Ultrasound examinations have become a real revolution in obstetrics, they allow you to identify many deviations in the development or location of the fetus in time and take timely measures to eliminate the problem. But among the people there is a fairly widespread opinion that ultrasound during pregnancy can have a negative impact on the development and health of the baby.

Even those future mothers who scrupulously and punctually take tests, try to avoid additional ultrasound examinations as much as possible. Should they be afraid and can this research method have any negative impact on the condition of the fetus or mother? Let’s try to figure it out. What is an ultrasound and when is it performed?

This study is carried out using ultrasound, so high that the human ear does not perceive it. But in fact, this is a sound wave that can penetrate some obstacles and be reflected from others. We all know what an echo is – a reflection of sound from an obstacle that we can catch. The ultrasonic machine works using this phenomenon. The signal emitted by the device penetrates the human body, but is reflected from some of its tissues and organs. The reflected sound is captured and interpreted, turning into an image.

For the first time with medical purposes, ultrasound began to be used in veterinary medicine in determining the amount of fat in pigs.

In our country, it is recommended that all pregnant women undergo this examination three times. The first time it is carried out at 10-14 weeks. At this time, the doctor will be able to determine as accurately as possible how much time has passed since fertilization. He also examines the state of the embryo, the place of its attachment and analyzes other indicators.

The second ultrasound is usually performed at 20-24 weeks of gestation. It allows you to examine the internal organs of the child and even determine its gender. The doctor can assess the development of the fetus and draw conclusions whether everything is proceeding normally, whether there are any deviations and pathologies that require medical intervention. The position of the fetus, placenta, quality and quantity of amniotic fluid are also assessed.

The third study is carried out at 30-34 weeks. It allows you to clarify the position of the baby before childbirth, its size, as well as other facts that may be important when choosing the right method. delivery.

In addition to three planned ultrasounds, the doctor may prescribe additional examinations if the previous one turns out to be uninformative or he has doubts about the health of the patient and the fetus. Why is this examination considered harmful?

First of all, it is worth saying that ultrasound examination, like any other modern invention, frightens, first of all, with its novelty. They have not yet got used to it – and therefore there are doubts about its safety.

Secondly, there is reason to believe that ultrasonic waves can cause fetal growth retardation. Of course, such studies were carried out only on animals and the intensity of exposure there was much higher, but this is enough to give rise to fears and doubts.

In addition, there is evidence that exposure to high-frequency sound waves can lead to an increase in the temperature of the water, and the embryo is in it. There is also unconfirmed information that exposure to ultrasound is fraught with an increase in uterine tone and an acceleration of the embryo’s heartbeat. And many doctors and expectant mothers also say that during ultrasound, the embryos behave restlessly, they try to cover their ears with their hands, as if they feel discomfort.

Separately, it is worth remembering modern 3D and 4D ultrasound. They allow not only to analyze the condition of the fetus, but also to see its three-dimensional image. Of course, this is very interesting for expectant mothers and fathers, but it is worth remembering that the radiation from such devices is an order of magnitude higher than that of ordinary ones. It is especially dangerous to try to shoot such now fashionable videos about the intrauterine life of the embryo. To search for beautiful angles, you have to expose it to ultrasonic waves for a long time, which significantly increases the likelihood of adverse effects.

Why you should not be afraid of ultrasound?
Despite the fact that potentially this examination can carry quite serious risks, ultrasound should not be avoided. Almost all studies have shown that its impact on the health of the fetus and mother is minimal. Of course, no one has experimented on pregnant women, so these results cannot be considered 100% reliable, but they must be taken into account.

In addition, ultrasound devices are constantly being updated and improved. Even if we now begin to analyze how people’s health has changed after their appearance, this information will not give anything. The devices that were used at the dawn of the development of ultrasound in the seventies, and those that we use today, have huge differences. And of course, you need to understand that the benefits and harms of any drug often depend only on its amount. If you do not run for ultrasound every other day and carry it out on a working modern device, then there will be no tangible harm from it.

As for the talk that embryos at long gestations try to avoid the effects of ultrasound, this looks like a myth or the opinion of too impressionable mothers or doctors. It is possible that in the liquid in which the embryo is located, the sound does not propagate in the same way as in the air, or the underdeveloped organs of hearing perceive it differently than the ear of an adult. But, most likely, the fetus does not hear anything, and the discomfort is caused by too much sensor pressure and mom’s excitement.

In addition, a few minutes of discomfort cannot be compared with the benefits that timely detection of developmental disorders and other pathologies can bring.

Is it worth refusing an ultrasound?

No one has the right to force a woman to undergo any examination against her will. Often, not entirely conscious ladies use this in order not to reveal the truth about their state of health or those who are simply too lazy to go to clinics. Often women refuse ultrasound, fearing its harm. Is it possible to do this, and when is an ultrasound examination required?

After 12 weeks of pregnancy, it is very desirable to do an ultrasound scan, as it will reveal a hydatidiform mole, one of the most severe complications of pregnancy, which is treated exclusively with surgical intervention.

All sources that talk about the dangers of ultrasound emphasize that it can bring the most problems in the early stages. Although there is no convincing evidence of this, most modern doctors do not recommend undergoing this examination earlier than 10-12 weeks. Moreover, there is no need for this – you can confirm the presence of pregnancy with the help of simple test strips or a blood test for hCG, and it is impossible to determine other indicators at too short a time. You should not refuse ultrasound in the second trimester, as it very informative and at the same time carries the most minimal risks. As for the examination in the third trimester, at this time the embryo already differs little from the born child and exposure to high-frequency sound does not affect its health in any way.

Sometimes doctors prescribe additional examinations. You need to understand that no one will put a woman at risk just like that. In most cases, it is really necessary and helps to prevent much more serious dangers than the mythical effect of ultrasound on the fetus.

Myths about ultrasound

There are many myths about the impact of ultrasound on the fetus, the most interesting of them are:

Ultrasound changes DNA. The creator of this theory claims that sound vibrations can cause deformation of DNA fields. Naturally, this leads to the birth of an unhealthy organism. But the author does not provide any evidence for his opinion. Moreover, the 30-minute exposure of mice to ultrasound during the experiment did not lead to any disturbances.
Exposure to ultrasound is not normal for the body. This statement is often used by supporters of the so-called “natural parenting”, but they forget that high-frequency sounds exist in nature, and many animals, such as bats, actively use them.
Ultrasound is done only for statistics. Of course, there is some truth in this statement, since this study provides a huge amount of information for doctors, but patients also need it. Often it helps to save the lives of their mothers’ babies.
Ultrasound is the most objective and informative examination. Unfortunately, this is not so, a lot here depends on the qualifications of the doctor and his subjective opinion, as well as on the quality of the device.