Any sonographers about? Is it safe to have two ultrasound scans in one week?

[Sophiej67]

As above. I’m in the second trimester. Many thanks

Under medical supervision yes, if you are paying a private company why? I think these high street places increase stress and anxiety

I'm not a sonographer, but of course it's safe to have two ultrasounds in the same week. The NHS is quite clear that there are no known side effects of ultrasound examinations.

Two ultrasounds in a week is absolutely safe. Often happens eg if baby is being a pickle and not cooperating with scan for measurements and checks!

At one point I had 3 scans in one week. Growth scan they couldn't get some measurements so had a second one that week, then later in week my midwife (who was about as much use as a chocolate fireguard) decided she thought baby had flipped from head down to breach (at 40 weeks) and sent me for emergency presentation scan that day in case I went into labour.

Ultrasound is just sound waves. Its not radioactive like X rays, so totally harmless. It is easy to be on red alert for any procedure during pregnancy though!

Thanks. I thought the same but window to the womb say clinical guidance says 2 weeks between scans?

I had more often with a perfectly healthy almost 6 month old. Growth scans have to be 2 weeks apart (I had these from 28 weeks onwards), I also had scans in between for level of fluid around baby and blood flow through cord. I had at least 10 scans between 28 weeks and birth. Funny thing is, these extra scans were all because they thought baby wasn't growing. He was over 9lb when he made his appearance 😅.

Ultrasound is safe. I imagine it’s probably an ethical thing. If you’re getting 2 scans, at a place like window to the womb so it’s not for medical reasons then it could be a sign of bad anxiety that you’d be better discussing with your midwife/doctor rather than spending more money on private scans? It’s pretty common though to have to have a medical scan redone though because they couldn’t get the measurements first time so loads of people will have had 2+ in a week. Or get the 12 week scan on the NHS and go private for the NIPT around the same time and get scanned again. If there’s something that doesn’t look good on one of the scans. Etc. I had private consultant lead care and was scanned at every appointment, so that was every 2 weeks in the 3rd trimester, couldn’t even tell you how many it was total over the pregnancy! Kids are fine.

I work in this area, although I don't do obstetric scanning. My understanding is that 'non-medical' scans may involve higher energy levels, especially 4D scanning (which is rarely used for medical indications), and there is some theoretical risk of heating. If there's no medical indication for the scan, they probably have to cover themselves somehow. Medical indications for repeat scans or repeat scans by NHS staff and equipment wouldn't bother me at all.

Yep same here, scan after scan, telling me he's 5lb and not growing. 2 weeks later he's born 6lb7 🙄

Yup my supposed 6lber was actually 8lb3! None of the newborn clothes we’d brought to the hospital fit.

Thanks all who have replied so far

I never thought of the ethics side but iswym