Ultrasounds and Pregnancy

When we first discovered we were pregnant with Carter I found out from my co-worker, who originally referred me to my OB/Gyn, that our doctor did ultrasounds at every appointment.  I'm not the type of person who just blindly follows my doctors orders and only listens to that one person's advice.  I always go into my appointments having thoroughly researched all of my questions so I can compare what my doctor says with the most current and up-to-date research.  In my opinion, why listen to one expert's opinion when you can also get the opinion of countless other experts and be better informed?  So I immediately began researching ultrasounds and their safety specifically during pregnancy.  I was fully prepared to walk into my appointment and turn down ultrasounds if the research showed them to be unsafe, but everything I found at the time deemed ultrasounds safe during pregnancy. 

According to information I found, ultrasounds were first used during pregnancy in the late 1950's and early 1960's.  It was still a relatively new technology when my mom was pregnant and there wasn't long-term evidence to prove ultrasounds were safe, so she opted out of having ultrasounds during her pregnancies.  Ultrasounds have been around long enough now that there are various research studies showing ultrasounds have no long-term effects on fetuses once they are born and grow to adulthood.  Reading different research articles along with simple online articles such as this one alleviated my fears about ultrasounds.

As I learned more about ultrasounds I began to wonder why all doctors don't do ultrasounds at every appointment.  Using an ultrasound to measure the fetus is much more accurate than measuring fundal height to determine fetal growth.  Ultrasounds can also detect other issues that may arise later in pregnancy such as low fluid levels and baby being in breech position.  So I called upon a friend who just graduated as an OB/Gyn.  I asked her why all doctors don't do an ultrasound at every appointment and her answer was simple.  Ultrasounds are only seen as medically necessary in certain situations and doing an ultrasound takes longer.  Doctors want to get in as many patients as they can in a day to make more money.  If they do ultrasounds at each appointment, the appointment takes longer and cuts into the number of patients they can see.  Even more information was revealed at my first appointment.  Like I said, I do all my research before asking my doctor, so at my first appointment I asked him why he does an ultrasound at every visit.  He replied that ultrasounds are a better way for him to safely monitor the pregnancy.  I think he assumed my question came out of concerns for payment so he continued to explain that insurance companies only cover the first ultrasound for measurement and dating purposes and then the mid-pregnancy ultrasound.  He said that they only bill out for those 2 ultrasounds and do not charge patients for the rest of the ultrasounds.  So I came to realize that another reason ultrasounds are not used more frequently is because insurance companies won't pay for them.

During my time researching I found a few facts that made me a bit nervous initially.  I found that when doing an ultrasound heat is generated and absorbed into the body.  It is possible the heat could increase the temperature of the fetus.  I read on to find out that as long as the wand is moved frequently enough and isn't left in one place there isn't a problem.  After having an ultrasound with my doctor I was reassured that he does that.  He does numerous ultrasounds every day and I can't even try to guess how many each year.  Therefore he is extremely efficient and our ultrasounds always move so quickly.  At first I was a little bit disappointed he did them so quickly because I wanted to see the baby for longer, but I realized it was best to make them quick so as not to expose baby to any unnecessary heat.  All of our ultrasounds including our 20 week ultrasound lasted for less than 5 minutes, some even just a few minutes to measure the baby, check fluid levels, and listen to the heart beat.  It is so important to have an ultrasound technician who is proficient at fetal ultrasounds.  When we went to the hospital because we were worried I'd had a miscarriage our technician was clumsy, slow, and didn't seem to know what she was doing very well.  Our ultrasound took nearly 20 minutes and made me realize how efficient our doctor is.  He knows exactly what he's looking for and gets right to it.

A headline jumped off the page and frightened me when I googled "Are ultrasounds safe during pregnancy?".  The headline read "Are Ultrasounds Causing Autism in Unborn Babies".  My heart dropped in my chest as I clicked on the link and then was shocked to read what followed.  The article's only data present was correlational, not causational.  They noted that as the use of ultrasounds have gone up, so has the prevalence of autism.  While those 2 things are correlated, there is no evidence to show one causes the other.  If we are following down that same way of reasoning, I could claim that divorce causes autism since as the rate of divorce has increased, so has the rate of autism.  It is flawed reasoning and doesn't draw on all the information available.  Reasoning like that lead to people opting out of vaccinations for fear of autism and caused widespread ignorance and panic.  Personally, I think it is sensationalized reporting simply to catch readers' attention and it certainly worked as it caught mine. 

After Carter was born I went on a binge reading birth story after birth story.  Of course along with the wonderful birth stories there were the sad and tragic.  As I would read the stories I would wonder, could that have been avoided if they'd had more frequent ultrasounds?  I was so thankful for our doctor and the time and effort he put into our appointments to keep both me and Carter safe.  I didn't have to worry that something was wrong because he was constantly checking.  I had a friend who was in labor for 12 hours before having an ultrasound to find baby was breech and then having to have a c-section.  That wouldn't have happened if she had an ultrasound later in pregnancy.  A girl I graduated with gave birth to a 10 pound baby vaginally which caused significant pain and damage to her.  Had her doctor used a more accurate way to calculate baby's size she would have been better prepared for delivery day and would have possibly chosen a c-section.  My aunt had an emergency delivery with my cousin after going into her husband's office (he's an OB/Gyn) to get an ultrasound just for fun because she wanted to see the baby.  The doctor found she had dangerously low fluid levels and sent her to the hospital immediately.  What would have happened if she didn't go in for that ultrasound?  It's scary to imagine.  These are extreme cases and most labors and deliveries go off without a hitch.  But I feel comforted that situations like that will not happen to me because the extra time and ultrasounds my doctor puts into our appointments.

Obviously I am not a proponent of using medicine when it is not necessary.  I took absolutely no medicine when pregnant with Carter, not even Tylenol, and have taken nothing this time around either.  I chose to deliver with no pain medication, but I did accept the IV.  If my doctor only did 2 ultrasounds during pregnancy I wouldn't be off looking for a different doctor, but my doctor offers ultrasounds at every appointment and I will not turn them down.  I agree with my doctor that they are safe and that they help him more safely monitor my pregnancy.  I agree with the long-term research studies that show no ill effects of ultrasounds during pregnancy.  After finding out at my 12 week appointment that my placenta was low and over my cervix I was even more grateful that my doctor does ultrasounds every visit.  Discovering that early on helped me to make better decisions regarding exercise during pregnancy and caused me to take precautions such as skipping long runs, running with my phone, and running with a buddy in case of emergency.  Continuing to have ultrasounds allowed me to enjoy the great news that my placenta shifted.  While I know regular ultrasounds during pregnancy are not for everyone, I felt the need to share why they are for me.  I have done my research, I've looked at the science, and I have made my decision.  While things can go wrong with or without ultrasounds, I'd rather have one more safe-guard on my side, helping to ensure my baby is born healthy and safe.