HWN Suggests

Know the Risks of Keepsake Ultrasounds

No matter what glowing news you receive from your keepsake ultrasound technician, you should always keep your medical ultrasound appointments. “Keepsake ultrasounds aren’t diagnostic, and doctors aren’t present to provide answers about any unexpected findings,” Theilen says. “You may be given a false sense of security, or you may get some startling news that you weren’t prepared to hear.” For healthy pregnancies, ultrasounds are typically recommended at least twice. The first is performed between seven and 14 weeks, and the second is performed around 18 to 20 weeks.

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 The Issue with Keepsake Ultrasounds

“The AIUM advocates the responsible use of diagnostic ultrasound and strongly discourages the non-medical use of ultrasound for entertainment purposes. The use of ultrasound without a medical indication to view the fetus, obtain images of the fetus, or determine the fetal gender is inappropriate and contrary to responsible medical practice. Ultrasound should be used by qualified health professionals to provide medical benefit to the patient.”

 The rise in unregulated pregnancy scans

The lack of regulation means that “major foetal abnormalities” such as spina bifida or polycystic kidneys can be missed, while potentially life-threatening ectopic pregnancies, where the fertilised egg implants outside the womb, may not be picked up.

Articles of Interest

UK’s unregulated pregnancy scan clinics putting lives in danger, say experts

Hospital specialists report cases of missed health problems, misdiagnosed conditions, and women erroneously told their babies had died.

Are Elective Ultrasounds Safe for My Baby? Understanding the Safety of Keepsake Ultrasounds

While many parents are excited about the idea of getting a clear picture of their baby’s face before birth, health experts argue that ultrasounds should not be done without medical necessity. Organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend that ultrasounds only be used when there is a medical reason. But this doesn’t mean elective ultrasounds are harmful; it simply highlights that they serve a different purpose.

Avoid Fetal "Keepsake" Images and Doppler Heartbeat Monitors

Previously, keepsake ultrasound images and videos came from programmed prenatal visits. Today, however, many create them aside from these standard visits, at home, or sometimes in non-medical contexts dubbed “baby video studios.” The growing interest in keepsake ultrasound images and videos has led to a related non-standard practice: the unregulated over-the-counter sale of ultrasound devices.

FDA Discourages Unnecessary ‘Keepsake’ Ultrasounds During Pregnancy

This week, the group issued a revised consumer update discouraging the use of fetal ultrasounds and heartbeat monitors to create “keepsake images” and videos, emphasizing that ultrasounds should be performed only when there is a medical need — and under the supervision of appropriately trained medical professionals.

Fetal Photos: Keepsake or Health Risk?

For a few hundred dollars, expectant mothers can get sepia-toned prints to give to their families and friends, a CD-ROM with the pictures so they can be e-mailed around the world and a DVD with a 20-minute video of the fetus squirming in the amniotic sac.

Health Controversy: Should "Entertainment Ultrasounds" Be Banned?

One of the coolest things that happens in your pregnancy is getting to see your baby in your womb via ultrasound. Many couples are paying private clinics for the chance to see their babies as often as possible via 3D and non-medical ultrasounds. But, experts say such ultrasounds could be dangerous and they're calling for a complete ban.

How Safe is That Fetal Keepsake Ultrasound?

Ultrasound imaging is the most common medical imaging procedure employed during a pregnancy. The use of the technology helps health care professionals to determine if everything is going well. But there’s also been a rise in the use of ultrasound imaging technology outside of the health care environment: across the U.S. one can find commercial enterprises that offer parents-to-be a fetal “keepsake” ultrasound memory.

Keepsake fetal ultrasounds

Entrepreneurial sonographers have been opening offices, usually in shopping malls, with cute names like Womb with a View, Baby's 1st Impressions, and Stork's View for some time. They offer "keepsake" sonogram photos and videos, often using 3-D imaging. Prospective parents can discern facial features and often fetal gender from these striking images. Most purveyors of keepsake imaging warn prospective parents that the images are not intended for diagnostic purposes.

Keepsake Or Keep Safe?

Keepsake ultrasounds, a recent trend popularized by expecting mothers, may soon become passé when the state enforces its limitations on the practice Wednesday. Effective July 1, ultrasounds that serve no diagnostic or medical purpose and are not ordered by a health professional will be banned in Connecticut.

Moms Love Newest Ultrasounds, But Doctors Are Wary of Overuse

As compelling images emerge, doctors say they are getting besieged with requests for "reassurance" ultrasounds that are not medically necessary and can cost $300 or more. (Insurance companies typically cover one ultrasound during a pregnancy.) Meanwhile, fetal-portrait studios are booming.

Prenatal Ultrasound Portraits Draw Criticism

Health officials are concerned about the new popularity of using ultrasound technology for prenatal portraits. The Food and Drug Administration warns that this non-medical use is both inappropriate and potentially harmful to fetal development.

Scanxiety: why private baby scans are on the rise

Many pregnant women are paying for extra ultrasounds, for reassurance or for ‘souvenir scans’. But does multiple scanning pose a risk to the unborn child?

Ultrasound Parties: Sonograms With Friends Grow In Popularity, Become Latest Pregnancy Trend

Enterprising ultrasound techs are said to be charging between $100 and $350 so that expectant parents can have a sonogram performed in their homes as friends and family look on.

Why do women get ‘reassurance scans’ during pregnancy? And how can you spot a dodgy provider?

Reassurance scans are a type of non-medical elective or “entertainment” ultrasound some women seek in addition to their routine first- and second-trimester scans. Reassurance scans are marketed as a way to “give you peace of mind” about your baby’s development, or to assure you “everything is progressing as it should” if you’re not due for a routine scan. They’re also called souvenir, boutique or keepsake ultrasounds, because these business typically sell memento packages. These often include so-called 4D images: renderings combined with the fourth dimension of time to show movement.

‘Keepsake’ ultrasounds still popular, despite FDA warnings

Ultrasound technology is generally considered safe by doctors, but it’s unknown what prolonged and frequent ultrasounds could do to a fetus.