Anyone know about the safety or had experience of multiple ultrasounds?

[user1479828284]

DR the wants me to go for monthly ultrasounds from 26 weeks which I am worried about, will make it 6-8 for throughout pregnancy, anyone know about risks or have experience of having this many during their pregnancy?

Thanks

My opinion is that they wouldn't request them if they were dangerous. I had six abdominal scans and about eight internal ones, all were to ensure the safety of my daughter, and because of them any issues were spotted and managed, otherwise she would have arrived premature.

I had loads all through my pregnancies, one at 5+6 to determine viability and see the heartbeat, 10 wks, 14 wks, 18 weeks, 22 weeks, 26 wks, 30 wks, 34 wks, 36 wks then every week until they arrived at 37+6 and 38+2 respectively.

In fact, through in a couple of extra for both as they were small babies (we just have small babies in our family) and had to have growth checks after bed rest.

Both completely healthy kids, now 5 years and 2 1/2 - and lovely to see them growing each month.

It honestly wouldn't bother me having that many scans but my OBGYN offers them as a matter of course.

There is no radiation in ultrasounds - they don't pose a risk like x-rays and mammograms.

Sorry, I meant that it was lovely to see them growing each month on the scans.

As far as I know ultrasound is entirely safe. Risk would be in declining scans that are medically required and something being missed.

With my youngest I had scans every two weeks from 20 weeks (due to the discovery of compliance actions at the 20 week scan).

No ill effects on the baby although I did end up getting a rash every couple of weeks from the gel.

We were told it was completely safe.

I work in this field and I can tell you I would not be concerned about it. The only reason known risks of ultrasound to a foetus are very mild heating, which essentially accumulates over time as they scan. That's why after a while of trying they send you off for a walk if they can't get a good image, and then rearrange for another day is they still can't. However, it is only possible to get dangerous levels of heating if you scan the same area continuously for a really long time (way longer than your average foetal scan) so there is pretty much no risk. The heat dissapates pretty quickly into your body so reappearing at weekly intervals is not an issue at all. Hope that helps.

They're just soundwaves and the "volume" they use for clinical use is safe. There is no evidence in all the years they have been using them that there is any risk whatsoever to a pregnancy.

I've had scans this pregnancy at 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 20 weeks and about three doppler heartbeat checks on top. I am also scheduled for growth scans from 28 weeks (the joys of a complex pregnancy!). I've asked this question and been reassured by multiple medical professionals that there is no risk.

I also work in the filed, and exactly what ChickyDuck says. There are 'volume' levels indicated on the scanner (called TI - thermal index and MI - mechanical index) which tell the operator how much ultrasound power is being used. The scientific organisation has produced guidelines about how long you can scan at different 'volumes', and in my experience the times are usually way below those. Also, the risk doesn't accumulate - it's not like X-rays where two CT scans are twice the cancer risk of one CT scan.

Guidelines are here if you are interested in a little light reading!

I had scans at 6, 8, 10, 11, 12-19 one a week two in 20 to 21 and then every two weeks to 31 weeks.

I had a very complicated MCDA twin pregnancy and without them wouldn't have had two live babies.

I did query at point point about the number of scans but considering I had to have my placenta lasered the scans weren't all that risky in comparison and certainly less risky than X ray which they used to do in the nit so distant past.

It's just sound waves, just like a ships sonar, won't do any harm

I have a tall, genius late teenage boy who has never had any behavioural or health problems despite bi-weekly scans in the last 3 months (seriously, he's amazing - though he does leave all his dresser draws open). Anecdotally, fwiw, I declare them safe on that basis! There's also good science from other posters :)

There's no problem with multiple ultrasounds but why on want does he want you to have one a month from 26 weeks? What on earth does he think will happen after that point that wasn't a problem before?

I had an ultrasound every other day from 16wks until 20wks then two weekly until 24wks the once a week until 30wks. He's 3 now and happy and healthy

I had lots of scans due to complications in the first and third tris. I don't know how many. They were daily just before delivery. I did some research and the only reported effect I could find was a higher incidence of lefthandedness. I now have a boisterous two year old who has a clear preference for her left hand. Who knows if it was due to the ultrasound. I'd rather her have a lifetime of smudgy writing than the difficulties she might have had if my placenta had stopped delivering blood to her.