Are 4d Scans safe & worth the cost????

[jersey]

Hi we are thinking of having in a 4d scan at a company in Nottingham but are unsure as to how safe these scans are.

They are also very expensive and wonder where it is worth the money as finances are a little tight?

Has anyone had one please?

Thanks

I think if you have the money then it is a "fun" exciting thing to do, if money is tight I would not bother at all.
I do not think safety is a problem - same technology different imaging process.

it is safe and if you want to do it you should do. personally i couldn't do it as i want to be suprised by what my baby looks like (i know that sounds a little crazy). i love seeing the 4d images though in magazines and on television. if you want it i think it would be worth every penny seeing those images.

Thanks, will have to see if the funds will stretch or not .

There's a thread in 'Chat' at the moment about how someone's been ripped off by one of these companies.

Here

Thanks RedZuleika I have had a look at that thread. Very shocked that people can take you for a ride over something so important to you .

I think that if we decide to do this I will ask my midwife if she can recommend anyone who does the scans, where she knows people who have had experience of their scanning.

I know someone who had it done but at a hospital in Birmingham, which is a bit far.

Thankyou

From a Canadian review of studies on the safety of ultrasound. I don't think I'd do it for fun:

J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2005 Jun;27(6):572-80. Related Articles, Links

Obstetric ultrasound biological effects and safety.

[Article in English, French]

Bly S, Van den Hof MC; Diagnostic Imaging Committee, Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To review the biological effects and safety of obstetric ultrasound. OUTCOME: Outline the circumstances in which safety may be a concern with obstetric ultrasound. EVIDENCE: Medline was searched, and a review of a document on this subject published by Health Canada and of bibliographies from identified articles was conducted. VALUES: Review by principal authors and the Diagnostic Imaging Committee of the SOGC. The level of evidence was judged as outlined by the Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination. BENEFITS, HARMS, AND COSTS: Obstetric ultrasound should only be done for medical reasons, and exposure should be kept as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) because of the potential for tissue heating. Higher energy is of particular concern for pulsed Doppler, colour flow, first trimester ultrasound with a long transvesical path (> 5 cm), second or third trimester exams when bone is in the focal zone, as well as when scanning tissue with minimal perfusion (embryonic) or in patients who are febrile. Operators can minimize risk by limiting dwell time, limiting exposure to critical structures, and following equipment generated exposure information. Recommendations 1. Obstetric ultrasound should only be used when the potential medical benefit outweighs any theoretical or potential risk (II-2A). 2. Obstetric ultrasound should not be used for nonmedical reasons, such as sex determination, producing nonmedical photos or videos, or for commercial purposes ( III-B). 3. Ultrasound exposure should be as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) because of the potential for tissue heating when the thermal index exceeds 1. Exposure can be reduced through the use of output control and (or) by reducing the amount of time the beam is focused on one place (dwell time) (II-1A). 4. All diagnostic ultrasound devices should comply with the output display standards (MI and TI) (III-B). 5. When ultrasound is done for research or teaching purposes, exposed individuals should be informed if either the MI or TI are greater than 1 and how this exposure compares to that found in normal diagnostic practice (III-B). 6. While imaging the fetus in the first trimester, Doppler and colour Doppler should be avoided (III-B).