Feeling Frustrated... - Page 2

[Eresh]

With DS I began from knowing very little about normal pregnancy and childbirth. I read obsessively but there were still things I didn't really learn about before he was born. One of those things was u/s. I guess because everyone seems to use it, it just never occurred me that it could possibly have no demonstrable benefit (on average for low risk pregnancies) and possibly cause harm. Now, I do know and next time will not have u/s unless medically necessary.

Regarding early u/s, I believe OBs like to do them to set/confirm due dates.

[rockportmidwife]

I belong to a DDC both here and on another site. On the other site, I was getting frustrated with the women because of the same reason. They are the uncrunchiest bunch of women that I have ever met (er typed with). However, over the months we have all really bonded. They are a very caring and supportive group of women. Fortunately my friend told me about this website, so I could talk crunchy with other people.

[haren.13]

With DD I had several u/s ~ I didn't know any better, had recently had uterine surgery to repair a septum, and toward the end DD wasn't growing like she should have been. Knowing what I know, I'm not sure what I would do the second time around. She was born via induction at 41 weeks (after not growing for 3 weeks) and was just fine. This time I'm hoping to avoid induction and also the extra u/s at the end.

All that said, I have had 2 u/s this time ~ one because my cycles were very very long (50-60 days) and, while *I* knew when I had ovulated due to charting, the MW wouldn't change my dates in the chart and I would have ended up being induced several weeks early for going past my "due date", and they probably would have pushed for later u/s because I would have measured several weeks behind. The second was for a pain I was having that was causing lots of concern as it started at the beginning of the pregnancy and was getting worse. I am going to talk with my MW about skipping the 20 week u/s. If this babe is measuring small toward the end like DD, I'll be less likely to consent to u/s, but it really depends on the circumstances surrounding the situation.

I know that not everyone would agree with my reasons for u/s, but it's what I decided for my own situation, even knowing what I know about the potential risks.

[frost]

Hi, my due day iz in September.
At my first appointment in 6 1/2 week I had U/S.
Then I find out how stupid it was do done such thing.
I am planing to go once more between 18-20 weeks, just to se is it everything ok, cause i have such a short cervics neck.

I hope I did not done a big mistake for my baby health in 6 week pregnancy.


sorry 'cause my english, I am not a native speaker, but you allready find out

[RachaelsMommy]

Originally Posted by Carlin

I think there's a bigger range than you might think. I know in my ddc some are having lots of ultrasounds and testing, some are having none, and lots are somewhere in the middle. Lots of us have done our own research and come up with a compromise answer, somewhere in between the two extremes.

However, I'll never post "guess what! I'm not having an ultrasound tomorrow!" or similar, so you are going to see a lot more of what is happening than of what isn't. Make sense?

That's true, I never thought about it that way.

Originally Posted by Gena 22

Just to share my $0.02: I had an routine u/s at 20 weeks. Would have considered skipping it, since I had a perfectly healthy and normal pregnancy, but I did want to see the babe. Even invited my parents to come see it with my DH and me, since they never got to see an u/s.

We waited and waited. Finally we got in at the end of the day and the tech groans "this is going to take a while." We asked why, and found out I was carrying twins!

Now, it's worth knowing you're how many babies to expect. It figures into weight gain, preparation, etc. Maybe a good midwife would have spotted it further along, but those early weeks are important. For that reason alone I'll have an u/s at about 20 weeks and recommend one to all my family members.

I definitely understand wanting to skip any and all unnecessary testing and procedures. But the chance of having multiples is high enough to make a routine u/s a legitimate choice.

I don't think the issue most people have is with having a later u/s, it's the early u/s, and the fact that most doctors have women get several u/s, even when there's no indication for one.

Originally Posted by haren.13

With DD I had several u/s ~ I didn't know any better, had recently had uterine surgery to repair a septum, and toward the end DD wasn't growing like she should have been. Knowing what I know, I'm not sure what I would do the second time around. She was born via induction at 41 weeks (after not growing for 3 weeks) and was just fine. This time I'm hoping to avoid induction and also the extra u/s at the end.

