 28 weeks and everything was fine.

This time I probably stopped using it around 20 weeks just because I feel this baby more. I am sure as your baby gets bigger you won't need the reassurance as often x


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## shocker

I wouldn't worry hun, I used mine at least once but usually 2/3 times a day from 10 weeks to about 16, I asked ny midwife and she said to lay off for my own sanity but that it wouldn't harm him, nowadays if I try listen even once a week he just kicks it and moves away so think he just doesn't like being disturbed!


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## nicksi27

shocker said:


> I wouldn't worry hun, I used mine at least once but usually 2/3 times a day from 10 weeks to about 16, I asked ny midwife and she said to lay off for my own sanity but that it wouldn't harm him, nowadays if I try listen even once a week he just kicks it and moves away so think he just doesn't like being disturbed!

thank you your post has made me feel better :flower: im glad im not the only one whose overused it. I really think if these dopplers are so bad they should come with a huge sticker on the front or something stating the exact amount of time to use it for etc etc. :hugs:


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## NaturalMomma

Dopplers use doppler radar, they do shoot sound waves into the womb, that is how they pick up the noise. Once the sound waves enter they bounce off open spots and you'll get the sound from that. Which is why it's a swishing noise instead of a beat. The sound waves are very loud inside the womb, the womb will actually amplify it. There is not enough evidence to say how much is safe yet, but we do know that prolong periods can cause harm. It is very loud to baby, which is why when being used babies try to move from it. The suggestion on home dopplers is 1 minute a week. Doctors should not use it for more than 5 minutes at an appointment, unless there is a medical reason to listen longer. 

Have you caused harm? Probably not. But you really should cut back to the recommended amount of 1 minute per week until futher studies can suggest a different time frame. You can also buy a fetoscope which is cheap and uses no technology. It is safe to use it all the time because it shoots nothing inside the womb, and it will be the real heartbeat and not an artificial swooshing sound.


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## whit.

3Beans said:


> I don't think you've likely done any harm thus far, but you shouldn't be using a doppler daily and no more then 1-2 min each time. Dopplers can be harmful. They are similar and often stronger to ultrasound machines as they transmit waves to the baby to give you back a reading. Too much exposure can pose risks. Just like too many ultrasounds can be dangerous, it's just something you shouldn't push. A quick check in every 2-3 days for no more then a minutes here and there is no big deal, but don't use them any more often or for longer periods of time.


Do you have any research that proves this? I've always heard using a doppler will NOT do any harm. I used mine daily, several times a day for prolonged periods of time in my first pregnancy. My doctor had no problems at ALL with it and just told me not to put it on my belly too tight because it can make my uterus sore.

Ultrasounds are also safe. I was high risk last pregnancy and had one twice a week AND a NST (just like a doppler), my toddler is perfectly fine and very smart.


OP, I'm sure you're fine!


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## NaturalMomma

There is no technology out there that does not carry risks. Fetal doppler and ultrasound do carry risks with them, they are well documented. I think people get confuse because things will say "safe" and then will go on further to list risks, which are not safe. Take this article for example.

It starts saying ""Although there are no *known risks *of ultrasound imaging and heartbeat monitors, the *radiation associated with them can produce effects on the body,"* No known risks, except there are known risks from radiation producing effects on the body. See the confusion?
https://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm095508.htm

So far, ultrasound and home dopplers have not been proven safe. We have evidence that there is radiation, high sound waves and high temperature being exposed to a baby while undergoing a u/s or doppler. We know that those things can cause damage and effects in a baby. How much is what we don't know yet. Also there is a thing known as "benefits vs risks assesment". Everything carries a risk, therefor you and yoru Doctor decide if the benefits outweight the risks. If you're high risk in pregnancy and/or baby has complications in pregnancy then using ultrasounds frequently may be more beneficial than proposed risks. That doesn't = ultrasounds are safe. It just means in a paticular case the benefits of being able to monitor baby through a ultrasound outweigh any risks associated with the ultrasound itself.


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## nicksi27

Ive been seen at the hospital twice now with anxiety due to excess worry about the pregnancy given my history. The ONLY relief ive had has been the doppler so you can imagine my anxiety today now thinking ive made my baby brain damaged/deaf or something. Im a natural worrier and will worry about this until the baby is born now! Pregnancy can just never be a happy time for me. Yes i do regret buying the doppler now but over the past few weeks it has been a godsend. I think if they are only to be used for a minute a week a lot of the instruction manuals need to be changed because ive read that a lot of them state they can be used 10mins per day 3x per week - its totally misleading.


