Ultrasounds

[Bexo]

So how many of you are planning on getting an ultrasound (or ultrasounds)? If so, when? I had 2 with my first child, but my midwife only orders them when she feels it's absolutely necessary. I've heard mixed things regarding the safety of ultrasounds. Does anyone want to speak on this? From the research I've done, (I'll be a certified Bradley childbirth instructor in October), it looks like while no short term negative effects of ultrasounds have been proven, the jury is still out on the long term effects of ultrasounds. So are y'all having one anyway? Just curious!

[stiles' mummy]

I had at least 4 when I was pregnant with my ds. I have a very large grapefruit size fibroid whilst pregnant (fibroids grow during pregnancy due to the increase of estrogen) They wanted to make sure my son was alright and monitor the fibroid closely. Because of the size of it, getting accurating measuring of my belly was very difficult, hence the numerous ultrasounds.

I imagine I'll be getting a few with this pregnancy as well as the fibroid might grow large again.

[Guinevere]

I tend to have lots while pg, too, but that's due to past pg complications. I'm the exception amongst my girlfriends, though -- most either don't have any or just the one about halfway through, usually to check on anatomy and gender.

I think there is no cut-and-dry answer to this. If the benefit of having an u/s outweighs the risk, then clearly it's a good idea. When there's no medical reason for one, then I think you should really consider how important it is to you, b/c no one really needs unnecessary medical interventions.

But on this particular issue, I guess I have a bit more empathy for those people who are just simply deeply curious and "want to know." Frankly, in the scheme of far more serious medical interventions that are possible, I'm not going to condemn them for that. Some women, myself included, actually feel much more deely bonded to their babies after seeing them on u/s and if they know which gender they are expecting. So although my u/s's have been deemed medically necessary, who's to say I wouldn't have chosen to have one even if they weren't? I think I might have.

Guin

[CatholicBFMama]

I plan on having one, maybe two. DD was born with a true knot in her cord, and even though we might not be able to tell on the u/s if that has happened again, DH wants to check anyway.
And we may find out the gender this time around while we're at it. We haven't decided yet.

[katiedidbug]

I plan on at least two. a 20 wk one to determine sex, and I'd also like to do one in the first tri to measure gestational age and make sure that little heart is beating.

[Pregnant_Midwife]

I'll most likely have a 20 week anatomy scan. My sonographer is a dear friend, and I'm in her office a couple times a month as I always attend sonos with my clients. I must admit, it might be awfully temping to do a quick heartbeat check when I'm in there next week with one of my clients.

I've done lots of research as well, and taken several workshops on the subject, and I'm in the middle on the issue. I don't think it should be used in place of palpation, etc. (some docs in this area do scans at each prenatal, uggh!).

But I'm not super-anti-u/s either. I offer a 20-week anatomy scan to all my clients, and most do have one, but some choose not to. Just like I offer doppler (which is ultrasound) to listen to the heartbeat, and most do, but some choose not to, and prefer that I use a fetoscope.

I don't offer a first-trimester u/s routinely, although if a client asks me if she can have one for peace of mind, I certainly will get her in. But my most common reasons for u/s are: 20 week anatomy and BPPs for post-42-week mamas.

[carolhagan]

We will not be having any at all, unless we suspect something is wrong.

[michanders4]

We will be having one when I am 6w5d to put my mind at ease. I imagine I will only have two total then (the other one at 20w to determine gender). I've heard enough evidence that a couple don't seem to be too bad and after what happened to me last time, I really want to make sure everything is going as it should (last time I wouldn't have even known anything was wrong as we only found out from the u/s - by 12 weeks I still was not spotting or cramping on my own and I'm sure it would have gone on for at least a few more weeks that way).

Who knew (before you experience it first handedly) that pregnancy can be so frightening?

Sticky Healthy Baby dust to us all!

Michelle

[*bebe]

I will be having several, starting next week at 6w4d. I did fertility treatments and that's part of the reason. I'll have at least 3 before being released from the RE.

I'm not worried about it. Actually, I'm kind of excited!

[ms.shell]

i have one scheduled for next week, when i will be 6w2d. i need to see if there is a hb, as i lost one early in my 1st pg but didnt know until 22 weeks when it had developed into a hydatiform mole. i also had twins with my last pg, and i need to know how many there are as well. i have been cramping with this one and know from experience that my body doesnt naturally expel a doomed pg so i want to know sooner rather than later if this one is blighted or if there are twins again. i am not really comfortable with the safety of ultrasound, tho, so may not have another if everything is well. definitely would like to limit it to no more than 2, for sure.

