is ultrasound safe?

Question

I am 12 weeks pregnant and everytitme (twice already) that I go to the doctors office they did an ultrasound with the machine they have in there.. Is this a safe practice?? I have heard is not very good to do that too often, does anyone have answers, please

Answer 1

If the MD does one every time you go in, he could just be trying to earn money by billing for unnecessary ultrasounds. I would be very leary if you got one every time you went in.

Let me ask you this. Is he billing your insurance? If he didn't have the equipment in his office, would he be ordering them at the hospital EVERY time you came in? Just food for thought.

US is safe at certain established levels, and following the ALARA principle for Ultrasound exposure "As Low As Reasonable
Allowed"

It is not ethical to give a patient an ultrasound if it is not medically necessary. The benefits must outweigh the risks.

Answer 2

the standard ultrasounds are 'reasonably safe' meaning they don't pose a 'significant' risk to the baby. The benefits basically outweigh the risks. Nevertheless, you shouldn't have ultrasounds unless needed as they definitely are not without risk. Remember years ago they also thought x rays were safe.. nowadays at least most doctors do tell you about the risks of ultrasound. At least mine did. Four is still within safe limits. But stay away from those new 3D ultrasounds.. they use a mega dose of ultrasound and they are NOT safe. There has been much controversy and many places are refusing to do them, only the more profit orientated places. Go ahead and have this ultrasound... four is ok.

Answer 3

That does sound excessive to me unless they are checking for a potential problem or a multiple pregnancy.
It has long been thought that ultrasound is safe, but there has been debate lately due to some recent findings that ultrasound actually speeds up the mitochondria in the cells.
There is a lot of doctor/scientist speak that is hard to understand, but I would just hold off on any more until you are further along, just to be safe.
I had 7 between my 2 kids, and a full body x-ray with my son before I knew I was pregnant... both kids are fine so don't worry about it. I'm sure it's ok, I just wouldn't have any more until the last trimester.
Happy babying!

Answer 4

Although studies have been done that numerous ultrasounds can lead to a higher number of ear aches, nothing has been proven.My sister has high risk pregnancies and has numerous ones and all her kids have a lot of ear infections and both her sons had to have tubes in their ears and tonsils removed. With my first pregnancy I didn't have any done, and he rarely has colds or ear aches, now I am on my second pregnancy, I've had two ultrasounds, the first one was simply routine, 17 weeks, to make sure everything was developing and then one at 34 weeks, because I was having preterm labor and again it was for measurement purposes to see how well he was developing. Now I'm 37 weeks, so it's of course going to be a waiting game to see how the health of my new son goes.

If you're concerned talk to your doctor about why they think it's necessary to keep having them. Is there something they're monitoring? Does your family have a history of pregnancy problems? In the case of something very serious though, a few ear aches won't matter to the benefit of being prepared.

Answer 5

I wonder about this.

I was going to a physical therapist a few years ago that used an "ultrasound device" on the muscles on my back. Every time he got too close to bone, it felt like a jackhammer.

Now I'm sure the frequency/power is different with a pre-natal ultrasound, but I consider this like everything else the psychotic medical community comes out with:

Salt: Bad - no good.
Oats: Reduces cholestorol, no it doesnt' , yes it does!
Fish: Too much mercury, no too many other goodies to miss out on.

Let's not even get into Fen-fen, circumcision, vioxx etc.

Just take everything they do with a grain of salt - er um... salt substitute.

Answer 6

Yes they are safe. There are women who have to have ultrasounds every two weeks because they are monitoring the baby due to like, blood pressure issues and such. I have diabetes so everytime I went in to the doctor I had an ultrasound. You'll be okay and so will your baby! :)

Answer 7

An ultrasound is extremely safe. It does not give off radiation that could harm you or your fetus. I went though 2 pregnacies and my obgyn did ultrasounds frequently to make sure the fetus was stable and growing. So there is no need to worry, you and your baby will be fine.

Answer 8

ultrasound uses sound waves... nothing to worry about. in fact, i knew a woman who had a high-risk pregnancy and her doctor scheduled her to have an ultrasound almost every week, just to make sure the baby was doing ok.

Answer 9

Ultrasound = safe
X-ray= not safe

Answer 10

yes it is very safe. they wont do anything to hurt the baby. xrays arent safe and an ultrasound is nothing like it