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## NaturalMomma

^ Yes, instruction manuals do need to be changed. They are in the business of making a profit, they are not Doctors or medical researchers.


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## ttc1soon

While there are no "known" risks, ultrasounds and dopplers being used frequently is fairly new. The ability to own a home doppler hasn't been around that long, and doctors use to only perform like two ultrasounds a pregnancy. Now women are using dopplers daily and have a lot more ultrasounds so if there are any effects we might not see them for years. I have a home doppler and after two m/c it was my sanity for the early days and I used it daily for a couple of weeks but now only use it like one a week and once I feel them move i'll probably stop. We don't know if it can cause problems or if it is perfectly safe so its really up to the user if they feel it might pose a risk. If you look it up you will find arguemnts for both sides but that is the same with anything!


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## angela2011

I use my doppler about 3 times a day but only for a minute or two. My doctor said it is perfectly safe. I also am high risk and have been every time I have been pregnant and have always had lots of ultrasounds. I have already had about 9 ultrasounds this time and another one on the 30th.


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## JJWEBB

When I told my Dr. that I bought a Doppler, she was super surprised and told me I shouldnt be using it. I told her ive only used it a few times. She didnt tell me a reason.


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## Thisismyyear

I agree with NaturalMomma. I bought a doppler at around 19 weeks because I hadn't felt movement by then and even waiting another week for the 20 week scan was too long. I used it that day and it was reassuring however DH came home and saw the box then confiscated it! His argument as well as the fears about radiation were that although there are no known risks, there hasn't been enough research either way. As has been said before, these home dopplers haven't been around long enough for us to know whether they cause any lasting effects. Medics still can't agree whether mobile phones can cause cancer and there is research to support both sides of the argument. 

I don't think you need to worry about having caused any harm but to be on the safe side, I would cut down your use to as little as possible. I imagine by the time you start feeling movements, you won't need the reassurance as much anyway.


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## dan-o

Wow! Whenever I was in hospital being monitored, I had the Doppler attatched for at least half an hour at a time, and when I was induced it was on for hours and hours with no break! If it was dangerous or harmful, surely they wouldn't monitor constantly with a Doppler like that!?


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## NaturalMomma

dan-o said:


> Wow! Whenever I was in hospital being monitored, I had the Doppler attatched for at least half an hour at a time, and when I was induced it was on for hours and hours with no break! If it was dangerous or harmful, surely they wouldn't monitor constantly with a Doppler like that!?

Doctors do many harmful things, sadly. When new recommendations come out it typically takes 10-15 years for hospitals and Doctors to change their policies. Just because a Doctor lets someone sit under a doppler belt for an hour doesn't mean it's safe, and again, research shows that it is not proven safe and does indeed have risks.


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## lolly25

One of the main reasons also dopplers are not recommended is because women use them for reassurance when baby is on a quiet spell and can often get false impression that there baby is ok. If after your baby is in a pattern as such of regular movement from 26+ weeks and baby has a quiet spell then that should be used as the guide of not being normal not the fact you can still hear a hb and everything should be ok. That's one of the first signs a baby going 'quieter' not that I've heard a hb all ok x


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## Seity

I used mine every day for weeks on end for a lot longer than 10 min at a time, for both my babies. Both are perfectly healthy.


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## jensha

I don't have a doppler, but I use a heart rate monitor almost everyday for about 1 hour when I work out. Do you think it works like a doppler? 
(Sorry for asking my question in the same thread. After reading some of the answers, I'm a bit nervous.)


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## Jarenk

There have been studies that *point* to brain, ear, and other tissue damage from use of dopplers, but that was only when they were used all day every day, not for recreational use. 

I am sure your baby is fine, don't worry. If you are really worried about it, use it once a day, either at night or in the morning, for a few minutes. 

If it makes you feel better, I've used mine from 8+4/5 until I felt baby move a lot at about 15 weeks. I used it 3-4 times a day for about 2-3 minutes at a time. If using a doppler for this amount of time, my baby will for sure have issues that go beyond familial genetics.


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## Misscalais

Try to limit it to just once or twice a week


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## sanbibi

i think excessive over use of everything is bad. Dr will tell you taking medication is ok and safe etc. To me if you drink caffeine, soda, eating junk food, sweets etc. All this is bad. Moderation and good judgment...I have doppler, i use it when i dont feel quite right or i have bad dream etc.


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## nicksi27

Seity said:


> I used mine every day for weeks on end for a lot longer than 10 min at a time, for both my babies. Both are perfectly healthy.

Thank you seity - you have just made me feel so much better :flower:


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