is ultrasound harmful at 4 weeks of pregnancy? at what intervals are ultrasound done on a pregnant woman?

Answer 1

Ultrasound scan is currently considered to be a safe, non-invasive, accurate and cost-effective investigation in the fetus.Ultrasound has no harmful side effects to you or your baby as it does not use radiation, as X-ray tests do. At any age of pregnancy ultrasound does not impose any harm and can be carried out safely.

Certain harmful effects of ultrasound in cells are observed in a laboratory but large studies reports that it does not cause any abnormalities in embryos and offsprings of animals and humans. Unconfirmed small studies unsubstantiated with larger studies from Europe reports ill-effects such as low birthweight, speech and hearing problems, brain damage and non-right-handedness. Many studies ore on-going to to be certain with the safety of ultrasound but no documented strong evidence has been reported so far.

The greatest risks arising from the use of ultrasound are the possible over- and under- diagnosis brought about by inadequately trained staff, often working in relative isolation and using poor equipment.

At 4 weeks ultrasound is usually done to confirm pregnancy and to confirm that the site of the pregnancy is within the cavity of the uterus.; abdominal ultrasound is sometimes unable to appreciate the fetus at this early, in case of suspected extra-uterine pregnancy a trans-vaginal ultrasound using a probe will be carried out. Gestational sac can be visualized as early as four and a half weeks of gestation and the yolk sac at about five weeks.

There is no hard and fast rule as to the number of ultrasound scans a pregnant woman should have. A scan is ordered when an abnormality is suspected on clinical grounds. Otherwise a scan is generally booked at about 7 weeks to confirm pregnancy, exclude ectopic or molar pregnancies, confirm cardiac pulsation and measure the crown-rump length for dating.

A second scan is performed at 18 to 20 weeks ( routine practice) mainly to look for congenital malformations, when the fetus is large enough for an accurate survey of the fetal anatomy. multiple pregnancies can be firmly diagnosed and dates and growth can also be assessed. (Many centers are now performing an earlier screening scan at around 11-14 weeks). Placental position is also determined.

Further scans may sometimes be done at around 32 weeks or later to evaluate fetal size and assess fetal growth, to follow up on possible abnormalities seen at an earlier scan,and to verify placental position.Some centers do another scan a week before delivery.

Further scans may be necessary if abnormalities are suspected. The most common reason for having more scans in the later part of pregnancy is fetal growth retardation. The total number of scans will vary depending on whether a previous scan has detected certain abnormalities that require follow-up assessment.

Answer 2

In a healthy pregnancy an ultrasound is usually done at around 6 months (more or less) and it is then that you usually find out the sex of the baby if you wish to. I went through fertiity treatments and they would begin doing vaginal untrlasounds before and after I ovulated to check to see if I had conceived and once I did conceive, I had a ultrasound done once a week until I was about 12 weeks. It is not harmful when done by a professional because it is only for a moment or two. They can be harmful in the hands of someone that is not trained to use the equipment. You wouldn't want to bombard your baby with the sound waves for long periods of time.

Answer 3

There is not reason to have an ultrasound at 4 wks. The baby isn't big enough to see or monitor. Blood work can be done though. usually an ultrasound can see it by 12 wks. If there isn't any reason to have it, I suggest not to get one except by half way thru the pregnancy. This is done to measure it's sized and make sure it's healthy and to see it's gender, if you want. An ultrasound can be repeated weekly. But the less you have one done the better. research on ultrasound shows that they don't harm the baby but there isn't a guarantee that it won't. If your pregnancy is going well you should only have 1 or 2 done in the 2nd and 3rd trimester. Unless the doctor feels he must look for other things, he will discuss this with you.

Answer 4

An ultrasound is not radiation, it is safe at early stages...and at 4 weeks of pregnancy not much will be seen, maybe at the most a tiny fluid collection that is the start of the gestational sac. Ultrasounds are not done at specific intervals on everyone, the doctor will order ultrasounds when they deem it nessessary, and it depends on why the ultrasounds are ordered as well. If it is a screening ultrasound that is usually done between 16 and 18 weeks of pregnancy. Just be sure the OB technologist went thru training and is a Registered Sonographer, which means they have studied ultrasound and took a national registry exam to get their OB ultrasound credentials. "Anna C"(answers are above) gave explanations on the technical/physics aspects!!

