Any harm in using Doppler frequently ?

[mummof1]

I accidentally posted this in pregnancy tests ! Sorry if you've seen it there already .
Has anyone ever been told not to use Doppler a lot?
I heard the heartbeat for the first time the other day (I may be a bit further then what my ticker says) anyway I used it today and didn't find it so then later on I tried again and found it again.
Is it okay to use it frequently?
I will probably wait till later this week to try it again so maybe it will be easier to find but I was just wondering if there's any harm in using them?

 

[3babesforme]

hopefully not because i use mine a lot too...

with my last pregnancy i used it a couple times a day from a day before 7 weeks until i felt movement then only used it if i hadn't felt the baby very often

 

[mummof1]

Yah I figure I won't use it as often when I'm further along, with my second son I did use it pretty frequently from around 12 weeks when I first got it till around 20 weeks.

I think it's just magnifying the sounds through the microphone right ?

 

[Jkelmum]

They are safe but no substitute to getting checked out if you don't feel baby move later on in pregnancy xx

 

[MrsKatie]

Actually it is NOT 100% safe and use should be restricted. Doppler uses ultrasound waves, and these are probably OK in small infrequent doses but can disturb developing tissue. The jury is out when it comes to how much is too much, but personally I have a home Doppler (anterior placenta means I don't feel much movement and I like reassurance) and I restrict use to once a week for no more than 30 seconds at a time.

 

[mummof1]

Actually it is NOT 100% safe and use should be restricted. Doppler uses ultrasound waves, and these are probably OK in small infrequent doses but can disturb developing tissue. The jury is out when it comes to how much is too much, but personally I have a home Doppler (anterior placenta means I don't feel much movement and I like reassurance) and I restrict use to once a week for no more than 30 seconds at a time.

I've never heard this ! Did your OB tell you this?
I'm going to try and wait until it's easier to find because right now it takes me a good 5 minutes to find it

 

[MrsKatie]

Yes I've been told by providers and midwives both. There have been studies done on mice and on aborted fetuses exposed to ultrasound (that big study was done in China) showing DNA and brain disturbances after ultrasound exposure. Of course especially in the mouse study it was after hours of ultrasound a day and mouse brains develop much more quickly than human brains so it's hard to know what that means for people. But I was advised strongly to limit Doppler and ultrasound as they are still figuring out what level of exposure is safe.

 

[MrsKatie]

Which is a bummer cause I'd love to use my Doppler a dozen times a day!

 

[mummof1]

Yah same here ! I used it pretty frequently with my son , around 2-3 times a week probably!

 

[WantsALittle1]

I used it about once a week for about 6 weeks with DS, and once a week from 9-18 weeks with this pregnancy. I only used it for a max of 30 seconds or less each time, because I too have heard that prolonged exposure can cause heating of tissues and potentially even loud noises for baby.

I also cleared it with my OB in both pregnancies. They said there is no safety concern when it is used very briefly, as that is the same way that they themselves would use it during my prenatal exams. The only concern my OBs have ever had is that I would freak out if I couldn't locate the heartbeat. They said that that is the main reason they don't routinely recommend Doppler use at home. x