Why cant you use a doppler everyday?

[jenwren83]

Hi,

I am considering getting a doppler as I believe this is the last scan (my 20 week one) so would love to hear baby to put my mind at rest.

Is it worth getting one?

Also why do lots of info/reviews say to use it only a few times a week???

Can it be harmful to bubba if it was used more often? Im off work at the mo and think I would have to give in to temptation to listen to bubba at least everyday if not a few times!!!

Jen

 

[shelbyfakla]

hi there hun i beleive htat you can use it everyday i do. i got a angelsound doppler and i listen to mine like twice a day!!! and my bubs is still fine

 

[gemm]

i rented mine for a month from week 10 to 14 just for the reassurance at that time! xxx

I used mine everyother day or so.... not sure why it says that.... would be interested to know the answer thou thanks for posting that up!

 

[Lilly12]

I use it most of the days.. but not for long.
I usually find the heartbeat almost right away, have a quick listen so I know babys heart is beating good.. and then I stop.
I don't think there's any evidence of dopplers doing harm to babys.
Ive read alot and mostly it says dont use it everyday for your own mental health because you might not find the baby every time and then you'll worry.

 

[LadyBelle]

I agree with Lilly12, I think it is more for mothers sanity I use mine close to everyday on very few occasions twice. I do think they are worth the money...especially if you are a worrier!

 

[debbie7155]

You can use it everyday, i asked the hospitals & GP they said dont use it for very long i use mine for no more that 10 mins in the begining if i was struggling to find him, but now i use it for few mins about 5 mins

 

[Sophist]

I've read that on baby's end it can make a very high pitched noise.

 

[Ju_bubbs]

According to a lot of info I have read on dopplers, health profesionals only see them as 'harmfull' because they think expectant mums will use them at home if they are worried that something is wrong with baby, and once they hear babys heart beating away, they then assume everything is ok and dont seek profesional advice.. and a heartbeat doesn't always mean that everything is fine so problems could go undetected!

I used mine every day from 9 weeks right up till when I could feel her move everyday!

 

[Susanah]

The theory is something to do with the uss beams collecting on the skull as it behaves as a disc - this then focus's the waves at a certain point within the brain. It is suggested to cause precocious children. What this means - im not too sure and will ask my obstetrician on thursday. However I am still listening to the fetal heart once every 2 days, sometimes once a day, just for a few secs. I need the reassurance after having a stillbirth last year.
I justify it by thinking that Im having far less US Scans as a result of listening in and the wavelength and frequency of the visual scans must be far greater than that used for audio only. Perhaps Im completely wrong. its all a balance and so much is unknown.

 

[Cheryl xx]

I've got an Angelsounds and when i first got it i must have used it about 3 times a day lol xx

 

[Lil_Apple]

I used mine once a day until baby became more active and I still have those days I listen on more than normal but would only ever be for a few seconds. If they were that harmful do you really think they would be allowed to be sold on the US/UKmarket?

 

[marnie79]

i used mine every morning, personally i need the reassurance that baby is still ok in there, i expect when i get far enough along to have proper movements i will use it less, but will have to see xx

 

[tink23]

My midwife told me it doesn't really harm the baby as such but can irritate him/her and upset them. When I rented mine I used it a few times on the first day to show different family members - after that I used it once or twice a week at most just incase..

 

[KandyKinz]

Dopplers fit into the realm of ultrasound in which high frequency sound waves are used to bounce off sound or images from the baby. Normal ultrasound (not 3D) uses wavelengths approximately 3 times more powerful then just a doppler...

Anyways, the reason it is advised that dopplers not be used everyday or for long durations of time is just to be on the safe side. Using ultrasound or dopplers HAVE NOT been proven to cause harm to humans BUT they HAVE NOT been proven to be entirely safe.

