4D scans, worried about risks

[bunnymom1980]

We were thinking about getting a 4D scan later on in my pregnancy but I was reading something in a magazine last night that was talking about the risks associated with them requiring a higher energy compared to ultrasound and that they could potentially be damaging.

Has anyone else heard about there being risks?

I've tried googling but I couldn't find anything.

 

[xJodieLoux]

I've never heard of any risk's associated with 4D scans, if there are any they would warn you before hand and make you sign a concent form or something, surely?

 

[Suzie and Faith]

For my scan i had to sign a consent form - but that was only regarding the fact that it wasn't a medical check-up and they therefore were not liable if they didn't notice a medical problem.

I can't find anything anywhere to suggest that they are dangerous at all.

They wouldn't let them be done if they were risky! So don't worry

 

[lb1787]

I read the same thing in a pregnancy magazine last night, now DH doesn't want to have one. Article also mentioned about a lot of the private scanning companies not having staff with suitable qualifications
I would have liked to have a scan recorded on DVD so might see if we can have it done as a 2D image instead, like the scan images you get in hospital but totally unsure now whether to have it at all.

 

[jendav81]

I asked my MW about this as I saw something similar, she said that they are always reporting some scare or another and it's how they sell the magazines!
She said that the main risk is that it is not always medically trained personnel doing them and that some things can be missed but as BabyBee said, they make you sign a disclaimer that you accept that it is not a medical procedure. (they made me do the same at the one I went to in Aberdeen)
I too have searched google and all you can find is that certain Doctors disapprove of them but there have been no actual medical studies with any concrete results done to let you know either way.
There are scare stories out about one thing or another most weeks for pregnant women, whether it's "You can't drink at all"/"Now it's ok to have a few drinks" or "This vaccine is dangerous"/"Now this research has been disproved".
At the end of the day it's up to you, I'm going for a 3D scan at 27 weeks. But if they had major worries about it then they probably wouldn't let you do it, in my opinion.

 

[joj]

OH and I looked into a while ago, we decided not to get one purely because we decided that they were too expensive. When we were looking into it one of the websites said that the British Medical Assosciation were recommending that when doing a 4D scan they should reduce the power of the rays (or something like that!) because they could still do the 4D scan at a lower strength and their were certain risks associated with the higher powered one although nothing had been proven. I think if there was a serious risk it would be much better publicized by now though and they gave the impression that it was just a precaution.

 

[Minime]

I'm having one done at my local NHS hospital and if there was any known risk then I cant see the NHS offering it. OK I'm paying for it but its still the regular staff that work there normally that will be doing it.

 

[abcd1234]

i ahd mine done in a private clinic, but the women doing it also worked up the local hospital, and was a fully trained sonographer, she said that research on all scan types including the 2D ones is still limitted, and the 4D uses higher frequencies because the research isnt conclusive yet they dont like to scan for long periods, she did say however there is no real evidence for the waves doing any damage.

 

[dannii87]

Oooh I hadn't read anything saying that? I want one (if I can afford it!) But they're pretty expensive...

To be honest, there are pros and cons for almost everything and there'll always be good & bad feedback on things like that. If there is a risk, I would have thought it'd be a REALLY REALLY small one... Not high enough to raise concern or anything.

xx xx

 

[Redshoes]

The truth is they don't actually know if ANY scans cause ANY effect upon the baby, although the agreed conscensus is currently that they don't. All 4D scans have time limits, if your private scan lasts more than 30minutes I would suggest saying you'd prefer just the 30minutes and no more, as that is suggested the safest if safe were required of a 4D scan.

Like many things in todays society there's just no telling what and if any risks are posed, and until another decade or two, you just have to go with what you feel safest with, if having a 4D scan will worry you, don't have one, you don't have to, you don't have to have routine NHS scans at 12 and 20eks either if you object. Very best wishes though, I loved our 4D scan and definitely will be having one with this LO too

 

[*Star*]

i thought that 4d scans were just the same as 2d it was just the was that the computer interpreted the results that made it a 3d/4d picture than just a grey 2d scan?

 

[CharlieC]

Hi there,

I read exactly the same article and decided not to have the scan. For two reasons really; 1) we already know we're having a baby girl, so we thought it'd be nice to see her when she's actually born and in our arms.. so we can have a little surprise! and 2) We weren't sure about the risks etc as being able to peer in at your little one with such clarity is not something natural so that completely made up our minds. However, we do know lots of people who've had them and they do look wonderful and their babies are fine.