Safety of ultrasound

[firsttimetry]

Hello lovely ladies. Just wanted your opinion on something...

I went to see my midwife the other day and mentioned the fact that in the US they dont have a scan until 20 weeks and I would go a bit mad having to wait so long. She said that actually in the uk we may go to this because of the cost and worries about the heat of ultrasound on a young fetus's brain.

My experience of NHS scans has been pants as I get to see baby for about 20seconds. So I was thinking of a 4d scan. But the midwife said she's not a fan.

Anyone else heard about the 'dangers' of too many ultrasounds? X

 

[Mel S]

I have heard mixed views on this, I have had 4 scans so far this pregnancy and no one 'medical' has ever told me that they can cause problems but I know of other women who have been told that too many is bad.

 

[Onemoretime5]

I never heard that, I know in canada we have our first scan at 12 weeks and I believe its the same in the US as well

 

[punk_pig]

I thought ladies in the US had more scans than us. Isn't there an 8wk one to confirm it is a viable pregnancy etc.

 

[PegLeg2na]

Yep in the U.S. one scan (anamoly) is typical unless there are issues just to be on the safe side. "Keepsake" (ones that aren't for medical reasons) scans are not recommended just because no one really knows the affects of too much ultrasound. It's hard to not see the baby for so long but unless there is a medical reason to get more than one scan I just say better safe than sorry!

ETA my first and only scan (unless there are issues) will be at 18 weeks.

 

[1948LC]

My midwife said 4D scans have not been thoroughly tested enough for use, and that they are not a good idea as you have the probe on alot longer to go through all the tissue. As for 2D ultrasound I have already had 3 and another due on Wednesday then every four weeks for medical reasons. x

 

[bananaz]

Given that obstetric ultrasounds have been performed for decades and have been the subject of hundreds if not thousands of safety studies, I'd have to think any dangers they present must not be very significant and must be heavily outweighed by the numerous diagnostic benefits.

I agree that keeping them to a minimum is a good idea and that using them for entertainment probably isn't wise, but from what I've read and been told the standard two or three or even four or five scans shouldn't be anything to worry about. If the NHS decided to cut the 12-week ultrasound I'm pretty sure it would be about cost considerations above anything else.

 

[SouthernC]

I've had 3 scans so far. And my doctor is scheduling one at around 30-32 weeks so we can have him weighted and have 4D so we can see his face and such. They've never said anything to me about them being harmful.

 

[megrenade]

I'm in the US and had one at 8+6, and will have one around 22 weeks - and if all is well, I probably won't have another.

 

[amjon]

I thought ladies in the US had more scans than us. Isn't there an 8wk one to confirm it is a viable pregnancy etc.

Depends who you see. The MW I go to only does the 20 week U/S, but I went to an CMW at the OB office first to get a prenatal prescription and she ordered a 7 week U/S. I don't think they do the 12 week routinely unless you are high risk. I requested that one be done though, so they sent me an hour away to get it done. Here either insurance or you have to pay for the scans, so the doctors end up making money off of them if they are in office.

 

[bananaz]

I thought ladies in the US had more scans than us. Isn't there an 8wk one to confirm it is a viable pregnancy etc.

Because we don't have standardized government healthcare, services really vary depending on where you go. At two of the OB/GYN clinics I've been to they give you an ultrasound when you walk through the door to determine viability and gestational age, then another at 20 weeks to screen for problems. At the first practice I tried, they just assume people's dates are correct and only do the 20 week ultrasound. None of them routinely offered 12 week nuchal translucency scans, which was surprising to me.

 

[SabrinaKat]

I'm private in Ireland (due to really bad public hospital experience with mc two years ago) and my consultant ob/gyn uses scans at every appointment (epu at 9 wks, 12wk NT, (14wks due to cervical bleed to reassure me), 20wk anomaly scan/24wks to look completely at heart and will have another at 28, 32 and 36wks...She trained in the US and is considered by many to be one of the top neonatal/fetal medical ob/gyns in Ireland, so I feel very safe having scans...incidentially, at 44, I should be considered 'high-risk', but this pregnancy is pretty routine (so far, knock on wood, etc.)...

I'm not too worried and baby seems fine!

best wishes

 

[xPH03N1Xx]

I've been wondering about this myself....

My OB does an ultrasound everytime I see him, purely because he likes to see how she's growing and check her heartbeat etc... I see him every 4 weeks, my first one was at 6 weeks before my pregnancy was even confirmed, I think I've had 5 with him, plus my anomaly scan.

She's perfect, and he seems to think it safe or he wouldn't do it I suppose... But I'm unsure..

 

[LisK]

I'm in the US and I've already had three. One at 5+5, one at 8 and one at 12. The 12 week and the 20 week are standard in the US.

 

[try4girl]

I had a scan at 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 15 weeks for amino, and everyone month after that till I gave birth. But i was high risk even though my amino came back clear. I have had other chromo issues with my other preg.

 

[alette]

I am in the USA and got my first ultrasound at 20 weeks. We had another the next day for an amnio (which came back normal!!) but wouldn't usually have had the second one. The only other one we get is around 30 weeks and that is a 3D/4D scan.

I have heard that if you have had problems in the past then you can get early scans done, but I think that only 2 scans are normal in the USA.

 

[DukesAngel]

I'm a self pay in the US. My only U/S was at 20 weeks. I don't get another one. Besides, it's expensive! I don't want to pay again.

 

[caseita]

I had one at 6weeks because of bleeding and then one at 9weeks to confirm the pregnanct and I won't have another one until 20 weeks. I think it really just depends on your provider my coworker who is 18 weeks has one done at every visit. I've looked into the safety of ultrasounds and I haven't found anything to suggest they are unsafe and as long as my Dr thinks they are necessary I will have them done.

 

[mamaduke]

I thought ladies in the US had more scans than us. Isn't there an 8wk one to confirm it is a viable pregnancy etc.

Depends on the doctor and the mom's circumstances. The first time I was pregnant, we got to confirm whether it was a viable pregnancy at 8w (which it wasn't).

This time around, my OB had me get an u/s at 8w, which showed the heartbeat. At 12w and 16w, we checked LO's heartbeat with my OB's doppler. My next u/s is at 20w for an anomaly scan and then another at 24w for looking at the heart. But that's just how my OB's practice does theirs.

 

[TwoMummies]

Never heard of this either.

I had a total of 8 scans when expecting my daughter due to complications and she is absolutely fine!

Have had 3 so far with this pregnancy including a 4D one also.