Ultrasound During Pregnancy

OK, so. My newest decision in this crazy world of mine. I am really working on getting organized, every bit of my life needs it but right now I'm focusing on organizing my time and that includes studies.

I am going to start researching just one topic at a time. I will continue to have a book to get through, right now being Heart and Hands, but for specific learning I need to do the same thing. I jump around so much! I learn a little of this and a little of that, I know a little about a whole lot of things I have figured out, but I need to focus on one thing at a time. This all may change once I start AAMI, as I'm sure I will be given plenty to focus on then, but for now I am going to start with ultrasound.

Ultrasound has always fascinated me, as it does so many others of course, but in a bit of a different way I think. I even at one time thought I wanted to become an u/s tech. Prior to my discovery of midwifery.

What are we really doing with this great technology? I really do still believe it is great, and has saved plenty of lives when needed. It can tell many things when there is a suspected problem, or a high risk situation. But are we doing good otherwise? There is such a very high rate of false positive with it. Things are seen that really are not there, or not a problem. Today's OBs put so much time into LOOKING for pathology in pregnancy and birth, that they have never learned, or have forgotten about the normal process. I strongly believe that u/s has given them another tool to find that pathology that really isn't a true problem at all.

Take the low lieing placenta. How many women have been told at 20 weeks they will have to have a c-sections because of a "low lieing" placenta? Most cases of this found early in pregnancy actually resolve themselves by the end? Nearly all. And even if it is followed up and found to have moved up as the uterus expanded, the woman and her family have spent the previous months worried, stressing, and preparing to have her normal birth experience taken from her. This is so sad to me.

Even more so my current enquiring mind is questioning the long term effects and safety of this technology on babies. How much information do we have about what these ultrasonic waves are doing to this innocent developing human being. Ever notice how babies squirm away? move and wont hold still while the test is being done? We don't hear it. They do. It is supposed to be VERY loud to them as well. Do they feel it? There is question that permanent damage may be caused by excessive use of use of u/s. This includes doppler for fht. Doppler is actually worse when compared second for second as it is a continuous stream of sound waves, when a picture scan is actually done in pulses. Is this contributing to the ridiculous increase in autism in children today? Hmmmm. I intend to find all I can.