Posting here a question about ultrasounds but wondering if UltraSound Safety could be its own thread?:
Some background: I’ve had 2 high-risk pregnancies, one for never gaining any weight when I was youngish, and one for a pregnancy after a very long illness combined with advanced maternal age. I had TONS of ultrasounds during both pregnancies since I was labeled high-risk.
In my second pregnancy I hated my fear-mongering doctor & switched docs at the start of my 9th month. My new doc wasn’t concerned at all about doing any ultrasounds since I was so healthy. When I think about it, my first doc when I was young tried to fill me w so much fear too since I only gained about 10 pounds. Both babies were totally fine and perfect and around 8-9 pounds, thank God.
So now I’m older & wiser & just learning that there are potential dangers to ultrasound and Doppler use that we aren’t told about as patients. Do any of you have any insights or resources about the safety of these? I’m debating foregoing any US—or maybe just one—for this last pregnancy. Thank you!
@keikilove, i have never heard of any potential dangers to abdominal ultrasounds, since they are sound waves there is no way for them to harm you or your baby. i have, though, heard that too many transvaginal ultrasounds during pregnancy can stretch the cervix. i'm not sure how accurate that is - but it's just something i heard, so i stopped after 2 with this pregnancy and waited until baby could be seen clearly abdominally. as far as i know, you can have as many abdominals as you'd like without worry!
@keikilove The ultrasound guidelines have been updated to minimize exposure (e.g. they used lower frequency with my first ultrasound this week, so I couldn’t hear the heartbeat but could see the heart beating). I totally understand wanting to limit things (I do too!), but I would suggest doing at least a first one around 8-10 weeks to make sure baby is in the right place and then the 20 week ultrasound to evaluate baby’s development... if there’s any heart defects or something like that you’ll have a better shot at keeping your baby healthy if the delivery team can plan.
The problem with ultrasounds is that it’s everywhere and overdone these days. As for effects, they haven’t found anything major yet (obviously or they would stop) but what they do know is that it causes mechanical effects to the baby. It warms the tissue up where it is used. Bubbles can form around the cells, which puts pressure on on the surrounding cells. It moves fluid around, which puts more pressure on cells. Which may do something or it may not. I know I read one small study that said they watched a couple hundred pregnancies, and those with higher amounts of ultrasounds were more likely to have left handed children. In and of itself, being left handed isn’t a disability, but the majority of the population is not born that way, in this study, about 80ish% were born left handed....it just showed that something happened. The problem isn’t just one ultrasound, the dangers that they have been putting out warning for are for the excessive use of Doppler’s (at home of in the office when they could otherwise use a stethoscope instead) and the boutique 3D and 4D ultrasounds, which are not performed by professionals that understand these risks. Some moms will watch Baby for an hour or two at one of these, and come back for another session or two if Baby is being modest and not in a good viewing position. So right now the recommendation is to limit it to necessary checks, and even those, get in and get out. If one ends up needed a lot of rechecks, make them happen in 5 minutes or less. A good idea, if you want to see baby longer, or hear the heartbeat longer, is take a video so you can replay it whenever you have a strong need.
My midwife, and most of the evidence-based practices around Chicago do one scan at 20 weeks to check anatomy unless there is another concern.
Question. I have never had nausea with my other pregnancies except once right at the start and end of the 2nd trimester. For those who have/are having it, when did it start? I’m just wondering if I will go all 3 pregnancies without this right of passage because I’m 5 weeks and still nothing.
I had very very mild nausea with my first from like 5-16 weeks. I’m 9w3d now with my second and I’ve been feeling super sick since like 5/6 weeks...it’s way worse this go around and the exhaustion is killer. I just slept 10 hours...
@peacebubblebaby With my first I had maybe 2 weeks of very mild MS, from week 10-11. This time I had bad MS before the positive test until week 6, and now I feel much better. You may just be a lucky mom that doesn’t respond to hormones that way, or you could feel terrible tomorrow. What they say is true, every pregnancy is different.
@peacebubblebaby That study you referenced was not repeatable, leading to some concerns about validity. Which isn’t to say ultrasound is without risks, just that one study alone can have so many problems and biases
@mamaoftwomonkeys I did say that it was small and most small studies fall into that catigory. I remember reading it with my 2nd and finding it interesting, is all. I can find sources for the other stuff a little later when I’m not up in the middle of the night
@peacebubblebaby True, but that’s why I tend to be cautious with small studies. Bias can cause data to be manipulated way more easily than we realize. It’s part of my job to base practice decisions after evaluating evidence (I’m a NP), so give me a robust randomized controlled trial or a meta-analysis any day.
Totally feel your pain as I’m wide awake now while the rest of the fam is sleeping!
