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I was wondering when normal or routine u/s are done?
I had my first at 21 weeks and my OB has said theres only the need for that one and no more?
I have read alot of posts and alot of people seem to have more then just the 1?
I have asked will there be more but have been told theres really no need to do any more as im a low risk pg.:confused:
Nope! No more u/s after that one. Women with low-lying placentas will have an u/s around 34w to make sure it's clear of the cervix (dangerous otherwise), but otherwise if you and bub are healthy that's it until you see bub in the flesh!
A lot of women will also have an u/s at 11-13w (called a nuchal translucency scan) for an assessment of the risk of Down's Syndrome. So a lot of women will have two u/s.
You only have one ultrasound unless you have the one around 12 weeks. The only other way to have another one done is see if you can find a place that does the 4D scans but you will have to pay for that one.
Kimbaz
How I wish I was in your shoes!
I'm at the opposite end of the age scale and I had an ultrasound at 7 weeks to check I had a heartbeat, and will have one at 13 weeks to check for down syndrome and other things, then another at 19 weeks to check morphology. These seem to be the three scans that most women in the higher than average risk category have. Other women just seem to have one or two. The 19-21 week one is the major one.
Other women at even higher risk than me can have them every fortnight or every week.
I find the whole technology thing incredibly intrusive, very anxiety making as I wait to cross each hurdle not knowing whether they are going to find something horrible that is going to throw me and my DH into complete turmoil. Sure the pictures are nice but the anxiety that accompanies the waiting for each ultrasound is horrific for those of us required to have them because we are too old, higher risk etc etc. :rolleyes:
If you had a good scan at 21 weeks then you are almost certainly going to be just fine!
In anycase I've read somewhere that later in pregnancy bubs don't like ultrasounds, they can hear them and there is evidence they squirm away from the noise. Keep up the good work - sounds like you are growing a perfectly beautiful baby all by yourself! You go girl.:thumbsup:
I agree with what Kar has said. Technology is something that has given us so many answers and so many options. It is wonderful but the down side is that certainly the stress it causes to a woman and her partner can be immense when there is a query, but a sheer blessing when we are given good chances.
If your morphology scan shows that your little one is looking good then the next time you will see her/him will be on her/his birth day! There are a few reasons why later scans are done but with indicators of problems in an otherwise low risk pregnancy they are not done.
Wishing you a stress free pregnancy.
Hugs
There is mounting evidence that ultrasound may affect brain development. A recent study quoted in "The Telegraph" (UK Paper) on 8 August 2006 looked at research at Yale University showing that U/S causes brain abnormalities in rats. As 4D scans use considerably more U/S than standard scans, it is wise to limit U/S to necessary diagnostic use only.:
The other interesting aspect about ultrasound is that, unlike pharmaceuticals, it has not been demonstrated to be safe. The tests have simply not been done. Which is rather peculiar for a supposedly therapeutic technology, isn't it!
Cheers
David
As everyone here has said the 20 week one is usually the last unless theres a medical problem. There are places that offer scans(usually 4D) after this but they cost quite a lot and sometimes you need a referal for them, which most doctors won't give out anyway.
I read the study in the Telegraph and wasn't convinced - I'll try and post it later if I can find it again - tbh, giving rats doses of anything, drugs or U/Ss, that would be huge even in humans then analysing the effects doesn't mean that (a) small human doses will do the same or even (b) rat and human morphology are similar enough for a similar thing to happen. One friend had 2 high-risk pregnancies and had lots of scans and her girls are fine, although I'm happy just to have 3 scans (dating, NT scan and abnormality scan).
That's only the latest research quoted and certainly rats do not equate to humans, but they are mammals. There are some Scandinavian epidemiological studies that show various links to left-handedness and other suggestions of changes to brain development, but most of these findings have not been replicated and thus are not widely reported, although a search of the Cochrane Database will allow you to find these studies.
It still suggests to me that caution and moderation is a useful approach in birth, especially in relation to a technology not proven to be safe.
Cheers
David
A rise in the lefties? Maybe I should demand more scans then - all the best people are lefties! (Did I mention I'm a leftie? LOL.) I don't think that lefties have abnormal brains, but will do a search as this is interesting.
Yeah that certainly IS interesting!
I wouldn't stress Kimbaz, the 20ish week one is to check all the limbs and organs and stuff, I had that, and the 12 week one to check for Down's sydrome. They actually told me I didn't need to have the 12 week one if I really didn't want, but I still didn't really believe I was pregnant, so actually seeing the baby was important to me then.
But the research is interesting, and does suggest that until we know exactly how ultrasounds affect unborn babies, not to freak out, but to practice moderation where we can and not have many more u/s's than we really need to.
Happy pregnancy!
You should have 2 Ultrasounds not 1.
One at 12 weeks and another at 20 weeks.Anyone else who has them after has them for a medical reason to check on the baby.If all is fine then you wont have anymore after 20 weeks
The research is interesting but it doesn't state how many u/s can be harmful.
With both my other pregnancies i had 7 with my first and 5 with the next.
Kimbaz i should have said that you will need a refearal and a medical reason to have the 4d scan.
I have both because of this pregnancy being high risk and also with Alexander being born with kidney problems they have to make sure this baby doesn't have the same problem.
