[Pinky Tuscadero]

Unnecessary ultrasounds are one of my favorite causes to rally against. Here is the latest, for any of you who have not had one or are being pressured to have one:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/08/07....ap/index.html

If you have had one and are happy about, fine. I'm not wanting a debate. Just some info for those who might be interested.

 

[A&A]

If I had any more children, I don't think I'd get an ultrasound.

I really like your sig, btw! I wish my MIL would follow it.

 

[alegna]

Thanks for the link. It amazes me that everyone and their sister just signs up for multiple u/s without any medical reason when even the medical groups advise against them without reason.

-Angela

 

[BethSLP]

DH just read this to me as he browsed the internet news. WOW! an Associated Press article!

I feel so good about my decision to not have U/S. Always did, but this makes me feel relieved.

I would never be the type to say "I told you so" about something so important and personal, but I will say I feel slightly vindicated after all the rude remarks and eyebrow raises I got from co-workers etc. who looked at me like I was a child abuser for not getting any during my pregnancy.

Its days like this that make me feel good about trusting my intuition.

Although it goes without saying, I send love to all my mama friends who had good reasons for getting U/S. It has its place obviously. But all the U/S at the mall? I bet those jerks who run those keepsake video places are sh**ting bricks right now....

XOXO
Beth

 

[wantads]

Wow, very interesting to me. It comes at such at time when it means a lot . . . just recently found out that I am expecting #3 and my doc wants to do an ultrasound to "date" my pregnancy. I'm still nursing so my af has been wacky to say the least but I can narrow down to the week (and probably even few days) as to when I ovulated.

How do you figure out your due date based on day of ovulation instead of the first day of your last period. You'd think I know based on the fact that this is #3!

Also, does the doppler have risks associated with that? I have to admit, it's always a relief to me to hear the heartbeat for the first time.

Thanks mamas!

 

[heathenmom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wantads How do you figure out your due date based on day of ovulation instead of the first day of your last period.

Try http://www.tryingtoconceive.com/eddc.htm.

 

[UnassistedMomma]

I think it's about time someone said it out loud - NO ONE HAS EVER PROVEN THAT US IS SAFE!!! Especially not in the doses the docs here in the USA like to use it!!

People used to look at me like I was an idiot when I told them that the frequency of use here was just because we had gotten comfortable with them - NOT because they had ever been proven safe. That in fact, no sound study had EVER EVEN BEEN DONE before we starting zapping all of our pregnant ladies here!!

Now I can print this off and carry copies with me in case the need presents itself. I think I'm going to leave a few strategically placed copies around my ultra-conventional SIL's house too... She had one nearly every other week - and every week or more often toward the end... the excuse was twins naturally.j

Vindication!!

:

 

[Pinky Tuscadero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wantads Also, does the doppler have risks associated with that? I have to admit, it's always a relief to me to hear the heartbeat for the first time.

Yes. It is basically a concentrated ultrasound. Some think it's worse because it is a constant stream of waves rather than little bursts, like the US.

 

[alegna]

Quote:

Originally Posted by UnassistedMomma NO ONE HAS EVER PROVEN THAT US IS SAFE!!!

Can we put that up on billboards? 'Cause people just don't know....

-Angela

 

[wantads]

Heathenmom - thanks for the website. It looks like I've got a due date of approximately 4/20 or 4/21!

I think my doc's chin will hit the floor if I say no to an ultrasound.

How scary all this information is to me. Especially the fact that my doc uses the doppler at every visit from 12 weeks on. It that really irresponsible of them or what? And once I feel that baby move why do they care what the heart rate is?

I must say thank you to all the mamas out here b/c I have learned so much from you all. I was so naive with the first and even a little bit with the second. Now I feel so much more secure. You all always confirm my instincts.

 

[deleria]

Quote:

The Institute of Ultrasound Medicine was particularly concerned last year when it was announced that actor Cruise had purchased an ultrasound machine so he and his pregnant fiancee, Katie Holmes, could do their own sonograms.

How did I miss this clip of stupidity in all the Tomkat news?

Wow. Just... wow.

 

[baturay]

I think most women who get u/s do because they don't know that there are risks involved. It would come as a total surprise to most women, IMO, to hear that there are risks. Doctors sure don't tell you about them right when offering a u/s, so unless you've heard from someone (such as here) you just never hear about it. Remember, not everyone is a member at MDC or receives their magazine or is part of any natural living type group at all.