Answer 5

It all depends on your insurance. The 20 week ultrasound is not to find out the gender. It is the anatomy scan where they make sure all of your baby's body parts and organs have formed right. It is also to check the placenta, cervix, umbilical cord, and uterus to make sure everything is working correctly. I had scheduled ultrasounds at 7 weeks and 3 days, 12 weeks and 2 days, and 18 weeks and 3 days. I also had an ultrasound at 8 weeks and 2 days at the ER because of blood clots. I will not be having any more ultrasounds unless something goes wrong and I become high risk or my uterus starts measuring smaller/bigger then it should be at my prenatal appointments. I am choosing to pay for a 3D/4D elective ultrasound at a nearby clinic around 32 weeks but that is not through my doctor's office. Definitely check with your doctor because some insurances will cover more ultrasounds. Just don't forget that your doctor doesn't do ultrasounds for your pleasure and entertainment, she/he does them to find out whether or not your baby girl is healthy.

Answer 6

With my first child, an ultrasound was done at about 4 weeks to confirm pregnancy. The ob I had when I was pregnant with my second didn't do the first visit and ultrasound until 8 weeks. It confirms the placement of the placenta, and that it's alive. The heart is beating and it moves a little.

The second ultrasound is done around 6-7 months. This will tell you the sex of the baby, and tells the dr if the baby is growing and developing correctly. They measure the length of the bones, and the heartbeat and other things.

If you end up in early labor and they have to stop it, they'll do another one. And my doctor did one extra at my last appt just to reassure me. (The ins. co. doesn't pay for the extra one.)

Ultrasounds are not harmful to the baby. A few studies were done suggesting that the baby might hear the sound waves, but they've been dismissed. The uterus does get poked around a bit, and an older baby will shift away from the poking, but the uterus and amneotic fluid are a reliable cushion. Your tummy may feel sore, but the baby is just fine.

Answer 7

It is not harmful. You can do an ultrasound at 4 weeks, but usually doctors don't request it before 15 to 16 weeks.

At 4 weeks, they will not do a regular ultrasound as it will be almost impossible to hear the baby's' heart or even see it. It's too early.

Rather, they will do a vaginal ultrasound. The concept is the same, however, the difference is that something that looks like a tube with a circular ending will be inserted into your vagina and will be able to determine.

Why do you want to do it at 4 weeks? Do you have any concerns about the baby? I suggest you get speak to your doctor, which is the only way your questions might get answered.

Answer 8

Ultrasound is *sound*. Not radiation. Fetuses have sounds all around them--a little sonar isn't going to hurt them any more than echolocation hurts bats.

I'm not sure what the point is to an ultrasound at 4 weeks gestation. The embryo is, oh, the size of a sesame seed? A cashew, maybe? A lot of women aren't even aware they're pregnant at only one month. Do you mean four *months*? That would make more sense. At four weeks, nothing much is developed--I guess you could go look at the little tadpole baby if you want to waste the time and money, but it seems a little obsessive. I say wait a couple of months at least, then get ultrasounds as your doctor recommends. Technically, you don't even need one--billions of babies have been born and continue to be born without ultrasounds. But they're nice to look at, so, y'know, get a couple of them if you want.

Answer 9

Ultrasound is not sound nor radiation.
In limited doses it is absolutely safe. Once a week is fine.
Two or 3 times a day like Tom and Katie did may be adverse.

I have been an ultrasound engineer since 1989. Nobody on the planet knows it better than I do today. I scan me twice+/- a week for almost 18 years now.

You should be able to see something after 2-3 weeks if you have a good doctor, equipment, and sonographer. Don't listen to advice of sono techs, for they know very little. A good scanner can pick up mere millimeters.

Answer 10

Ultrasound is sound, not radiation, but sound can be harmful also. In extreme cases, sound can be used as a weapon to knock out people if the energy is strong enough. Sound is all around us, but sound can also cause stress. Stress caused by sound(long term stress) has been shown to have harmful effects, but more research needs to be done on this.

Now, as for ultrasound and its effects on pregnancy, I'm not sure at what intervals it is harmful. But I heard that recent research(very recently? if someone can validate this) has shown that ultrasound CAN be harmful to pregnancy.

However, I'm not exactly sure what the research details. I'd say your best bet is to ask doctors, and ask them specifically about new research concerning ultrasound and its effects on pregnancy. Also ask more than one, since there might by new research on this.

EDIT: I think the effects were something concerning brain development? I'm not exactly sure though.