Ultrasounds

[mija y mijo]

How many of you have had or plan to have an ultrasound? This is our first homebirth (third pregnancy) and my midwife doesn't recommend them. I really liked having the 20 week ultrasound to see the baby and having that reassurance that everything looks okay. She said that she would schedule one for us if we wanted, but I'm undecided...

[Multimomma]

I do usually have them, just for safety reasons. We've never had a problem, except this time! When i went in for my 20 week, they found a previa, so our homebirth plans have been altered a bit. I am having another US next week to check and see if it's moved. If it has not, I could hemorrhage just during the dilation, so a hospital birth would be important.

Nine times out of ten, nothing will be wrong. I just don't want to be that one time. KWIM?

[ARG2003]

I wanted the 22 week anatomy scan to make sure everything looked ok as PP posted. That's all I wanted, but DH wanted one at 11 weeks when we started care to confirm the pregnancy. We have had losses and the U/S makes him feel better. So, 2 for us.

[turnquia]

I am planning a twin homebirth. However that said I have a history of preterm labor, and shortening of cervical length.

So... I've had cervical length ultrasounds every 2-4 weeks since 14 weeks. I"m now 29 weeks. Everything cervical wise has been great and my last cervical ultrasound is next week, but we're on to growth scans and BPP every 3-4 weeks so. LOL yes I've had a ton of ultrasounds.

But for me the additional ultrasounds is nice and it cements the idea for me that they are healthy and fine and ok for a homebirth.

[homemademom]

Just curious, because I've seen this a few times at MDC: When a mw "doesn't recommend" something, how exactly does she do it? Especially regarding something like a single ultrasound? My mws have only ever given me pros and cons about a particular test/procedure and let me make up my own mind (a la informed consent). If I asked her opinion, she'd offer it, but she wouldn't try to steer my decision one way or another. . .

FWIW, I like to do the single 20 week fetal anatomy scan to determine any abnormalities that might require a more medicalized birth or birth setting, and/or the opportunity to research any problem that I might deal with when my baby is born (say, down's syndrome or a heart problem), and/or connect with support groups that might also help.

[lovebeingamomma]

I got one at 7 weeks to confirm a heartbeat since I've had two losses this year. I'm not getting another one. I'm not worried.

[lovebeingamomma]

"There is not a recommended number of ultrasounds that should be performed during routine prenatal care. Because ultrasound should only be used when medically indicated, many healthy pregnancies will not require ultrasound. The average number of ultrasounds varies with each healthcare provider. Additional ultrasounds might be ordered separately if your healthcare provider suspects a complication or problem related to your pregnancy."

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pre...ltrasound.html

this is probably why a midwife can recommend against them. There is no official recommendation for them.

[lyterae]

We are having our first homebirth and our ultrasound is scheduled for next week. We're having a VBAC so my sole purpose in the ultrasound is to confirm that the placenta is far away from my cesarean scar. It has been a GIGANTIC headache to get an ultrasound done as my midwife does not work with an OB and she cannot order the ultrasound.

[ARG2003]

Originally Posted by homemademom

Just curious, because I've seen this a few times at MDC: When a mw "doesn't recommend" something, how exactly does she do it? Especially regarding something like a single ultrasound? My mws have only ever given me pros and cons about a particular test/procedure and let me make up my own mind (a la informed consent). If I asked her opinion, she'd offer it, but she wouldn't try to steer my decision one way or another. . .

Mine are the same way, exactly.

[mija y mijo]

When I asked about an ultrasound she said that she's not convinced that ultrasounds are completely risk free, so without a medical reason to perform one she personally doesn't recommend them. That said, some clients choose to have them and if we want one they'll set it up for us. There is a lab/facility that they work with where all of our lab work and ultrasounds are performed.

She wasn't telling us not to get one, she was simply saying that she doesn't feel it is necessary in a healthy pregnancy. It's completely up to us whether we do one or not.

