aster13

This is something i've posted to some birth communities - but maybe my flist might have some thoughts also? Note - i'm not pregnant, nor planning to be soon, it's just an interest of mine!

I'd like to have a discussion around ultrasounds, away from a specific instance, in more general terms.

How might an ultrasound(s) prove useful, and where (and in what ways) might they be detrimental? Exactly what research has been done around this area, and what has it found?

[Positives]

~What problems can be detected with u/s, enabling the birth and/or pregnancy to proceed more smoothly?
~Do you think that they are helpful in bonding?
~Are there other benefits?
~Are there circumstances under which they could be regarded as essential? (what are they?)
~Not "causing troulbe" with any prenatal care you may be under (I find this a questionable reason!)

[Negatives]

~What are the risks involved?
~How likely are they, and how might they be mitigated?
~What are the "false positives" that can be diagnosed with u/s and how likely are they? (eg, big baby)
~How invasive does it feel to the mother?
~How difficult to access is it? (hospital far away etc)

[Alternatives]

~Are there alternative means of finding out any or all of this information?
~What about foetoscopes?
~Manual palpation?
~any other means?

[Application]

~Are there different types of u/s available? If so, what are the pros/cons of each? (doppler?)
~What is the standard application? (this may vary from area to area)
~Does it reduce the risks to only use u/s before or after a certain time?
~How much does it reduce the risks to only have [number] whilst retaining the benefits?
~Are there times/ways of using it that are clearly more beneficial than detrimental, or more detrimental than beneficial?


Thank you, i will be interested to hear the results of this.