Transvaginal scans dangerous?

[Lemonmarigold]

Ok so I’m spiralling after reading so many comments from woman who a day or so after having a transvaginal ultrasound suffered a miscarriage. I had one today and all looked good but I’m so anxious now that it may have harmed the baby. I know causation doesn’t equal correlation but the amount of woman who shared their experience of seeing a heartbeat and then finding out later that the heartbeat had stopped that day or the next after the scan has really worried me. Just looking for some reassurance!

Most women don't need transvaginal scans. Those who have difficulties such as bleeding early on in pregnancy need TV scans because of their early gestation. Some women who have early bleeding have miscarriages. So the reason behind the scan is more likely the cause of the miscarriage

Yes I would absolutely think that the reason for needing a TV scan is the cause, and not the scan itself.
I absolutely encourage you to Google less about these things. I spiral if I do. In honesty I look on the NHS website, ask the midwives and I do search on mumsnet to find the general thoughts towards things because in large it helps me calm down and be more rational. But I won’t look anywhere else.
Take a deep breath. You’ve done the right thing by having the scan.

I had one at 7 weeks pregnant due to some pain and all was OK, the probe isn't inserted very far (sorry if tmi) then at my 12 week scan because I've had two sections my scar tissue is quite thick and she couldn't get a clear picture she asked to do vaginal scan and it was absolutely fine and more comfortable than her pressing on my tummy

No it’s not dangerous.

They are offered to confirm pretty much every IVF pregnancy. Clinics wouldn’t offer them if dangerous.

You are more likely to have a transvaginal scan if you have concerns about the pregnancy. I had one for spotting early on.

People who have a bad experience i.e. miscarriage are more likely to write about it online. I haven't previously ever mentioned my scan online, or to many people in real life, as I was lucky that all was well, so just moved on to the next stage.

Confirmation bias - you are feeling anxious, so are more aware and noticing this more. Plus potentially algorithms on your Internet showing you more similar stories.

Good luck with your pregnancy and I hope all goes well.

Radiographer here. I did look at papers and had a colleuage do research into the connection of ultrasound and miscarriage - study on animals as it is not ethical to do on humans. Their is a correlation when scanning goes on for too long. The uktrasound heats up the cells and in a small featus who are radidly developing they are sensitive to the heat produced. That is why every procedure carries risks. And why we do not reccomend scans until 12 weeks. The sonograoger should be making sure to take regular breaks and keep the probe moving. The animal study found that leaving the probe in one spot for 1minute / + caused cell death in animal fetuses.

The actual TVS is not risky per say BUT pacing the probe closer to the cells is going to mean they heat up and if the sonograoger stays in 1 area too long risks casuing cell death.

I had to have an early scan due to a bleed but i refused a TVS and they did an abdominal o told my sonograoger my background and I was will to have a very quick scan abdominally to check for a heart and that's it. She did as I said. 8 weeks and heart was seen and done. This was 4 years ago DS1 is healthy and thriving.

I had a successful IVF pregnancy which included a TV scan in the early stages of pregnancy. I know of 5 other couples who've done IVF at the same clinic. 4 of them (so 5 couples if you include me) had a BFP followed by a confirmation TV scan to check the viability of the pregnancy. One couple is still currently pregnant, the others all have kids ranging from 1 year old up to 7 years old. My baby is 3 weeks old. The other couple had a BFN - no scan, no MC. I don't know anyone who's had a miscarriage shortly after a TV scan, but as you say, correlation is not causation.

I had transvaginal scans in two pregnancies. The first showed the pregnancy was very behind and unlikely to continue and I did go on to miscarry a few weeks later, with this scan they started abdominally and switched when it was too small to get good measurements abdominally. The other showed a healthy pregnancy at 8 weeks and I'm now 26weeks. The first pregnancy was always likely to end.

I had one 5w6d and didn't cause any issue :) I agree that a lot of people who have one might do so because they have bleeding or another issue anyway, so something was already wrong. I had mine just because I was going on holiday and wanted to check it wasnt in my tube as my friend had an ectopic recently x

I had several transvaginal scans with both children, both healthy

So presumably you don’t agree with the ready availability of scans offered by private companies just to “look” at the baby, with no clinical indication?

I remember reading years and years ago before private scans were the thing they are now where it was shown that increased scanning increased the likelihood a child would be left handed. So some evidence that scans could affect a developing foetus.

I am currently 23 weeks pregnant with an IVF pregnancy and had transvaginal scans every week between 7-11 weeks, as well as at 16 weeks, 18 weeks, 20 weeks and 22 weeks due to being on a cervical monitoring pathway due to previous LETS removal. All is looking absolutely fine with my baby so far and she is growing on track- so please try not to worry, I really don’t think there is any way this will realistically have affected your baby. I appreciate the evidence re not letting scans go on for too long, but if I’m not mistaken I think this is true of all ultrasounds in pregnancy and is why a scan will never usually last longer than 30 minutes or so except in exceptional circumstances? I know even when I have been for private scans at Window to the Womb etc, they have been quite firm on timings likely for that reason.

This has made me quite worried. I've had quite a few private scans and I felt like they held the scanner in place for too long. I'm 31 weeks.

I didn't mean to have so many, I went at 6 weeks because I didn't have any other pregnancy symptoms so I didnt believe I was pregnant, they offered me a free rescan at 8 weeks.

I had the NHS 12 and 20 weeks ones, and one growth scan.

I had a gender scan at 16 weeks, they did 2 in one day. And another I think. I feel so stupid having so many. These were all on my stomach, no TVS.

@Anxioustealady ive had 6 scans already at 20w due to previous ectopics, bleeding, low lying placenta and I’ve got to have another one next week to look at baby’s spine as not in a good position this week. I’ve then got fortnightly scans from 30w. Not really what I wanted to hear either but baby seems to be doing absolutely fine!

So does mine thankfully. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy ❤️

Gosh I had LOADS of scans with all my pregnancies. I reckon at least 10 with my first! Saw all three heartbeats v before they were even 6 weeks! Had no idea it could be an issue.