Declining all ultrasounds?

[DoubtOfTheOrdinary]

Hi all, I have my dating scan at the end of this month but I've been reading about 50 studies that recently came out of China questioning the safety of ultrasound scans, and wondering if anyone's gone through their pregnancy without having any?

The studies were done on Chinese women who were already planning to terminate their pregnancies for non-medical reasons. They exposed some of the fetuses to additional scans prior to the termination, then compared the fetal tissues post-termination with those who hadn't had any additional scans. The fetuses that had been exposed to additional ultrasounds had higher levels of cellular damage than those who hadn't. The suggestion is that routine ultrasounds could be a factor in things like autism, learning disabilities, childhood cancers, and immunity issues like eczema and allergies.

There's more info at
www.birthpracticeandpolitics.org/single-post/2019/04/03/Ultrasound-Unsound and www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/50-in-utero-human-studies-confirm-risks-prenatal-ultrasound/ for those interested. I need to do more reading around the topic before I make any drastic decisions, obviously, but atm I'm curious about the experiences of women who've declined all ultrasounds in their pregnancies. Did you have any trouble from the midwives/obstetricians? Were you happy you made that choice in the end?

I am having a lot of scans! I'm carrying mcda twins, which means my babies are sharing a placenta. Due to this, I have growth scans every two weeks! I've had them since week 16 and will continue to do so until my ECLS. I would absolutely rather know if my twins have TTTS so we can get treatment, rather than have dead babies

OP, you are getting a hard time! When I was first pregnant I did a lot of reading re scans too, and (largely for the ethical reasons you mention, I think) there isn't actually much evidence that they are totally safe, other than that they are used so widely in so many places to no obvious ill effect. Very obviously, they are brilliant and can be lifesaving, but it's impossible to know for certain that there is no downside.
In the end I accepted the routine scans (three in my trust), but not the routine Doppler listening to the heartbeat (if you ask, the MW may still be able to use the wooden tube thing they used to use), and I strongly queried and then declined an extra scan I didn't think was needed, and accepted another which I did agree with. My trust was totally fine with that, and happy to explain the benefits of the various options. This time I have been scheduled for some extra scans which I am undecided about, and I will be asking more questions about at my next appt.
You don't need to be a total loon to want to make your own decisions re medical interventions!

Utter utter bullshit OP, sorry - but I think you've realised that already.

What are these '50 studies'?

The NHS says
As the HPA says, there is little evidence of the longer-term health effects of ultrasound exposure to developing babies. However, the fact that antenatal ultrasounds have been used for several decades without any apparent ill effects is promising. The evidence of a neurological effect of ultrasound comes from a few animal and human studies that are viewed as inconclusive by the HPA

Expectant parents can be reassured that routine diagnostic ultrasound scans (performed at 10-13 and 18-20 weeks of pregnancy) are safe. They can provide the baby’s definite gestational age, identify multiple pregnancies, inform about the baby’s growth, placental health and identify any developmental or structural abnormalities

So with that in mind, it looks like the risks of NOT having scans are much higher given they can pick up abnormalities in both mother and foetus. Issues with the placenta can lead to an awful death for both mother and baby, for example.

As things stand I’ll have had 8 USS during this pregnancy. At 6+6, 12+5, 17+0, 20+0, 24, 28, 32 and 36 weeks - and that’s only if things go to plan, I could end up with more if there are concerns. That’s with presumed DCDA twins - if it was MCMA twins then they would be scanning every 2 weeks from 16 weeks!!

I would say that routine NHS scanning is safe and, if they do this many for a twin pregnancy, having 2/3 during a singleton pregnancy wouldn’t do any harm or they wouldn’t do so many for multiple pregnancies!!

@HJWT @HiHoney @Grumpbum123

There's no need to be so rude to the OP. It's not like she came on here telling you all to stop having scans. She just came across these studies and wanted to hear about whether anyone has declined scans before and why. She didn't present the studies as fact. She even said she needed to do more reading around the subject. Calling her 'pathetic' and 'ridiculous' is over the top and makes you sound overly defensive.

Most people's responses were reasonable, at least. I appreciated the extra info some of you provided (e.g. cancer and cell degeneration being higher amongst East Asian people). OP, I think you have been very gracious in your replies too, despite other people's rudeness :)

It’s risk benefit, as with everything.

Personally I don’t feel enough research has been conducted into scan safety. There are very few controlled clinical trials, if any. I did read a study years ago- uk, peer reviewed, where frequent scanning was associated with an increased incidence of left handedness. Not life threatening, but a possible indicator that scans can change things. Private scans are also a money spinner- so no ones going to go looking.

Anecdotes do not make anecdata. My gran smoked 50 years and lived til 90.

If you have a completely straightforward pregnancy and wouldn’t terminate if there were a disability i don’t think it’s unreasonable to refuse early scans. It’s still probably more benefit than risk to have the anomaly scan though- at that stage they may pick something up that can be treated.

If you would terminate in cases of downs etc have the 12 week scan too.

If your pregnancy is higher risk, then follow medical advice as the benefits outweigh any dangers.

Personally though i wouldn’t have extra scans “to see” (i’ve heard of people saying they’re bleeding etc to get scan because they want to see their baby), private, gender, or any scans that aren't medically indicated.