[Amandamanda]

wednesday update: well i went for my ultrasound and everything looks great! i am really so glad i went. my fears were all alleviated and i "officially" announced it to all our family and friends today! the baby measured perfect for 11.5 weeks and had a strong little heartbeat of 173bpm. we got to see it moving and wiggling all around. i am just so happy. i explained to the tech about my fears of over-exposure and she said she does not even think i am remotely close to being at that point. and as far as i know, this will be my last ultrasound till the 20 week one, so i am feeling pretty good-
okay- here is a picture of my peanut

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...rasound2-1.jpg

x-posted from march-

i have a pre-scheduled dr appointment for a dating ultrasound on wednesday (like with an ultrasound tech, for the first "official pregnancy ultrasound", but i am wondering if i should go. i cant remember if i posted it here or in march, but i had some bad bad cramping last week (tuesday) so i went in real quick and my mw did an ultrasound to ease my mind. it was like less than a minute, just checking for a heartbeat and i didnt even really get to see anything, but i am wondering if i should get another ultrasound just 8 days later? is that safe or should i reschedule? i should also mention that i had ANOTHER ultrasound on 8/14, which was my initial one where i thought i was only 5 weeks, but it turned out i was 9. again, that was only for 2 seconds.

and for the record, i really really WANT the ultrasound if it is safe- because we havent really told anyone yet- and it would be nice to have a physical picture of the little one to share with people. and plus, i want to see my baby again!

i had scary high b.p. with my daughter (which thankfully doesnt seem to be repeating itself!) and in my last trimester i had ultrasounds every 2 weeks, but that was later on in pregnancy- so i really dont know what to think.

i mean, ultrasounds are supposedly better than doppler right? and people rent those and use them everyday right?

do you think i should just mention it to the tech and tell her to be as quick as possible?

it wont be too damaging if my total ultrasound exposure so far is like less than 10 minutes, even if its 3 in 3 weeks right?

what do you think?

 

[ivymae]

Ya know, it's really a personal decision. Personally, I am less concerned about the side effects of ultrasound used correctly, than I am the false anxiety that it can spark, but that it my own experience talking. I think there is a case for why ultrasounds, used excessively (which i do NOT think you are doing), can damage tissue, BUT there is a risk to almost everything in our lives. If you feel safe and like it will ease your mind, then go for it. If you worry and will feel guilty, then cancel it. There is no right answer, except the one that feels right to you.

 

[CherryBomb]

ITA with ivymae. I'd go in for it if it were me, it's already scheduled.

 

[Jackies Ladybug]

i had an ultrasound scheduled for my last pregnancy and ended up having a panic attack the night before i was suppossed to go in, i cancelled.
its all personal, there is no real research on the lasting damage ultrasound can cause or what is classified as too much exposure, it sounds like you are worried about it though, so maybe you should trust your gut.

 

[AmyKT]

With the proliferation of fertility treatments and the tendency to treat resulting pregnancies as high risk, i know of several women who have u/s at almost every visit, and as far as I can tell, they've had no bad outcomes. While I do think that is excessive, mainly because of the anxiety it creates, I don't think you'll do any harm if you have another now.

 

[sprouthead]

it doesn't sound like you're at the "excessive radiation" point yet, but i wonder what they are going to be looking for in this ultrasound? you've already had two? if it's not going to tell you anything new, i would skip it if it were me, but it sounds like it's fine if you go ahead and do it. I had a lot of ultrasounds with DS and he's fine now.

 

[Amandamanda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sprouthead it doesn't sound like you're at the "excessive radiation" point yet, but i wonder what they are going to be looking for in this ultrasound? you've already had two? if it's not going to tell you anything new, i would skip it if it were me, but it sounds like it's fine if you go ahead and do it. I had a lot of ultrasounds with DS and he's fine now.

well the first ultrasound was just a "hey you are here and probably 5 weeks pregnant, lets do a quick in office ultrasound to check for a sac"- and surprise there was a 9 week baby. it was a quick like less than a minute ulrasound. then last week was just for bad cramping, tried the doppler with no luck so it was a quick- oh good there is a heartbeat ultrasound. this one was the initial scheduled, lets date this pregnancy- and get me a printout picture, etc.

i am leaning towards wanting it, because i think it will feel more real, and i will feel more comfortable announcing it to family and friends if i have a physical picture to include, kwim?

