How Many Scans Are Safe During Pregnancy?

How Many Scans Are Safe During Pregnancy
Pregnancy can be a time of anxiety and uncertainty; it is relatively easy to check on how the mother is doing in pregnancy but the only way to accurately evaluate the baby is by performing scans. Mr Pran Pandya BSc MBBS MD FRCO, leading consultant in Fetal Medicine advises a minimum of 7 scans throughout your pregnancy but confirms that many mums find it reassuring to be scanned at every 4 weeks.

In our latest blog, Mr Pran Pandya reveals more about each of the scans, the benefits and why they are important. Mr Pandya reveals, “We recommend scans that all are clinically indicated and provide optimum reassurance to parents as well as an opportunity to detect conditions that may be of concern e.g.

miscarriage, chromosomal abnormalities, structural anomalies and babies that may not be growing normally either too small or too large.” 1. Early pregnancy scan – 6 to 11 weeks Scans at less than 10 weeks are aimed at confirming there is a heartbeat, seeing how many babies there are, and dating the pregnancy.

They are particularly helpful if you have pain, bleeding or have had a miscarriage in the past.2. Harmony Test / NIPT – from 10 -32 weeks – on one / two fetuses NIPT/Harmony test (which means non-invasive prenatal testing), is the best screening test available for T21 (Down’s syndrome), T18 (Edward’s syndrome) and T13 (Patau’s syndrome).

Performed from 10 weeks, it provides a very high detection rate and a very low false positive rate. This test is clearly better than the tests offered in the NHS.3. Nuchal Translucency and combined screening test – (11 weeks+2 – 14 weeks+1) ideal gestation 12+ weeks At 12 weeks, we measure the Nuchal Translucency and start to look at the early development of the baby, eg brain, heart, abdomen, bladder and limbs.

If you have not had the NIPT, we can perform the Combined Test which uses the mothers age, size of baby, Nuchal Translucency and 2 biochemical markers in your blood to screen for T21, T18 and T13. In women who have had NIPT, we do not need to take a blood sample but focus on fetal development.4. Early fetal anomaly scan – 16 weeks We look at the fetal growth and evaluate the fetal development/anatomy to provide early reassurance to the family – at a time when the mother still has not felt the baby move.5.

Fetal anomaly scan – 20-22 weeks A detailed scan to evaluate the fetal anatomy and development of your baby from head to toe.6 & 7. Fetal Wellbeing scan at 28 and 36 weeks The purpose of this scan is to check the fetal growth and blood flow to make sure the baby is growing normally.

We also recheck the fetal brain, heart, kidneys and bowel because these continue to develop throughout pregnancy and we can detect new anomalies in these systems. In just under 5% of cases we find that the baby is breech at 36 weeks and this will have a major impact on how you deliver your baby. Make an appointment: Mr Pran Pandya, consultant in Fetal Medicine performs Antenatal Screening and Scanning at our location at The Portland hospital using state-of-the-art in house scanning facilities.

Mr Pandya, is an established and well-known consultant who is widely published in the field of fetal medicine and is Editor-in-Chief of Fetal Medicine Basic Science and Clinical Practice. He brings vast expertise and is the Director of Clinical Lead of Fetal Medicine services at University College London Hospitals, a world-renowned centre for fetal diagnosis and therapy.

  • To learn more about our Antenatal Screening and Scanning or for appointments and enquiries, please call our team on 020 7101 1700.
  • Or by emailing London Gynaecology is private gynaecology practice led by a team of consultant gynaecologists at our practice locations at The Portland Hospital and Austin Friars, City of London.

We offer a full selection of pregnancy screening tests and scans to give you reassurance during your pregnancy.
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Contents

Is it safe to have multiple scans during pregnancy?

How Many Ultrasounds During Pregnancy is Safe? There is no set number of ultrasound scans provided during a pregnancy. are offered to ensure that both mother and baby are doing well and to ensure that the pregnancy is progressing safely. All pregnant women should receive more than one ultrasound during their pregnancy, however there are some pregnancies considered ‘high risk’ which require multiple ultrasounds.

  • There is no evidence to show that ultrasounds are harmful and as such, a reasonable number of scans throughout a pregnancy is very common and safe.
  • Here at Peek a Baby we have three clinics; one based in Birmingham, one based in Bromsgrove and one in London.
  • We strive to provide a scanning service which helps you obtain an accurate scan as well as enjoy your pregnancy journey with your loved ones.
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You can contact our clinics today to book in your scan. © 2022. All Rights Reserved. Powered by : How Many Ultrasounds During Pregnancy is Safe?
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How many scans can you have during pregnancy?

You should be offered at least 2 scans : an early pregnancy scan (dating or booking scan) between 11 and 14 weeks. a mid-pregnancy scan (also known as a fetal anomaly scan) between 18 and 21 weeks.
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Can too many scans cause miscarriage?

There is no evidence that having a vaginal or an abdominal scan will cause a miscarriage or harm your baby.
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Can too many internal scans cause miscarriage?

Tests – The hospital can carry out tests to confirm whether you’re having a miscarriage. The tests can also confirm whether there’s still some pregnancy tissue left in your womb (an incomplete or delayed miscarriage) or if all the pregnancy tissue has been passed out of your womb (a complete miscarriage).

  • The first test used is usually an ultrasound scan to check the development of your baby and look for a heartbeat.
  • In most cases, this is usually carried out using a small probe inserted into the vagina (transvaginal ultrasound).
  • This can feel a little uncomfortable but is not painful.
  • You may be able to have an external scan of your tummy if you prefer, although this method reduces the accuracy of the scan.

