Anyone NOT getting ultrasounds? - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[DaytonsMom]

We're not getting one either. Unless some sort of crazy problem comes up. Glad to know we aren't alone. We didn't with dd either.

[lizzie28]

I am undecided.  I will probably get the 20 week anatomy scan.  The OB I am seeing really pushes ultrasounds, and it was a big deal that I didn't get the dating scan at my first appointment.  I know my LMP, when I ovulated, etc.  Obviously, this OB is not a great match for me.  I am looking around, but that is pretty standard in my area.

[coconutbroccoli]

I've done ultrasounds during other pregnancies, but I am not doing any ultrasounds this time around.  I haven't even heard the HB by doppler.  I'd like to treat this pregnancy as if it were a normal, physiological process and allow my body to do what it was made to do.  

[fayebond]

I think there are reasons to get them and not to get them.  For myself, I am undecided about the 20 week scan but there will be no more after that until 43 weeks plus (if that happens).  I got three last pregancy, and during my last ultrasound, the baby turned breech.  She literally mooned the monitor.  Very cute but that was the begining of the spiral that led to my CS, so for me, I have ALOT of reservations about OBs doing stuff for my baby "just in case."  

[AlaskAnne]

This is my first pregnancy and right now I am leaning pretty heavily towards not getting one unless my MW thinks it is medically necessary.  We got the doppler at 11 weeks to hear the heartbeat and I think that is enough.

Mamaharrison - thanks for posting that link.  I think it is kind of unbelievable how so many docs are pushing this as a routine procedure when the AMA doesn't even recommend it.  

The other reason that pushes me away from the ultrasound is that a friend of mine had a very similar experience as nhklh: the doctors noticed something "wierd" at the 20 week ultrasound and totally freaked her out.  She spent most of the middle of the pregnancy being stressed.  A later ultrasound revealed that everything was fine.  It seems like this technology has "advanced" so much that now they are finding things that they've never seen before and assuming they are problems/defects.  

Either way, I want to be as stress-free as possible during my pregnancy and I think the ultrasound might get in the way of that.  Or, at the very least, isn't worth it if there are unknown risks.  

[megangriffith]

We're not getting any with this pregnancy unless we feel like something is wrong. Our midwife doesn't do them anyways and she sees no reason for me to get one. We're doing as few tests and interventions as possible throughout the entire pregnancy and birth; for me, it's about trusting my body and my own intuition. So far we haven't done anything other than blood pressure/urinalysis at each prenatal and listening to fetal heart tones/measuring fundal height. The only test that we may end up doing would be the glucose test at 28 weeks because I'm hypoglycemic and at a higher risk for developing GD, but if I can keep ketones out of my urine we may not do that either. :)

[fayebond]

update

apparently, after one has had one's uterus sliced open, even the most VBAC supportive midwife wants a 20 weeks scan to check up on that scar.  Ah well, we were on the fence anyway.  

[Melly24]

Originally Posted by fayebond 

update

apparently, after one has had one's uterus sliced open, even the most VBAC supportive midwife wants a 20 weeks scan to check up on that scar.  Ah well, we were on the fence anyway.  

We have just the one too, for a similar reason. Not so much to check on the scar, but to check where the placenta is in relation to the scar. If my placenta is directly over my scar I will choose to birth at hospital and not at home :)

[kel]

Just re-reading this thread now that so many of the Dec gals are around that 20 week scan time.  I decided I won't be getting one.  I've been on the fence about it, primarily because I'm almost 40 now and haven't done any of the other age related genetic testing.  But this is my fifth babe and I've never had an anatomy scan before - and I just don't feel comfortable with that prolonged exposure of the baby to the ultrasound.  Plus I like the surprise of finding out boy or girl at the birth.  At my last midwife appt, baby kicked and moved away the second the midwife tried to find the heartbeat with the doppler, and since I'll be 20 weeks at my next appt, we'll go ahead and switch to fetoscope from now on.   

[jakesmama]

We're opting out of u/s this time also. I had 3 (maybe more?) with ds and none with dd. I'm in the process of switching care providers and the ob I was with was pushing very hard for the 20 wk scan. He also encourages the use of doppler at each visit - we just aren't a good match. I still need to call an cancel the u/s appt for the 1st....we were really on the fence!