Ultra sound questions

[kimnicole428]

Ok, what does everyone think about ultrasounds?
I plan to have one at about 25 weeks. I am torn on a second. I would LOVE to have one at 11 weeks to see that the baby is there and developing, BUT i have done some research and am not sure that is best for baby. I am still interviewing OBs and Midwifes to find someone I like. I saw one and now am hiding from their appt desk becasue I dont want to schedule to US.

Anyway what does everyone think about the 11 week US?

[Chicky2]

I personally won't be getting one now, but will get just one later one at around 20 wks, I guess. Honesly, mostly for the kids to see.. I know baby is in there because I can bimanually palpate my own uterus and tell that it is enlarged. Plus I'm sick as a dog, and that's a great sign of a sticky, healthy pregnancy. I will be declining most of the doppler use (except at first visit) and opting for a fetascope instead because that's the most dangerous u/s (doppler). I wish I could tell ya why, 'cause I read it the other day, but pg brain is kicking my butt lately.

[gen_here]

I never got one with my son (even though I had a doctor/hospital birth), and I don't plan to have one this time, either. I was even upset with the doppler for the heartrate and the STUPID, POINTLESS NST they made me do when I hit 41 weeks. There are conflicting studies about whether or not the heat generated in the developing cells by the u/s waves, and for me, it's not a risk I'm willing to take.

My doctor supports me on that. She has said that she doesn't require u/s in an otherwise healthy pregnancy, and if she thought there was a reason for one, she would discuss that with me at the time. Seeing how well she worked with us and what we wanted in ds' pregnancy, labor, and birth... I totally trust her.

[Chicky2]

That's great that you found a dr. that is so supportive of your wishes! Woohoo!

[gen_here]

Originally Posted by Chicky2

That's great that you found a dr. that is so supportive of your wishes! Woohoo!

My doctor ROCKS! I've recommended her to moms in the SD tribe - and her info is found in our "crunchy" stores. She's supportive on non-vaxing (as long as you've done your research), she doesn't push any tests - even said she's the last to jump on the bandwagon of new tests like Strep B and AFP. Because she's a family practioner, she can't "cut" - even an episiotomy... and her referred-for-c-section rate is incredibly low! I pushed for 3.5 hours with my son, and it wasn't until 3:15 that she even suggested the assistance of a vacuum (which I turned down). And the best part is that she used to be Chief of Staff at "my" hospital... so they listen to her, too!

I said in the homebirth thread, I had always wanted an assisted homebirth - and they're illegal in this state (and my husband doesn't feel comfortable having the awesome IA midwife willing to risk it come in because he's a pastor and tells people they need to obey the law of the land... and then to turn around and not do it himself...). So, if I can't have the homebirth I want while we're here, I am SOOOO thankful for the incredible doctor that I have.

[Knittin' in the Shade]

I will probably be getting one within the next two weeks, for dating. I've got my chart, so 'm pretty sure when O was, but since it was SO long after LMP, I think the OB will want to do the dating US so that we're not basing due date on my LMP. Then we'll do the level 2 around 20 weeks. With my preterm issues, we usually wind up doing one or two more later in the pregnancy (around 28 weeks and 32 weeks) to measure and check lungs, etc. Hopefully we'll actually get to 32 weeks to do that one! My last was born at 32 weeks.

[Peony]

No U/S for me during this pg.

[LavenderMae]

I won't be getting any ultrasounds this time.

[ariahsmum]

Jumping in from October...

thought you all might want to check the responses in this thread on Oct's board in regard to u/s.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=421728

and this:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=419041

HTH

[Brisen]

No u/s or doppler. I had no u/s with the last pg, but did do doppler. I'm staying away from it this time.

[pageta]

I would love to decline the ultrasound, but my OB's response last time when I asked if I could was that OB's wives have more ultrasounds than anyone else. But now I think that's because OB's are the most nervous fathers out there, not because they think it's safe.

I mean, I really like my OB, but I would really like to be able to decline that stuff. My thing is, though, that if you're going to go to someone for care, you should generally let them do their thing. There are midwives in town, but the OB's that back them up are horrible. And I don't know that they would let me skip the US anyway. I've heard doula's say that my OB is a "midwife with a penis" because he is very natural-oriented, but I guess everyone has their limits. I mean, OB's want a healthy mother and a healthy baby so they don't get sued so they're going to want to run all the tests they can to make sure everything is going right.

I still would really like to flat-out decline the ultrasound, though. I'm hoping to at least get to do a "line-item-veto" if we do end up having one. I mean, they don't need to date the baby because I have my NFP chart (and my OB is big on NFP). They don't need to measure my pelvis because it is already proven. We can find the placenta at 35 weeks, and if there are any deformities, I think the best thing you can do for a compromised baby in an otherwise normal pregnancy is to let the pregnancy proceed as normal and not spend all your energy worrying about potential birth defects.