 

[Tenk]

With my last pregnancy (Bodie) I had around 5 ultrasounds in the 1st trimester, then the regular 20 week ultrasound (at 18 weeks I think) and from 28 weeks until he was born at 38 weeks, I had 2 ultrasounds EVERY WEEK. So I had about 28 ultrasounds total during his pregnancy, he's perfect!!! I won't go into all the details of why I had them, but it was medically necessary. Again, 28 in 38 weeks and he is a wonderful little guy!!

 

[OneWithTwo]

I had my first u/s today for dating. Because I am so high risk I will have a U/S every time I go to the doctor, which will more than likely be every week. I had 32 with my daughter and she was fine and even though she was preemie, was very healthy and is totally healthy today.
It is a personal decision, I know some people who do not want any. I am going with the flow and would like to prevent a preemie again, so the amount of U/S do not bother me...
Plus it was nice to see a healthy viable baby today on the screen. This is my 9th pregnancy and I only have had one birth.

 

[MaterPrimaePuellae]

I totally understand! These "unknown" risks are always the scariest to me, which I think is probably irrational. I was talking to my Dad (a health physicist) about the ultrasound and whether or not he thought it might be dangerous (not exactly his field, but still), and he said he could see why I might be concerned.... but that there was probably a greater risk to me and the baby in driving back and forth to the hospital. I know the "risk" of US is not quantifiable at this point, but he's probably right.

(I know this isn't exactly what you asked, but it put things in perspective for me)

I think it wouldn't hurt to tell the tech that you would like for it to be as quick as possible. I would just go for it and enjoy

Mpp

 

[boheime]

I wouldn't. We don't have any ultrasounds without a medical reason. So, this is kid 4 and we've never had an ultrasound. Dh and I have both used ultrasound in the lab. Knowing what we used it for and the research we have done, we have decided it isn't worth it to us to subject our children to that without a very good medical reason.

 

[Amandamanda]

updated my first post

 

[shantiani]

Adorable picture! That's so great that you got see the little critter wiggling around!

Just curious (in case I cave and get one too

), was it an internal or external u/s?

 

[Amandamanda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shantiani Adorable picture! That's so great that you got see the little critter wiggling around! Just curious (in case I cave and get one too ), was it an internal or external u/s?

external. i think after like 8 weeks there is no point in having an internal one since everything can be seen.

eta: and i had just peed too, so i had a very empty bladder

 

[OneWithTwo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shantiani Adorable picture! That's so great that you got see the little critter wiggling around! Just curious (in case I cave and get one too ), was it an internal or external u/s?

I am 8.5wks and they did mine internal

 

[Amandamanda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by erickalynne I am 8.5wks and they did mine internal

my first one this time was internal because i thought i was only 5 weeks and we were checking for a sac, and it turned out i was 8.5 weeks.

BUT with my dd- i had an external ultrasound at 8w1d and we saw everything perfectly. maybe it depends on where your uterus is at that point. i had "popped" early with her.

 

[MaterPrimaePuellae]

Great picture!!

 

[MaterPrimaePuellae]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boheime I wouldn't. We don't have any ultrasounds without a medical reason. So, this is kid 4 and we've never had an ultrasound. Dh and I have both used ultrasound in the lab. Knowing what we used it for and the research we have done, we have decided it isn't worth it to us to subject our children to that without a very good medical reason.

This is very interesting! Would you elaborate? I would really love to know your thoughts, as I have found it very hard to find objective information. Do you allow doppler?