Relevant reading for new parents – ultrasound
26 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
Ultrasound is a common screening test used to look for the possibility of a problem. No high-quality, long-term data exist to indicate the absolute safety or danger of prenatal ultrasound. We simply don’t know what impact, if any, ultrasound use has on the developing baby or its future offspring. We definitely don’t have good-quality data showing, for example, the effects of ultrasound when done at various stages of pregnancy or for varying lengths of time or when the wand is held at varying positions near the uterus. This is the reason why there are no hard-and-fast protocols regarding ultrasound in pregnancy.
Any testing carries the risk of false positives and negatives (showing a problem that doesn’t exist, or not showing a problem that does exist.) Even accurate results can have an emotional, financial, and medical impact on expectant parents.
Before having tests such as ultrasound done, ask yourself:
- What does this test indicate about the health of myself, my baby, and the pregnancy overall?
- How accurate are the results likely to be?
- What is the best result I am likely to get? What will I do if this is the result?
- What is the worst possible result? What will I do if this is the result?
- What will I do if, when the baby is born, the test result was inaccurate?
The answers to these questions can help you decide whether to have the test done and how to use the results.
One good mnemonic for any test or medical procedure is to “Use your BRAIN”.
B – Benefit (What is the benefit of the procedure?)
R – Risks (What are the risks of having the procedure done?)
A – Alternatives (Are there alternatives to this procedure – other procedures that have a similar result, or simply doing nothing?)
I – Intuition (What does your intuition say you should do?)
N – Nothing (What happens if you simply do nothing, or if you wait for a while and reconsider the decision?)
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology position on non-medical ultrasound
One family’s experience with prenatal ultrasound
