My father pioneered some of the first ultrasound technology available in Australia and has always warned me about having "unneccessary scans" during my pregnancy. Again, not because it is a KNOWN harm, but because in his opinion, there is not enough known about the risks to warrant using it just to "have a squiz" because you feel like it.

Heaps of people have asked me if I wanted the 3D/4D scan done, and I have said that as I know the gender, the one surprise I have left is what my bubs will look like! There is no way I would personally go for the whole bring-your-popcorn, stadium seating, recreational scan on a DVD with your choice of music type business. I find the growth of those scanning places quite scary.

So my thoughts are that if the scan is medically indicate, or if it reduces risk of something going wrong, then the benefits of it FAR outweigh any potential risks. It's the whole "there's nothing harmful about it so we'll turn it into a user-pays circus for having a good look at your unborn child" thing that concerns me.