Dangers of listening to fetus heartbeat in first trimester. Any sonographers out there??

[MrsBlue1986]

I'm panicking.

I had a private abdo scan yesterday at 9 weeks.

The sonographer played the heartbeat to listen to and also measured it to show 176bpm.

Since I got home I've read countless articles saying you shouldn't listen to the heartbeat in the first trimester as they're still so fragile.

And now I'm worried I've caused some sort of damage. I'm also super crampy yesterday and today, which is very new, as I've not been crampy at all yet.

Anyone got any advice ? Any sonographers out there? Thanks

My understanding is that it's nothing to do with fragility but inaccuracy. So please don't worry about damage. At that age they are a tiny tiny bean and very well padded and protected.

But I'm pretty sure the NHS don't try and listen before 16 weeks IIRC? And for good reason.

I've read it's to do with extra heat in the area which is dangerous for them. It wasn't NHS, it was private 😭😭😭

Where did you even read that? I doubt it was an accurate trusted resource. Stop googling.

Where is your source for this

where did you read it?

there is a lot of mad shit out there and if you aren’t going to exercise critical thinking it will be a very long and horrible pregnancy

This was one of the sites below.

That's bollocks

Please stop worrying - without wanting you to worry more, this is an important stage for your baby and high stress levels are not helpful

You will find during pregnancy that there are a lot of scare stories out there for new mums - I bet if you asked MN for a list there would be loads ( depending on the age of the mums and what was the advice at the time) And at one time a drink of stout was recommended for pregnant women

Please be kind to yourself- we live in an era where all these machines can be used and it’s tempting to want to use them all. Please relax - Mother Nature has designed a way for babies to be protected ( think of babies born in the most challenging of circumstances)

The best thing you can do is - reduce the stress, eat well, keep active and sleep well

In a few months you will be run off your feet with your new arrival

I can't see anything about heat in the article you posted? Anyway... your baby will be fine.

To be honest, I just wish all these private scanning places would be shut down! They seem to do nothing but cause worry and anxiety. There are so many posts on here with people going for scans at 5-6 weeks and then panicking that they can't see anything. The NHS wait until 12 weeks to scan for a reason.

Your baby is well protected OP so I'm sure the cramps you're getting are just a normal part of pregnancy and absolutely nothing to do with the scan. But step away from Google and the private scans and trust your body to grow your baby.

Here is the article I've read

https://www.somersetearlyscans.co.uk/the-fetal-heartbeat-in-the-first-trimester/

There was some stuff about this around 20 years ago where they did multiple scans on mice and mice fetuses and found that excessive/prolonged scans could cause issues. The studies have never been replicated on humans (obviously) and it was only one study and I’d take it with a pinch of salt…..I don’t think it’s particularly valid.

Must admit I’ve never heard about how hearing the hb as opposed to just seeing it causes extra heat. I’d be wary of a blog with no references at the bottom, what study are they getting their information from? I’d be tempted to email and ask them. Edited- just read it a bit more thoroughly and see they quote a national guideline. Well what’s done is done. Can you ring your scan place up and ask why they do it if this guideline says not to? They might reassure you.

So this is the guideline the quote is from, seems to most risky up to 8 weeks. So you’re 9 weeks. Then there’s tables with recommendations of max times depending on thermal index value which are beyond my understanding but you’d hope a sonographer would be aware of and keep to the limits www.bmus.org/static/uploads/resources/BMUS-Safety-Guidelines-2009-revision-DETAILED.pdf]]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.bmus.org/static/uploads/resources/BMUS-Safety-Guidelines-2009-revision-DETAILED.pdf]]]]

It's a new sonographer - I just rang the place in Bolton. Chequers Health Centre. It was a Groupon voucher too and I'm really regretting it!!!

Like you say what's done is done. But I just feel so worried now. I've a history of 11 miscarriages. I have a 2.5 year old son, but the worry is just there especially even more now.

I can understand why you’re worried but even a new sonographer has undergone a lot of training so you’d really hope they know what they’re doing.

Plus some women have multiple and prolonged scans on the nhs for medical reasons on the nhs and they’re ok.

i really think it’ll be ok.

I rang my early pregnancy unit.

They got advice from a sonographer.

She confirmed yes, there is a small risk unfortunately by listening to the heartbeat but it's only small.

She also said by having lots of scans early is also a risk too.

I didn't even know !

It will be fine op. I had an ectopic so had to have scans at 5 weeks on the NHS with both my subsequent pregnancies and they're both absolutely fine.

Thanks it's not so much the scan though, but listening to the heartbeat which causes damage.

The thing you have to remember is that ultrasound scans are medical tests to check the progress of your pregnancy. They are not an opportunity for you to wave at your child. This is the only reason for private scans and they should be banned (and DEFINATELY not available on bloody Groupon!).

The NHS scan twice (generally) in pregnancy. 12 weeks and 20 weeks. Each scan is for different reasons - mainly to check growth and development. People may have more scans ( I had three because I conceived on fertility treatment) but each scan needs to have a medical reason for it - sonographers can refuse if the request is not clear or valid.

The first trimester is a very tricky time - especially for you with your history of miscarriages. Please try not to worry.

Where in that got you panicking though? Your baby isn't at risk from a scan. Stop with the private scans if it's going to get you into a state

This is the only reason for private scans and they should be banned (and DEFINATELY not available on bloody Groupon!).

Agreed and along with those stupid weeks indicators pregnancy tests people use as a medical tool. They need banning as well

I only had a private one to check the heartbeat was still there. Such anxiety from lots of losses. And its made me even more anxious after him playing the heartbeat through the speakers for like 5-10 seconds. I hope it's not damaged the little bean :(

That's what you get when you pay for private scans you don't need.

She also said by having lots of scans early is also a risk too

They're pointless as well.
If your pregnancy is viable, being scanned won't change that.

Likewise if you're going to miscarry, it'll happen no matter how many pregnancy tests you take/early scans you have.

The amount of money women waste on these things is ridiculous.

@MrsBlue1986 I'm so sorry for all the losses you have suffered, I can understand your anxiety. I had 3 scans before 12 weeks with DD, I'm currently 10 weeks with DC2 and have had 3 scans so far with another next week. We listened to heartbeat at each one. No issues at all x

It is likely none of us here are qualified in interpreting these "studies" but if you delve into the detail, the conditions are usually far excessive than any of us would normally be exposed to. As one of the pp said "excessive/prolonged scans". I bet if you found the actual parameters of the study it probably involved listening to the heartbeat for 4-5 hours a day over 2 continuous weeks or something ridiculous like that.

I'm a worrier like you and during my first pregnancy I got very worked up about studies that showed a correlation between paracetomal use and autism. On digging deeper, (I can't find the exact link) it was something ridiculous like if the mice were exposed to twice the recommended dose for a very prolonged period. So while yes there was a correlation, it was under conditions that would almost never be replicated in a human pregnancy. For this year, I'm very very skeptical of these "early studies". Please try not to worry xx

I do think private scans should be banned. They prey on people’s anxiety as well as not being risk free.

Hi Thanks! Has reading these articles put you off listening to the heartbeat again? It definitely has put me off ! I didn't even ask to listen to it either.

I'm just now super crampy all of a sudden which is making me panic more.