With my first pregnancy, I did get all the u/s and dopplers that the doctor wanted to do. Didn't know any better and surely neither did my group of friends. It wasnt' until I came to MDC that I heard about the risks of u/s. It totally shocked me that this information is not given by the techs who do u/s. It's shame that they hold out such important information.

With this pregnancy, I read up on u/s after hearing about the risks here and have refused to get any, much to my doc's surprise.

 

[Tori Gollihugh]

Thank you for the link. I trust myself, as an anti-USer (for the fun of it), but it's always nice to have solid information to back my position!

 

[mamainmotion]

Thanks for the link on u/s.

I am concerned with u/s but my midwife needs an early one to date my pregnancy because my charting got confusing (I did not think I was ovulating).
Without having one I risk a hospital birth if I am over or under the 'safe' zone with midwifes.
A lot of midwifes use dopplers too and I would think they know the risks as well.
What do you suggest for mama's like me?

 

[mamabear&babybear]

I agree that we in the USA grossly overuse u/s. I am going to have my 20 week done, but that is my personal, educated choice. I fully support those mamas who choose not to have any done.

However, I wanted to give you all some food for thought about this article in particular. I'm a big science fan and my husband and I love discussing science articles. He is getting is phd in neuroscience. I look forward to talking to him later about this one.

I would be interested in reading the study before spreading this article around and here are a few reasons.
1. The media will leave out pertinent info from the study to make the story more sensational.
a. For instance, was the 30-240 minutes all at one time or did they space it out over the entire pregnancy? Could make a huge difference.
2. I love math too!! So I figured out that 30 min (the significant time for neurological problems in the article) is .05% of the entire pregnancy. This was based on the longest gestational length I could find for mice. 30 min for a person is .007% of their total pregnancy. We would have to have over 3 hours to reach the same percent.
3. Don't forget they mentioned that mice were much closer to the machine and do not have as dense of cranial bones as people. This seems fairly significant to me.

 

[Full Heart]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mamainmotion Thanks for the link on u/s. I am concerned with u/s but my midwife needs an early one to date my pregnancy because my charting got confusing (I did not think I was ovulating). Without having one I risk a hospital birth if I am over or under the 'safe' zone with midwifes. A lot of midwifes use dopplers too and I would think they know the risks as well. What do you suggest for mama's like me?

I do NOT suggest using 1 type of dating alone. Esp u/s. They can be a week off even in the first trimester. I have faced transfers because of post dates (my earliest was 13 days late). What I would do is employ several ways to date. Your lmp, when you first got a bpf, when you have quickening, when you first heard the heart beat with a doppler, and when you first heard the hb with a fetascope. Last pg I had no ppaf before I got pg, I didn't get an u/s so we based my edd on the day I got my +. It worked out well and I didn't have to worry about post dates, though by my calculations I was way post dates. IME u/s only make it worse since thats what the medical community uses as the end all of due dates. If you don't have one at least you can fudge. kwim?

I also feel like its one of those interventions that seems innocent enough but can start the cascade of interventions. You get the u/s to date the pg, you go past your edd based on u/s, forced into an induction...you get the idea.

 

[SaraBravo]

im just asking because i thought that an ultra sound could be harmful. what exactly is wrong with ultra sounds. no one has ever said anything to me about and now that i am reading some of the responses in this thread i wonder if there is something i need to know about. i always thought that they were safe or they would have said something. i personally love seeing my little baby on the screen and hearing her heart beat. please if these could be harmful inform me and let me know exactly what could happen to my baby.
if nothing has proven that they are safe has something proven that they are unsafe. if so why do most doctors use them routinely. i have had 4 ultra sounds. on because i had to have an amnio and 2 in the very beginning to get my dates and one a little later to confirm the second date because the 1st and 2nd ultra sound didn't match up.

 

[SaraBravo]

that study was done on mice. could the fact that they are so much smaller than us have anything to do with it? do things really affect us the same way they do mice?

 

[alegna]

SaraBravo- do a search here. Lots of links have been posted in the past. There is no research proving u/s to be safe and plenty of research saying it's not. Just because drs. do it, doesn't mean it's safe. Just 30 years ago women were x-rayed in pregnancy without a second thought.

-Angela