From studies that have been done so far we do know that ultrasound exposure does cause brain abnormalities in rats when they are exposed to it for more then 30 minutes. It heats up the tissues (as it does in humans as well) and in rats after brain dissection it was shown to have prevented the brain cells from migrating to their proper spots which in turn caused brain characteristics associated with autism in humans, abnormal behavior and occasionally seizures. Studies done on humans (which currently only involve the use of 2D ultrasound) has not demonstrated harm... it only has only shown that increased exposure causes increased rates of left handedness in boys... which does imply that there is some impact on the fetal brain... whether or not it's problematic is up for debate....

Anyways that is the reason why medical guidelines in North America advise physicians and midwives and sonographers to only use ultrasound when medically indicated and to limit exposure as theoretical risks due in fact exist and subsequently that also means advising against recreational ultrasounds (many care providers are unaware of these guidelines sadly but if interested they are posted to be viewed by the public at the websites of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Congress of Obstetricians of Gynecologists, the American Institute of ultrasound etc). Also, because of this there are strict guidelines as the to the power used to generate images (the higher the power the better the pic however) and there are strict guidelines as to how long ultrasound should last with each Mhz and how the ultrasound should be conduct eg the transducer should never remain still as that concentrates the beams in one locations which increases the risk.... Because of all this, there have been some states in the United States which have banned the use of recreational 3D/4D ultrasound and there are several more states in the US and provinces in Canada rallying to do the same.

Now back to dopplers..... as mentioned before they use sound waves much less powerful then that ultrasound... and since major risks of ultrasounds in humans is still theoretical the risks of using a doppler is theoretical as well and because the power used is much less it's probably safer then routine u/s use..... BUT there hasn't been any studies on daily use of dopplers and their is a theoretical possibility that excessive use of dopplers can have a cumulative effect which has the potential to cause brain abnormalities.... And that is why the warning exists.

Ofcourse it's your baby and your body and you everyone has the right to make their own decisions.... Sometimes relieving anxiety is the best decision just like some women need to take anti-anxiety medications when pregnant.... they have risks to baby BUT the benefits can outweight those risks in some cases....

And if you'd rather be on the safe side and skip exposuring baby to excessive amounts of ultrasound waves, after 20 weeks you can use a fetoscope or even a stethoscope. It's the least invasive tool to listen to baby. I fidn it much easier to use after the 25 week mark (though you can hear it before it just takes a quiet room and some more time) and if you're "morbidly obese" it can make listening more difficult but for the average person it works just fine. The trick to using one of those is the best sound is transmitted through the ear piece if the fetoscope is placed on the babies back.. Can take some time for the inexperienced to figure that part out but with some practice it can also be a great tool for helping you determine babies position as well... Fetoscopes tend to be quite cheap and you can get them off ebay or medical supply stores for as little as $15... which I think is about 10 pounds.

 

[Aunty E]

I used mine every day from 10 weeks or so with Mog, until she was moving regularly and obviously, maybe 22 weeks or so? Then I just used it occasionally. Same thing this time, I never listen for long, just long enough to get the HB and time it occasionally. I haven't used it much in the last week because bubs is pretty active, so my use will tail off. Mind you, both Imogen and this one quite obviously don't like it, they boot it off if they can and turn away from the probe. My MW last time got quite irritated as Imogen would kick the probe every time I had an antenatal appointment.

 

[lovehearts]

so it it ok to doppler everyday?

x

 

[Sophist]

I used mine once a day until baby became more active and I still have those days I listen on more than normal but would only ever be for a few seconds. If they were that harmful do you really think they would be allowed to be sold on the US/UKmarket?

Well for instance...lots of "aftermarket" car seat products are sold in the US that have been shown to slice seat belts in accidents. It's well documented, car seat install techs try to get the word out, but they still sell like hotcakes and the companies have disclaimers on the packaging to prevent them from liability for the harm they cause. Some have "good housekeeping seal of approval" and other awards on them--doesn't negate the fact that they have been shown to cause harm.

I don't think dopplers are necessarily harmful, just sayin' just because a product is sold doesn't mean its safe!