With our first baby I didn't know much about ultrasounds, never questioned them. But as with everything that is 'routine' about the medical system, I became curious about its necessity. My findings startled me more than I expected. This time it was an easy decision for us to avoid all ultrasounds unless medically absolutely necessary. Thankfully I also like surprises, so I don't mind not finding out the sex of the baby until birth!
Here is why you may want to think twice before submitting your fetus to an ultrasound, or at least why you should try to avoid any unnecessary ones.
- Impaired brain function and decreased locomotor and exploratory activity in mice exposed to ultrasound. Effect of Fetal Exposure to Ultrasound on the Behavior of the Adult Mouse.
- Ultrasound’s gaseous cavitation increases free radical production in amniotic fluid and blood plasma, and provides a likely mechanism for DNA damage. Crum et al (1987); Ellisman et al (1987)
- Ultrasound affects fetal weight, organ weight, immune systems, and blood platelets which allow blood to clot; researches believe problems from ultrasound – including possibility of cancer, leukemia, and congenital malformations – could take as long as 20 years to surface. Ultrasound Abstracts; Effects of Frequent Ultrasound During Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
- Cells exposed to single dose of ultrasound behave abnormally ten generations after insonation. Midwifery Today
- Researchers who developed ultrasound admitted possibility of hazard from ultrasound and said that it should never, ever be used on babies under three months. Midwifery Today
- Preterm labor more than doubled in ultrasounded women. (Lorenz et al., 1990);Midwifery Today
- Ultrasounded babies who were growth retarded were three times more likely more likely to be admitted to ICU than non-ultrasounded babies who were growth restricted. Midwifery Today
- Babies who had serious problems and were ultrasounded died more often than non-ultrasounded babies with serious problems. Midwifery Today
- Risk of miscarriage significantly increased among women who perform ultrasound more than 20 hours a week. (Taskinen et al., 1990); Midwifery Today.
- Four hours after ultrasound, cell death doubles and rate of cell division drops by 22% in mammals and researchers believe results same in humans. Ultrasound Abstracts.
- Males babies exposed to two or more ultrasounds were 32% more likely to be lefthanded (which is thought to be caused by brain damage). Ultrasound Abstracts.
- Ultrasound babies more likely to develop epilepsy and learning difficulties. Ultrasound Abstracts.
- Males who were ultrasound more likely to show signs of brain damage. Journal Epidemiology December 2001.
- 1984 study shows ultrasound babies developed more dyslexia, and twice as often showed delayed speech of unknown causes. (Stark et al 1984); Midwifery Today;Effects of Frequent Ultrasound During Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
- Perinatal death rate quadrupled in ultrasound group. (2,475 woman study by Davies et al., 1993); Midwifery Today.
- Because babies’ heads are bowl shaped, radiation from ultrasound is magnified and can result in parts of the brain being subjected to extra high intensities of radiation. A Prudent Approach to Ultrasound Imaging of the Fetus and Newborn by Kenneth Taylor, M.D.
- Consider that ultrasound measures 100 decibels in utero – that’s the equivalent of having your infant stand on a subway platform as a train comes roaring in and screeches to a halt. New Scientist. As one writer notes, if you’ve ever heard of on opera singer breaking a sheet of glass with her voice, that is an example of what just one slow sound wave can do . . . but ultrasound uses ultra high frequency sound waves which bombard the child at an extremely high rate of speed. New Scientist.
- “I would not let anybody get near my infant’s head with a transducer [ultrasound wand] . . .” -Dr. Kenneth Taylor, M.D., Professor of Diagnostic Radiology and Chief of the Ultrasound Section at Yale University School of Medicine (A Prudent Approach to Ultrasound Imaging of the Fetus and Newborn by Kenneth Taylor, M.D.)
Remember that at one point, pregnant women were routinely x-rayed and it was encouraged by doctors. Until that is, they figured out why babies were born with abnormalities and that such a dose of radiation can even be fatal for a fetus. I am not waiting until someone 'officially' says that ultrasounds are dangerous for a developing fetus. How about you?
+of+ana11+-+Copy.jpg)
Interesting, interesting, you had ultrasound with your first one and she turned out to be fine, why would you second guess your second one?
ReplyDeleteLet me explain, to me this works the same way as if I really had no idea smoking or drinking alcohol was bad for the fetus with a first pregnancy - then I still had a baby who was fine. If I found out I am pregnant again and learned just how badly drinking and smoking can hurt a baby, I wouldn't do it with the second one! Would you? Same with anything when you learn something is harmful.
ReplyDeletePS: I wouldn't be surprised if ultrasounds had something to do with her sensitivities to everything from milk to chemicals (though there are many factors).
That is very troubling, I havd no idea, and didn't even think of researching. Now too late for me, after four babies!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this research! For some reason, I started asking questions with my first and chose then not to have an ultrasound. Most of my friends chose to have ultrasounds with their babies, and one friend has vehemently told me that I'm risking my baby's life by not having the ultrasound. I did a lot of research about ultrasounds and basically decided that (a) it didn't give me anymore information than I already had from regular prenanatal appointments (since I didn't want to find out the sex) and (b) there were a few studies that suggested risks that I just wasn't interested in taking. As you say, doctors once said x-rays were safe during pregnancy. I think way more studies need to be done with ultrasounds to prove that they are safe -- but I don't see those studies being done (other than in Midwifery Today).
ReplyDeleteYou also have to ask yourself - if we are not sure whether it is safe or not - then why risk it, when there is usually nothing that can be done for the baby at that point until they are born. Also,if they find something wrong, are you going to abort? If not, then why bother with the ultrasound, when it could just cause additional problems? My now eighteen month old has a language delay, and did not babble until she was thirteen months old. She was given an extensive ultrasound with a high powered machine. If I could go back in time, I would NOT get that ultrasound done.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment! You make some great points, thanks for sharing with us and our readers :)
DeleteI felt very strongly that I should not have ultra sounds with both of my healthy pregnancies. The midwifes wanted be to have one with my second and I measured a month ahead. But I felt a strong No, I was sure I was just caring one baby. By month 71/2 I was measuring to the date I had given them. An hour long ultrasound at 20 weeks in the norm. Me and my children will NOT be part of the human experiment.
ReplyDeleteThat's great! I think all moms should get educated AND follow their instincts. By all means we should be free to do what we feel is right, but for some moms that may mean choosing an ultrasound in certain circumstances. I just wish OBs gave all the info, they don't, moms are not at all informed about any risks.
Delete