4d scan - I'm being irrational.

[LucyB1]

Hi, my dh wants to get a 3d scan of out baby at 28 weeks. I really dont know why but i have gone all irrational about it. I dont really want it and its made my cry. I dont know why. Im not even sure why i dont want it! Not sure i want to know what my baby looks like yet.

He said it will be good to show her when she is older and its just a bit of fun. Why do i not see it this way. I dont want to tell him not and be a kill joy. After all its nice that he wants to do it really....

I think the NHS also advises against them by the way - if that might be a way to put your DH off the idea? They advise that all unnecessary scans be avoided due to possible risks ofthe ultrasound affecting the baby's neurological development.

The NHS don't say anything about possible risks - there are no known risks for ultrasound.

They don't promote them because they don't promote anything that's not a medical necessity - NOT because there us any evidence at all that ultrasounds are harmful!

(Sorry don't want to come across as lecturing there but I know people will read that and freak out that they've damaged their baby...) :)

My aim wasn't to scare anyone who has had one but to try to let people know about the NHS advice which is out there. I am afraid there ARE reports (not backed up by the NHS but not refuted either) that scans can affect neurological development. The link from the NHS website is attached. The report to which they refer shows a link between numerous scans and an increased incidence of left-handedness. Left-handedness which is not hereditary can be a sign of neurological damage (for example, there is a far higher incidence of left-handedness in the autistic community than in the general population).

I just want people to know that there MAY be risks as these private companies offering these scans are sure as hell not going to mention it.

www.nhs.uk/news/2010/02February/Pages/Warning-over-souvenir-baby-scans.aspx

I've read that paper :)

consensus among the professionals I know is that their stats are seriously flawed and it's probably a confounding type error, not a correlation. (A little light bedtime reading if anyone wants it can be found here en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confounding ) I.e a leads to b and a leads to c but b does not cause c.

There's no evidence in any peer reviewed journal that shows neurological damage in humans from ultrasound scans at the levels used in either a healthy normal pregnancy or in a pregnancy that needs enhanced scanning. (I am a scientist and I work in clinical research, and I usually make myself annoying on these boards by being very anal about correct stats and peer review, because I've found that sooooo many things get panicked about during pregnancy) :)

The NHS rightly errs on the side of caution until anything is proven safe. Actually proving something is safe in pregnancy is a bugger of a job, which is why there are so few category A drugs... You can't experiment directly, you have to look retrospectively at datasets. We've got about 50 years of data from ultrasounds. So far nothing negative. We will of course continue to look (be daft not to and you never know at what sample size you'll see an effect) but right now there's no evidence to suggest it's harmful. The only reason I'm not having one is that there's no one near me who does them.

What a strange article! There's no actual evidence of any issue and diagnostic ultrasounds are fine but having one more souvenir one could be dangerous?

That said, I really dislike the 4d scans - they creep me out. I want to meet my baby when they are ready!

Skiptonlass I am no scientist and so I bow to your superior expertise in this area!

Personally I am very, very cautious about everything this pregnancy, as I was the complete opposite in my last pregnancy and my DS has autism. I have no clue what caused it - no one knows what causes autism - and probably DS would still have autism no matter what I had done in pregnancy. BUT I kind of think - if there are even suggestions that something might be a risk in pregnancy - why do it? For the sake of a photo? Trust me you will have a MILLION photos of your baby once they are born which will be much, much lovelier!

But each to their own - I just think it's worth bringing these things to people's attention when they might not know about them. Especially when they are on the NHS website. I wish someone had made me more aware of the risks of certain things when I was pregnant with DS.

MissTwister - I think the article says the type of ultrasound and its intensity and the amount of time it is used is longer for these 3D scans than for the standard diagnostic ultrasounds.

I agree with you though, I think they are creepy too!

We had one at 28weeks. I had a meltdown a few days before and wanted to cancel it as I was afraid we would find out the sex and I don't want to know. We had the scan and I didn't feel like I thought I would. I don't know if it was because we took the grandparents and there were more people there or whether it was because it was a different sort of scan but I felt kind of detached. Like it wasn't what was inside me. I can't explain it

How about getting a cast of your pregnant belly if you don't fancy a 4G scan op?

4d I meant - bloody tablet!

They had do it yourself casts in TK MAXX for £7.99

Dimple, I totally understand!

I'm the same with alcohol. I know the data says low consumption is safe, and I am absolutely convinced that one or two tiny drinks after trimester one , with food are absolutely fine...

But, I've not touched a drop because I know that if anything went wrong I'd be 'what if'ing forever. That anxiety is real, in my mind, even if it's not totally evidence based (hypocrite? Moi?!)

Wishing you a happy rest of pregnancy and a happy healthy baby too :)

And you Skipton! Think how good that first glass of wine will taste after they are born .