Sorry to go off the topic a little here but I have read about some of the research into saftety of u/s's also. Freaked me out a bit initially because I have had weekly u/s since about 5-6 weeks due to history of m/c and higher risk pg. However, there does not appear to be any clear evidence one way or another ie no proof that they might be harmful and no proof that they are totally safe. The only thing they did find was the possible association with lefthandness but i don't think enough work has been done to even say this is from the use of u/s.
In my own opinion, what some of the "anti -ultrasound" advocates might forget, is the immense relief many women will get from seeing their baby on screen and knowing all is ok - particularly for those who have had or are currently facing pregnancy problems. Anxiety is,in itself, potentially very harmful to mother and child! I guess it is probably easier to be 'against" a technology if all has been "normal" and thus no essential need for it.
I know I was extremely anxious about this pregnancy and the u/s's have truly kept me from going insane. Sure, I don't want my baby to be exposed to anything potentially harmful but most of the scans have been done by a Dr and kept quite short to limit exposure. Anyway, just my slant on things from someone who HAS had many scans and gained much emotional comfort.
My MIL was sure that seems I had more then normal amounts of U/S (4 in total) with Evan then he would be left handed. Even DH was in on it. I think all kids start off using their left hand more & then move on to be right handed. Both Evan & Glenn have looked to be left handed then they turned out to be right.
I have't read anything about u/s's and being left handed so I guess there could be a link but because it was something my MIL suggested I just laugh at the idea that 4 or less u/s could cause that. The other thing as well is MIL & DH would have ignored the fact there are left handed people on my side of the family if the boys did happen to be left handed. It would have been the ultrasounds not the fact in runs in my family LOL
I'm a high risk pregnancy , there fore I had a u/s at 6 , 12 and going for my 19 week u/s next week . I will be having another one or two after that also.
Hi,
Yes, unless your high risk, pretty much your one and only scan is the 20 wk one. They tend to not even let you have the 12 wk one these days unless you pay for it.
I am a high risk pregnancy though so i have had lots and will have lots more to check my baby's growth.
When I went for my first midwives appointment, they told me that you only really have to have one at around 18-20 weeks. I am having that one and the NT scan which is in 2 weeks and thats all I get apparently.
Yep, with my 2nd the only way I would be given a referal for a 12 weeks scan was by requesting it be for a Downs scan. Even then it was a big mess around to get it. But this time I just asked the midwife & she said "yep here you go!"
I am left handed (so is my sister and my Mum) and none of us were exposed to U/S due to the years we were born!!
For my next pregnancy (hopefully some time this decade) I will have an U/S at 6-7 weeks to check for viability, 12 week nuchal translucency and 18-20 week anomaly scan. I then have to have a placental doppler study at around 22 weeks and probably U/S fortnightly after that to monitor fetal growth due to Caitlyn being stillborn. I am unusual and considered high risk. Most *normal* people only have one or two over the course of their pregnancy.
Im still having u/s
One at 12 weeks,then at 20 weeks again at 31 weeks...another at 33 weeks and I will have another at 37 weeks...all because I have polyhydramnios (Excess Amnotic Fluid)
Hi,
I had a u/s done at 12 weeks, another at 16 weeks, another at 19 weeks, another at 21 weeks and one at 38 weeks!!!! I was in a high risk catorgory though!
But consider yourself lucky as i would much rather have had less prodding and poking.
Kristee-Lea - 21
Tarleha maye - 29/06/06
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/eleel...ha+Maye+is.png
I had one at 12 wks, 19 wks, 32 wks and then at 37 wks, due to placenta praevia.
Also I had a 4D one at all of them from 19 wks as the SAH has the facility there, it was just a quick flick of the switch when they were looking at her face. No extra charge at all. I think if you go to a place specifically to have a 4D scan it costs extra, but if you're having your routine scan somewhere that can do 4D it's just included.
I would have preferred not to have had to have the last two u/s because then I wouldn't have had placenta praevia, wouldn't have needed a c/s and *ugh* wouldn't have had to have internal u/s done! I hated those!! Although it was good to see bub and it was cool to find out she had hair. She has a great video for when she's older too.
I believe the risks from u/s are so low they aren't worth worrying about. Probably more of a risk having a cup of tea every day! The heat from the ultrasound waves is so low it doesn't seem to have any effect on baby.
As I'll be going for my fourth scan in a couple of weeks, I checked with the sonographer. As she pointed out, a study of 40 people is far too small and all the best people are left-handed. She is, I am... I'll be more than happy if Liebling is. Everything is developing perfectly and is just as it should be (no damage done!).
I'll be having 9w, 13w, 19w, 21w and maybe 34-35w (depending on how the placenta is lying in the next scan). Most people here just get 12w and 21w scans.
There's been an endocrine study recently that shows low birth weight babies can have similar problems - diabetes, brain troubles... - anyway, low birth weight can be caused in part by extreme stress, which can be caused by a high risk pregnancy which would mean more ultrasounds: maybe it's not the ultrasounds that cause it, just the "high risk" factor instead?
I have my first appointment with an OB tomorow and I'm at about 8 weeks so I wonder what they'll do there. I would like to have something more concrete than 2 lines on a pee-stick to show me I'm pregnant at this point, so I wouldn't turn down an US! I have a pituitary adenoma which puts me into a higher risk catagory according to my endochrinologist...but then again he said we woudn't be able to get pregnant without medical help...and we conceived on the first cycle we tried!
I want to have the NT test as well. Thomas and I have discussed what we'd do at the outcome and would rather know what's going on at the first chance.