Thank you @indigoheightsblog@mamaoftwomonkeys@peacebubblebaby for sharing your input on the ultrasound safety question. So I went digging around the Internet late last night and found this. I’m defintely going to limit them to the first visit & the 20-week anatomy scan at most, barring any other medical need for U/S.
@peacebubblebaby Count your lucky stars if you don’t get morning sickness!!! With my 1st pregnancy it kicked in right away, leading to the pregnancy test, and stayed vicious for 9 months of hell. I never threw up so couldn’t get any relief but also couldn’t eat so couldn’t gain weight. It was so bad I had to stop working.
With my 2nd it was brutal from 4 weeks to 12 weeks, followed by killer nausea anytime I smelled my husband for the remainder of the pregnancy. Ha! Horrible times.
The morning sickness is super minor or absent w this 3rd pregnancy, praying I escape it this time! Good luck to you, enjoy your MS-free pregnancy!!!
I always gain 50 lbs during pregnancy (the last time I was incredibly healthy and active and STILL gained it), I would not say no to just a bit of food aversion. I’m starting out at my heaviest pre-pregnancy weight ever and I’m a bit nervous about how big I’m going to get or if it will cause issues later. I was also hoping for something to be different so I can have hope that this one turns out to be a baby boy instead of a third girl. I guess we will see.
@peacebubblebaby I’m gonna say one more thing on the subject then shut up. I actually took the time to read this, and I think a lot of those articles drew their own conclusions from the evidence that when I went back to the actual research I didn’t actually agree with their conclusions. Everything in life, including crossing the road, has risks, What I dislike from either side of the argument is the presumption that a mother should or shouldn’t do a particular action because someone else has weighed the potential risks and NOT the mother. I feel like those articles infer more negative risk then is actually there, while perhaps many providers don’t communicate the risk that IS there. All of that to say, I’ll be getting another ultrasound at 20 weeks because I feel it’s wisest.
Good morning ladies - Have any of you STM+ had sinus infections while pregnant? And if so, what are your favorite home remedies aside from Neti Pot? I can not stomach a neti pot (ever) and while I've heard Amoxicillin is safe during pregnancy, I'd like to try and get rid of this thing naturally first. I'm pretty prone to sinus infections so this doesn't surprise me. Typically I'd take Tylenol Cold & Sinus if it weren't for this little bean!
@indigoheightsblog how do you know it’s an infection? Just because you’ve had a lot in the past? I only ask because last pregnancy that was a symptom for me. Felt like I had a cold the whole time— rhinitis.
@indigoheightsblog you’re probably already doing this, but saline nasal spray before bed and in the morning helps me. I’ve definitely been a bit congested pretty much since we found out we were pregnant, apparently it’s a symptom for me .
@flyingmombula because I get them at least quarterly so by now i know it like the back of my hand i can generally tell by how it progresses.
EDIT: also not to gross you out but I’m spitting green mucus which is the biggest sign for me. When the mucus is clear it’s not infected but when it’s green, it’s a sinus infection for me!
@mamaoftwomonkeys I think we misunderstand each other. I will also be getting a 20 week ultrasound, because I agree. The problem lies in the very long 3D and 4D ultrasounds from boutiques in the mall, at home Doppler’s where women listen to Baby for an hour each night, and having weekly scans to check issues that won’t change an outcome that wouldn’t otherwise been fine to just double check in week 38 or 39. The problem isn’t one or two, the problem is the excessive use of it.
Once upon a time, X-ray was the coolest thing ever because it was the first way we could see Baby before they were born. And then they learned, and then policy changed. Ultrasound isn’t new, but this excessive access to it is. And is baby being under ultrasound waves daily or for hours at a time worth a peek a boo baby session? Or should ultrasound just be left for medical necessity?
Hi everyone! This isn't a pregnancy specific question but I am new to The Bump and forums in general and I'm seeing a ton of abbreviations I don't know the meaning of. Usually, I look them up but Google gives me a ton of different possibilities to go through it's getting exhausting. I'm wondering if there is an easy glossary us forum newbies can reference somewhere?
Thank you @indigoheightsblog@swanbrooner and @meggyme ! I did read that 'READ FIRST' post when I first joined but must have missed the abbreviations link. I see it now, thank you!
I just wanted to say thank you again for all your kind words and suggestions. I'm doing much better after my 9 week ultra sound and talking with my dr for a while Your suggestions made a ton of difference!
I posted this in my weekly update, but I thought I'd throw it out here too. My midwife only does one u/s at the 20 week mark. So at the first appointment (mine is on 8/30 which is Week 11), she'll check the heartbeat at least to confirm that everything is ok, right? Have any of you been to first appointments in the past where they didn't do dating u/s? I know it's pretty standard, but I was really surprised to hear that, and now I'm just questioning all of my assumptions about what that first appointment will be. I just want to make sure that something will be happening to reassure this constant paranoia!