[smeep]

I did have one at the ER at 18w when I went in for major cramping (just had an infection, everything's fine), but I voted "no" because I didn't plan on any ultrasounds unless medically necessary (and I do know that I will likely end up with one at the end if I haven't given birth by about 41w3d because my midwife does prefer to just make sure everything looks good after 41w and with DS I had it at 41w3d and it turns out I was in early labour and he was born 15 hours later at 41w4d!). But I don't plan on any, I turned down the one that goes along with the triple screen and I don't even think my midwife routinely offers the anatomy scan.

[smeep]

Originally Posted by mija y mijo

When I asked about an ultrasound she said that she's not convinced that ultrasounds are completely risk free, so without a medical reason to perform one she personally doesn't recommend them. That said, some clients choose to have them and if we want one they'll set it up for us. There is a lab/facility that they work with where all of our lab work and ultrasounds are performed.

She wasn't telling us not to get one, she was simply saying that she doesn't feel it is necessary in a healthy pregnancy. It's completely up to us whether we do one or not.

That's pretty much what she said with DS. I did end up with one because my serum test (this was back when they just do bloodwork and then do an ultrasound if it comes back iffy, apparently now they do both and do it earlier) came back funny, but we thought it might be a dating thing so we did it for dating purposes which confirmed our thoughts. She completely left it up to me, though, and said she doesn't normally recommend them unless medically necessary and thought our possible 2 week difference might be worth checking.

[jljeppson]

I have no problem with them. I agree that we haven't fully determined the safety of them, but I also believe they are a valuable diagnostic tool. I'm fine with judicious use of an ultrasound (usually no more than 1 per pregnancy is required) AND judicious use of the doppler.

[nicky85]

Even wikipedia reports some risks for u/s. It has caused decavitation (bubbling of tissues) in animal fetuses. There have been no long term studies done on the safety of u/s (if I am not mistaken). I did not have u/s. That did mean that my son's spina bifida and hydrocephalus went undetected and we got a big surprise when he was born. I'm actually glad that I didn't know about it though. We would have been stewing over it for months and we would have been told that he'd never walk or pee (both of which didn't turn out to be problems after all.) After my son was born though, we did consent to a head u/s to make sure he really needed a shunt. Our policy on u/s is "No, unless there is a real pressing need for one, and then as few as possible". I don't mean to sound paranoid at all, but obstetrics has a long track record of doing harmful untested procedures like prenatal x-rays in the 1930's, thalidomide, and cytotec. I think it's better to start with less intervention.

[Ola_]

I agree that we don't know the safety but I think it depends on the specific situation. We passed on the early one but will most likely be having the 20 wk anatomy scan because DH is uncomfortable with skipping it (I wasn't planning to do it). My midwife didn't present a viewpoint on it really, just asked us if we were thinking about doing it and some of the things they check for during the scan.

[rad]

My first 3 pgs I never had one. We did decide to do the 20 wk with my 4th baby. I actually had several my last pg because I had alot of bleeding that ended up being a subchorionic hemmorhage that was being watch. I've had 2 this pg also for bleeding at 13 wks and then again at 21 wks just to make sure everything still looked fine.

[St. Margaret]

I have a history of early loss and crazy early bleeding, so I had one early on, and the 20 week one because I felt it would put me at east, switching to homebirth this time around, just to know there wasn't a previa issue or that kind of thing. I think the release from anxiety and freeing me up to homebirth is worth it, but I get why some folks don't.

[changingseasons]

Nope- completely unnecessary (for me.)

[SquidMommy]

After much stewing, I had a 20-week ultrasound done. Very reassuring about the health of the Squidlet, though for personal reasons a bit unsettling for me.

If you have any questions about how things are progressing for you, maybe you'd feel better having the ultrasound? Can you talk to the lab/lab techs before getting it done, to get some POV's on what might make the u/s beneficial? Maybe more info from both sides would help...

[ashleybrook]

mija y mijo-- i'm in the same camp as your midwife...we won't have one unless something comes up that indicates that we should. at this point all is well, so we're going without.

congrats on your first homebirth!!!

ashley