If I had any complications or past early deliveries, by all means, I would have the ultrasound. But I don't, so I'd really like to decline. We'll see.

[boscopup]

I'm curious... Does anyone know if ultrasound can detect water bag abnormalities? Like a weak or leaking bag? Since I had PROM at 29 weeks last pregnancy, that's my main concern is how the bag is holding up. Last preg, I didn't get an ultrasound until 29 weeks - had 2 - one at the OB I saw to check if it was indeed amniotic fluid, and then one at the hospital to make sure the fluid was building back up (it was). My midwife had used doppler at 12 weeks to check for a heartbeat, but I think she was able to find it with a fetascope at 16 weeks, IIRC.

I do chart, so I can tell within a week of what my due date is, but since I didn't feel O this time, I can only say it's within 3 days either side of this one day. For a preemie, it's important to know whether I'm 28 weeks or 29 weeks, so I do plan to get an ultrasound at the first prenatal visit for dating purposes (and we'll compare with my chart too), just so I know the dating if something happens like last time. Last time, I had other signs around 4-5 weeks that my NFP teacher and I were able to use to date the pregnancy more accurately. Going by LMP, we'd be horribly off. My cycles right now are 35 days long, and peak day (I check cervical mucus only) is arond day 24. O can happen within 3 days either side of that day. Mine usually happens the day before or the day after.

[boscopup]

To answer my own question... I talked to an ultrasound tech on a mommy list from my first pregnancy (she was giving ultrasounds through at least 4-5 months of pregnancy before pushing the cart around got too much), and she says that the ultrasound cannot detect abnormalities in the sac itself, but it can detect if the sac isn't growing enough or gets smaller (ie, loses fluid), etc. But I think you'd basically need a week to week comparison, and most OBs are probably not going to do that.

[rad]

Never had an ultrasound during any of my pgs. I most likely won't this time. My dr did offer my last pg, I chose not to.

[rainbowfairymomma]

With my first I had 2, it was just standard and I thought very normal.
With my second no u/s at all
I highly doubt I will have one this time and only a few listens with the doppler.

[SagMom]

I've never had an ultrasound before, but I'm not sure about this time around.

I am content to let nature take its course. My feeling is that, most likely, everything is fine and I wouldn't terminate if the US showed a problem anyway. Plus, I'm not convinced of the safety of US.

However, the midwife I used last time has this OB backup that insists on a 20 week US for women "of a certain age." I'm not sure what other mw's protocol's are. It'll definately be something I'll talk about with the other midwives I'm interviewing. I don't *want* to have one, but I'll make the concession if I feel it's worth it.

[sweetfeet]

I may need one to date the pregnancy. I gave up charting around Christmas, I had a period mid-Jan. Then I waited to start to go on Clomid. Never got my period and I started feeling sick and tired so I tested. Anyhow going by lmp on a 28 day cycle I'm due Oct 24, however I have PCOS and I have 40ish day cycles so I'm pretty sure I'm due the first week of Nov. I just need to know, ya know? Otherwise, no we won't do the 20ish week US. Like a pp said I'll probably allow doppler for the first appt to try to get a hb but then I'll ask for no doppler after that.

[Beth26505]

I am content to let nature take its course. My feeling is that, most likely, everything is fine and I wouldn't terminate if the US showed a problem anyway. Plus, I'm not convinced of the safety of US.

:

I might get my 20wk one only because hubby really really wants to know the sex, but I doubt it.

[kimnicole428]

Thanks for the feedback

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I think we will skip the 11 weeks and do one between 20-25 weeks....just to see

[kater07]

Personally, I think that ultrasound is WAY over used. Your MW can use a doppler to hear baby's heartbeat at 11-12 weeks, so you'll know the hb is there. 1 U/S for checking out growth and looking for abnormalities is pretty normal betweek 18 and 22 weeks. If you wait too late (for me at least) there's too much baby and you don't really see much. DS's u/s was so emotionally wrecking that I still can't look at his u/s photos. They are inside and envelope in a binder.

DD's u/s was amazing. Our tech did the normal measurements using 2D, then did a quick 10 min 4D scan where we could see that she looked just like DS. It was way cool, and we got a video. They hadn't told us to bring a tape for DS's, so I don't have that and it makes me sad.

I would just call that other scary doctor back (Dr. we induce at 40w 3d no matter what) and tell them you've found another provider, thanks anyway.

Unless there's a medical condition that warrants more than 1 u/s, it's just not necessary. If they use u/s technology to firm up face skin and make you look younger, what might it be doing to your baby?

Edited to add: As to what Tana said. I don't really care who's "caring" for me. I would never just let go and "let them do their thing". You have to be educated about yourself and the things that doctors want to do. You can't just give in to everything they suggest without the knowledge that tells your heart that it's right. HOWEVER, you also have to pick your battles. Refuse the things you really want to refuse; I refused the Tripple Screen b/c it's really just lacking and we did the GBS test because it wasn't worth being hounded and scared and treated like crap for not doing it.