[catballou24]

i think we are just going to have one at 20 weeks...unless it's needed otherwise..

[wobblykate]

Well, we definitely want to find out the sex, so we'll likely do one around 20 weeks. I'm not sure about doing more. I'm not particularly worried about them, so we'll see...

[Julia'sMom]

Originally Posted by *bebe

I will be having several, starting next week at 6w4d. I did fertility treatments and that's part of the reason. I'll have at least 3 before being released from the RE.

: My first one is tomorrow (5w 4d?). I'm nervous to find out if it's twins or just one and to make sure it's really real. They won't release me from the RE until I see a heartbeat, then I'll try and find a midwife. It will be a bit odd to go from the highly invasive/medical fertility treatment route to the non-interventionist midwife route, but I'm excited!

[mamato2boys]

No routine ultrasounds for us, and no doppler either.

[Degas]

No ultrasounds for us unless medically necessary. I feel like the less we do, the more "zen" I will be able to be, if that makes any sense. I know my SIL will be disappointed since she's a ultrasound tech and she did an ultrasound on our last baby.

[JenMidwife]

Originally Posted by Guinevere

I think there is no cut-and-dry answer to this. If the benefit of having an u/s outweighs the risk, then clearly it's a good idea. When there's no medical reason for one, then I think you should really consider how important it is to you, b/c no one really needs unnecessary medical interventions.

But on this particular issue, I guess I have a bit more empathy for those people who are just simply deeply curious and "want to know." Frankly, in the scheme of far more serious medical interventions that are possible, I'm not going to condemn them for that. Some women, myself included, actually feel much more deely bonded to their babies after seeing them on u/s and if they know which gender they are expecting.

:

I will be having a "nuchal fold scan" @ 11 wks (as part of the 1st tri genetic screening) & probably the 20 week one. Not sure if we'll find out the gender or not. We'll listen to the heartbeat on doppler until it can be heard on a fetoscope & then just the fetoscope until I'm in active labor, when the doppler certainly comes in handy

[*bebe]

Originally Posted by Julia'sMom

: My first one is tomorrow (5w 4d?). I'm nervous to find out if it's twins or just one and to make sure it's really real. They won't release me from the RE until I see a heartbeat, then I'll try and find a midwife. It will be a bit odd to go from the highly invasive/medical fertility treatment route to the non-interventionist midwife route, but I'm excited!

I wonder what it will be like to go to a "normal GYN" after so many years of special treatments and frequent appointments. As it stands now, my last beta was 5 days ago and I'm feeling funny about not having seen the RE in so long. Next week's ultrasound can't come soon enough!

[MissyLissa]

The midwife I'm most likely going to see only does the 20 week u/s. My friend goes to her and she got an early u/s because she was spotting but that's not the mw's standard practice. I'm kind of disappointed that I won't get to have an early u/s because I lost my first pregnancy and so I'm always a nervous wreck the first few weeks! I went to an OB with DS though and actually had 4 ultrasounds!! They did two early ones, the 20 week, and one at 30 weeks when I was measuring a few weeks ahead.

[mischievium]

I'm thinking 2-- One next week to see how many there are and check for heartbeats (I had 3 follicles when I was given the hCG trigger) and the 20 week anatomical scan. I was a NICU nurse and even though I intellectually know that the congenital defects I saw were rare, it would still give me great peace of mind (although I am also very aware that things can and do get missed on U/S). Plus, I'm just not patient enough to wait the full 40 weeks to find out if it's a girl or boy .

[preemiemamarach]

Originally Posted by mischievium

I'm thinking 2-- One next week to see how many there are and check for heartbeats (I had 3 follicles when I was given the hCG trigger) and the 20 week anatomical scan. I was a NICU nurse and even though I intellectually know that the congenital defects I saw were rare, it would still give me great peace of mind (although I am also very aware that things can and do get missed on U/S). Plus, I'm just not patient enough to wait the full 40 weeks to find out if it's a girl or boy .

former PICU nurse here, so I know what you mean about the anomalies.

I will probably have them at each prenatal visit because I am very high risk and had a really complicated pregnancy last time. First one will be August 19th- I should be 6w5d.