Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

I am using a midwife, and she couldn't hear the heartbeat at my first visit yesterday. I am only 9 weeks, so she said this is sometimes too early for the Doppler to pick up. She said that her practice doesn't routinely recommend 1st trimester ultrasound due to inconclusive evidence regarding safety, but she wrote me a script if I'd like to get one done to determine viability. Her practice typically only does one ultrasound at 20 weeks. Natural moms... What is your take on ultrasounds?

Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

I had a twin pregnancy and had an ultrasound every week from 5 weeks to 36 weeks. My boys are happy and healthy. The benefit of the ultrasound (checking for growth, monitoring when I had an SCH and a blood clot in the cervix) outweighed any risk of my health or the health of my babies

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

The majority of women get ultrasounds at their first appointment and again in the first trimester. I had one at 8 weeks and again at 10 to make sure things were progressing as they should be.

It's kind of important in determining viability etc.

I can't imagine it is unsafe- if that was the case millions of women would have issues with their pregnancies

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

From what I've been told, it's very rare to hear a heartbeat with the Doppler at 9 weeks. With one of my earlier pregnancies, the Doppler picked it up at 11 weeks. This time, the NP tried at 9w4d and couldn't find it. She said occasionally it will work at 9 weeks, but to not be concerned if we couldn't find it.

My OB practice typically does a dating ultrasound around 8w and then the NT scan around 12 weeks for those who choose to do the testing. With my first pregnancy, I got pregnant right after going off the pill so the dating ultrasound was helpful because I ovulated around CD21. My EDD was based off the measurements of the baby not my LMP. I was charting with my second so the dating ultrasound just confirmed that DS2 was measuring correctly based on my dates. Then, from 16 weeks on, I had sonos every 4 weeks to monitor the growth until 32 weeks when I had NSTs and sonos every 2 weeks. DS2 was born healthy. With this pregnancy, I had an ultrasound at 7w because of bleeding, 8w to monitor the blood clot and then 12w for the first trimester screening.

It's really up to you and your comfort level, but most people I know have at least 1-2 sonos during the first trimester. When do you go back next? You could always try to be seen for a quick heartbeat check with the Doppler in 2 weeks and if she still can't find the heartbeat, make a sono appointment then.

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

I'd have the sonogram. I did- at 7.5 weeks and we were able to hear and see the heartbeat. There were three other sonograms throughout the pregnancy- 12 weeks NT scan, 20 week anatomy scan, and growth sono at 36 weeks. Actually I think I might've had another one or two at the end because I went past my due date and had borderline low fluid. I think they're all of vital importance and DD is now 9.5 months and healthy as a horse.

Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

I didn't go the midwife route but my doctor only does ultrasounds at 12 weeks and at 20 weeks.
Edit to add they also do the internal sonogram at around 7 weeks.

Message edited 2/14/2017 12:41:19 PM.

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

I get them, but I try not to do more than necessary. And, having done a bunch, I try to go with one of the techs at my Dr office that does it efficiently. IMO, the early ultrasound isn't necessary for determining dates, but I like it for a check that everything looks ok and the pregnancy isn't ectopic.

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

I had 2 u/s, one at 12 and and one at 20 weeks. That was all my OB did. I can understand your concern with having lots of ultrasounds ( though plenty of women need to for various reasons). I would just go with your gut and what your midwife advises.

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

Message edited 2/14/2017 5:50:07 PM.

Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

I had a bunch of sonograms with both pregnancies. No effects as far as I can tell.

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

I had so many u/s with DS...I was under the care of an RE, so that's already 2-3. I also had bleeding early on so that added 2 more. The regular ones at 8, 12 and 20 weeks. Plus, I had fibroids so I had them monthly after, so 24, 28, 32, 36. Oh, and I did a gender scan and 3D, so about 12 u/s, I guess. DS is a perfectly healthy 4 year old.

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

For all the people who have had to have loads of them, I think they are fairly safe. And in your case, I think it absolutely warrants it. It's not a high risk procedure we are talking about and you need information it provides.

Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

Benefits definitely outweigh any risk (if any). I was high risk due to a clotting issue so I had a sono almost weekly and my dd is a perfectly fine 12w old.

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

My first pregnancy I was with a natural friendly OB office and they were very respectful of my approach to minimal amounts of sonos and I also always declined the doppler. Don't both use the same sound wave technology? I'm not sure if they have the same effects internally. Anyway, having since gone through a missed miscarriage that was found on a 10 week sonogram while I was experiencing zero miscarriage symptoms, I would now be pretty nervous to go the whole 1st tri without at least one sono to confirm viability. If you end up getting 2 sonos this pregnancy, one tomorrow and one at 20 weeks, I wouldn't be worried at all about any potential as-yet-unknown side effects.

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

I'm a fairly natural parent in many ways, I guess. That said, my health history means I'm a very high risk pregnancy always and so I get sonograms every 2-4 weeks for the duration of my pregnancies. I have two beautiful, healthy babies.

Your situation, IMO, 100% warrants a sonogram. I'd do it and then stick to a light sono schedule unless medically indicated.

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

I am not sure what your main concerns are about the effects of u/s but I might be able to give you some relief both personally and scientifically.

When my DD1 was first diagnosed with neurological issues, I was devastated. Although I knew I would never locate the source it didn't keep me from trying. It was more of a coping mechanism for me.
Along with a million other things I did a fair amount of reading on the effects of prenatal u/s on brain development in a fetus and there really isn't any evidence to support u/s are harmful. What most practitioners advise against is elective u/s for fun because they aren't medically necessary. I did find a few articles suggesting prenatal u/s could contribute to rise in autism, but being an autism specialist their rationale (prevalence of autism has increased since the use of prenatal u/s have exploded) just isn't true.
Prevalence in autism has increased for many reasons, but the main reason is because practitioners have become more knowledgable about The disorder so the criteria has changed with the last few revisions of the DSM. When we were children ADD/ADHD was all the buzz. Some of those children would currently meet the criteria for ASD today.
I will also add that with DD2 I heard her HB on a u/s at 7w, but at 8w2d nothing was heard on my OBs Doppler. By 12w the HB was loud and clear on the u/s and Doppler so it is absolutely possible it's just too early.

good luck, the choice is yours!!!
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Message edited 2/17/2017 6:15:25 AM.

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

I would go crazy waiting until 20 weeks. But I had a missed miscarriage at 10 weeks (it was picked up at my 12 weeks u/s).

Re: Ultrasound safety (natural pregnancy)

There is no evidence that ultrasounds are not safe.

I had anterior placenta with my son and his heartbeat could rarely be picked up on doppler AND I went in at the end saying "well I haven't felt him much" so I had MANY ultrasounds. I think the benefit of diagnosing any issues outweighs any risk. Since there is no real major risk, i'm not worried about it