Too many ultrasounds unsafe?

[Leylaaa]

I've had 4 scans so far during my pregnancy.
I'm currently 18 weeks pregnant and have my 20 week scan in 2 weeks time but I just find the nhs scans gap so long and would just like to check on how baby is doing time to time but can having too many scans be unsafe for baby?

There’s a correlation between number of scans and lefthandedness, apparently. There are several studies.

https://journals.lww.com/epidem/fulltext/2002/05000/first_trimester_ultrasound_scans_and.22.aspx

Would suggest it can impact on brain development.

(I’m a leftie, and no shade thrown on lefties at all.)

They are not safe if anxiety driven, and the safe bit is referring to you rather than the baby.

I think the important thing here is why you feel the need to keep having scans. I assume it’s driven by anxiety (I’m sorry if it’s not, but just can’t think of another reason) Do you have someone to talk to in real life? have you spoken to your gp? A counsellor? It’s worth nipping this in the bud now, because anxiety will get a whole lot worse after the baby arrives.

You must have more money than sense to keep paying for private scans!

Maybe put the money towards a therapist that can help with your anxiety.

I had 11 scans in my high risk pregnancy and my baby boy is here and perfectly healthy

It's fine. In high risk pregnancies people have scans fortnightly or more.

It's fine. In high risk pregnancies people have scans fortnightly or more

Because in high risk pregnancies, the benefits outweigh any risks. The advice is to keep scans to a minimum unless clinically needed. I had a very high risk pregnancy and was worried about having to have so many scans. I was under a top OB and what I’ve said above are her words. I certainly wouldn’t have had them if I didn’t need them.

I remember asking my obstetrician this and he said we scan our wives all the time and we have never had a problem (this was in America).

The number OP is describing does seem to be fine though. I have never heard of a baby having been hurt by too many scans and for reasons I won't go into I am aware of the many things that can cause harm during pregnancy.

But I should say I am no expert.

I had to have fortnightly scans (complex pregnancy).

To be honest - its not reassuring the way you think it could be! It just gives you more to worry & obsess over. Measurements etc have a degree of inaccuracy that means the changes are more meaningfully reviewed with longer gaps.

I wouldn't recommend unless your doctor or midwife thinks its needed for medical reasons.

I disagree with people saying that reassurance scans are bad for your mental health- maybe for some people, but I think only you can know that for yourself. I am 18 weeks following a miscarriage, had an early reassurance scan to check for a heartbeat, nhs 12 week scan and have just had an additional reassurance scan because I’ve not felt baby move yet, and felt my first before now so was concerned. All significantly reduced my anxiety and helped my mental health. I will have nhs scan at 20 weeks and suspect after that I will feel less anxious as will be able to monitor movements, however if I feel worried and a further scan will help that, then I don’t see any problem at all. Pregnancy is a worrying time and you don’t need people criticizing you for doing something that can be really helpful.

Not unsafe at all. Ultrasounds aren't radiation like x-rays. They are merely sound waves. Ultrasounds are probably the safest kind of scans in existence today.