@auburnvelvet86 I can only speak from my experience but they checked for the heartbeat at every appointment. I'm sure they will be checking in at your first appointment!
@thedaint87- Thanks! I knew it was probably a silly question, but I was thrown already once so I thought it was probably better to ask than to wonder all month!
I posted this in my weekly update, but I thought I'd throw it out here too. My midwife only does one u/s at the 20 week mark. So at the first appointment (mine is on 8/30 which is Week 11), she'll check the heartbeat at least to confirm that everything is ok, right? Have any of you been to first appointments in the past where they didn't do dating u/s? I know it's pretty standard, but I was really surprised to hear that, and now I'm just questioning all of my assumptions about what that first appointment will be. I just want to make sure that something will be happening to reassure this constant paranoia!
I haven't had my first appointment, but when I do, I won't be having a dating ultrasound. The only reason you "need" one is if you have irregular cycles or are otherwise unsure about how far along you are. And I put "need" in quotes because even then, you don't really need one. It's just handy particularly if you have a medical person who will be pushing you for an induction if you get much past 40 weeks.
Anyone else’s doctor not do beta testing unless something is “wrong”? **trigger** I have had a mmc and a CP so I’m sooo nervous and they won’t let me do betas for a little piece of mind... ): I’m going to go crazy! Also, my CP was last month so i haven’t had AF since then so I don’t even know a due date! I have an ultrasound scheduled for August 9.... hope these next 10 days fly by! /:
@Sparkylove I’m not PGAL but my OB also has not done betas or any kind of confirmation testing yet. My first appointment is 8/13. I assume I’ll have a dating US, but I guess I don’t know that for a fact.
DD1: June '16 DD2: March ‘19 :::: Married since 2011 :::: USN Wife ::::
Re: Question? Need help? ***POST HERE***
Some background: I’ve had 2 high-risk pregnancies, one for never gaining any weight when I was youngish, and one for a pregnancy after a very long illness combined with advanced maternal age. I had TONS of ultrasounds during both pregnancies since I was labeled high-risk.
In my second pregnancy I hated my fear-mongering doctor & switched docs at the start of my 9th month. My new doc wasn’t concerned at all about doing any ultrasounds since I was so healthy. When I think about it, my first doc when I was young tried to fill me w so much fear too since I only gained about 10 pounds. Both babies were totally fine and perfect and around 8-9 pounds, thank God.
So now I’m older & wiser & just learning that there are potential dangers to ultrasound and Doppler use that we aren’t told about as patients. Do any of you have any insights or resources about the safety of these? I’m debating foregoing any US—or maybe just one—for this last pregnancy. Thank you!
My midwife, and most of the evidence-based practices around Chicago do one scan at 20 weeks to check anatomy unless there is another concern.
I had very very mild nausea with my first from like 5-16 weeks. I’m 9w3d now with my second and I’ve been feeling super sick since like 5/6 weeks...it’s way worse this go around and the exhaustion is killer. I just slept 10 hours...
https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/uog.8962
Totally feel your pain as I’m wide awake now while the rest of the fam is sleeping!
https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/50-in-utero-human-studies-confirm-risks-prenatal-ultrasound/
With my 2nd it was brutal from 4 weeks to 12 weeks, followed by killer nausea anytime I smelled my husband for the remainder of the pregnancy. Ha! Horrible times.
The morning sickness is super minor or absent w this 3rd pregnancy, praying I escape it this time! Good luck to you, enjoy your MS-free pregnancy!!!
[spoiler=TW in signature]
Me: 36, DH 37.
August 2014- 6w MMC
July 2015- CP
PCOS, plus some medical issues that make me high risk.
Our rainbow babies are due 3/21!!!!!
[/spoiler]
and here are some articles I mentioned before about it ultrasounds, starting with the FDA
https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm095508.htm
https://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/MedicalImaging/ucm115357.htm#benefitsrisks
https://reset.me/story/17-scans-in-one-pregnancy-why-these-scientists-warn-ultrasound-could-harm-developing-brain/
https://kellybroganmd.com/human-studies-condemn-ultrasound/
https://sarahbuckley.com/ultrasound-scans-cause-for-concern/
https://kellybroganmd.com/human-studies-condemn-ultrasound/
ETA due to premature posting
EDIT: also not to gross you out but I’m spitting green mucus which is the biggest sign for me. When the mucus is clear it’s not infected but when it’s green, it’s a sinus infection for me!
Once upon a time, X-ray was the coolest thing ever because it was the first way we could see Baby before they were born. And then they learned, and then policy changed. Ultrasound isn’t new, but this excessive access to it is. And is baby being under ultrasound waves daily or for hours at a time worth a peek a boo baby session? Or should ultrasound just be left for medical necessity?
https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12135597/acronyms
I just wanted to say thank you again for all your kind words and suggestions. I'm doing much better after my 9 week ultra sound and talking with my dr for a while