All that said, I have had 2 u/s this time ~ one because my cycles were very very long (50-60 days) and, while *I* knew when I had ovulated due to charting, the MW wouldn't change my dates in the chart and I would have ended up being induced several weeks early for going past my "due date", and they probably would have pushed for later u/s because I would have measured several weeks behind. The second was for a pain I was having that was causing lots of concern as it started at the beginning of the pregnancy and was getting worse. I am going to talk with my MW about skipping the 20 week u/s. If this babe is measuring small toward the end like DD, I'll be less likely to consent to u/s, but it really depends on the circumstances surrounding the situation.

I know that not everyone would agree with my reasons for u/s, but it's what I decided for my own situation, even knowing what I know about the potential risks.

I think those are both good reasons. I think most people have issue with the fact that doctors are requiring several u/s for no reason.

I personally don't have an issue with having a late u/s, although sometimes things are missed on u/s. I'm not having any b/c I'm afraid they will try to find a reason to label me high risk.

[lunamegn]

I totally get it too. I hear ya.

[DahliaRW]

Originally Posted by Bromache

What she said.

I think the issue with ultrasounds -- well, at least this is MY excuse -- is that they've been around forever, you don't hear of problems, and midwives use 'em too.

U/S HAVE NOT been around forever. In fact, used to be that they used xrays on pregnant women, saying it was safe. Come to find out, it wasn't! U/S have only been around, for maternity use, since the late 70s/early80s. My mom had one with me (in 1979) ONLY because my aunt was an u/s tech and snuck her in to get one. They were not routine until much later than that, because I don't think my mom had an u/s with either of my sisters (born in 1981 and 1984). And even then, ONE u/s was routine. No one really knows what the repeated use of u/s really does to a fetus.

That being said, I do opt for a doppler in pregnancy (until we can find the hb with a fetascope) simply because it gives me peace of mind. I don't do an u/s unless there is a reason to be concerned (if I was bleeding later in pregnancy, for example, I would find that a medical reason to get one. So far hasn't happened).

There is a good mix on my DDC regarding u/s. It really doesn't bother me when moms want the routine 20 week one. But the moms that opt for every one they can get bother me. And the ones that go pay for them at the fancy 3D places bother me, even the FDA has warned against that!

[applejuice]

U/S HAVE NOT been around forever. In fact, used to be that they used xrays on pregnant women, saying it was safe.

Exactly correct.

As a matter of fact, ultrasound came into vogue when doctors abandoned xray pelvimetry as a prenatal routine. u/s used to be called "non-ionizing radiation". Its use has never been proven to be safe in pregnancy. Remember that x-rays were used for over 60 years before it was abandoned in favor of u/s. Ultrasound or Doppler were discovered during WWII and used for looking for submarines. More recently, MRIs (or NMRs) could take the place of ultrasound, but it too has never been proven to be safe either for use in pregnancy.

[fairygirl13]

personally, i have a condition called MTHFR, and it takes all the Folic Acid out of my system, and i have to take 4-6 MG a day, in addition to my prenate when im pregnant. my risk of having a baby with a nural tube defect is high. I will get them every pregnany just to make sure everything is ok, because i would hate to be supprised at birth, that baby does need medical attention right away, due to defects.

my cousin also has it, her baby has a slight opening around his butt, but none of the nerves are effected. however her first baby had Gastroskisis (sp?) which is where the digestive system does not decend into the abomen like it should, and when these babies are born, they are rushed to the NICU and most the time have a surgory in the first weeks of life. most are c/s due to the risk of birth tearing the intestins in birth.

for me, and my family history, i will always have a few u/s. one at 12, 20, and 32 weeks at least! as much as i feel pregnancy and birth is normal, and natural, i think that it is great to know and see that it is going that way, so bad, preventable supprises dont happen in birth.