Neither type of scan is dangerous to the baby and they do not increase your risk of miscarriage. You may also be offered blood tests to measure hormones associated with pregnancy. You usually need to have 2 blood tests 48 hours apart to see if your hormone levels go up or down.
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Can using a fetal Doppler harm the baby?

The safety of the Doppler ultrasound devices is stressed, in that they do no harm to the baby, but the risks of delaying seeking medical attention and the limitations of Dop- pler devices tend to be overlooked. Current practice Movements can vary considerably from fetus to fetus and at different times of the day.
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Do ultrasounds hurt babies ears?

Discussion – Diagnostic levels of US have been shown to induce bone formation and have therefore been used therapeutically for a number of years for the treatment of bone fractures, US has also been shown to stimulate chondrogenesis of mesenchymal (cartilage) stem cells,

  • Reher et al.
  • Found that with diagnostic exposure, osteoblasts produced nitric oxide (NO), a free radical which has been linked to both outer hair cell injury and sensorineural hearing loss,
  • Likewise, other studies have noted increased nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and NO activity in other tissue types following US exposure,

Indeed, there have been concerns that prenatal US could be associated with sensorineural hearing loss, despite a study by Stark et al. in 1984 that failed to show an association, One recent study found that children with delayed speech were roughly 3 times more likely to have been exposed to prenatal US, although the authors did conclude that it was premature to presume causation,

Growing concern over US includes not only the increased prevalence of its use, but also its deregulation in the 1990s, Denser body tissues necessitate higher intensity outputs in order to penetrate deeply enough to produce images of adequate clarity and resolution, With increasing rates of obesity and the consequent need to accommodate US for use on increasing body sizes, the FDA has loosened regulations on the maximum intensity allowed for clinical use.

Despite the above concerns, in the 40 years since introduction into clinical practice, US has not been directly associated with any significant health risk to the fetus or mother, The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine has stated that prenatal US should be performed according to the ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable), and that it should be performed only with a valid medical indication and with the lowest outputs necessary.

  1. Additionally, both the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine and the Food and Drug Administration have discouraged the use of US for “keepsake fetal imaging”, although this remains prevalent.
  2. Additionally, litigation factors may also be driving the increasing use of US.
  3. Failure to perform an ultrasound, cardiotocograph or other medical tests at appropriate times is commonly cited in lawsuits against doctors, midwives, and hospitals,
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Our results show that there is no correlation between a higher level of US exposure prenatally and hearing loss, in fact quite the opposite is true, particularly in the case of third trimester US exams. The otic placode develops during weeks 4–8 of life and inner ear development is complete by the 26 th week of gestation.

Our presumption was that the inner ear would be most susceptible to ultrasound-induced injury during this developmental period of the 1 st and 2 nd trimesters. An increased level of ultrasound exposure during this period proved to have no adverse effects on hearing outcomes. Our initial explanation for these findings was that infants born at later gestational age tend to be healthier and more neurologically mature, thus more likely have better hearing outcomes, and that the longer third trimester simply provided an opportunity for more ultrasound examinations.

However, with further analysis of the data we found that patients in the highest gestational age quartile had fewer ultrasounds compared to the other quartiles. Thus, we cannot fully explain the better hearing outcomes in the face of increased US exposure, but it is plausible to assume that there is a confounding variable that is associated with improved hearing and more US exams being performed.

  1. Although the data show a positive association between number of US exams performed and passing hearing screening in both ears, it is unlikely that US is in and of itself directly protective or beneficial in hearing.
  2. Additionally, we are unable to fully explain our finding that infants passing the newborn hearing screen tended to be younger in comparison to infants that failed.

In further analysis of these groups, the only significant difference that was seen was a disproportionately higher number of twins included in the control group that passed. Our initial thought was that twins are generally born earlier in gestational age, but often are healthier in comparison to non-twin hearing screen failures, and thus may have been more likely in comparison to have better hearing outcomes.

This did not seem to be supported by further analysis, as twin vs. non-twin comparison found relatively equal distributions in the ASA and McNeil Sjostrom scores across both groups. One shortcoming of this study is its retrospective nature. Another is that the majority of hearing screens were done as DPOAE’s, which although a reasonable measure of cochlear function, may be negative in the face of a hearing loss of up to 30–40 dB.

Thus, our results may have missed a sub-threshold hearing loss that is actually occurring. Additionally, our study had a relatively small n and may not have the power to detect a difference if present. In summary, we found no correlation between a higher level of prenatal ultrasound exposure and hearing loss – in fact quite the opposite is true, particularly in the case of third trimester US exams.
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Why do scans have to be 2 weeks apart?

Growth – It is difficult to assess the growth of a baby from one scan alone. All you can tell is that the baby is small, medium or large. To check the growth rate of a baby, two scans need to be performed 2 weeks apart.
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Is it safe to have an ultrasound 2 days in a row?

Answers ( 2 ) – Like the answers? Consult privately with the doctor of your choice Yes you can if you wish to. Ultrasounds are harmless during pregnancy. They are safe for both mother and baby. Let others know if this answer was helpful Was this answer helpful? YES NO
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Should you see a heartbeat at 7 weeks?

Congratulations, you have found out you are pregnant, and the first scan in your pregnancy should be an exciting time. Walking into the ultrasound room, you will be full of mixed emotions. From excitement, to worry, hoping everything is ok. I can assure you, the Sonographer is feeling exactly the same way.

  • Each time I walk a patient into my scanning room, my fingers and toes are crossed quietly praying all will be well for my lovely patient.
  • As soon as I see a heartbeat I silently start breathing with relief and let them know that a heartbeat is seen.
  • The first scan in your pregnancy is commonly known as the dating scan, and is usually done in the first trimester at around 7 weeks.
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It is the most accurate time to

Measure the size of your embryoDetermine your estimated due date (EDD)Determine viability, confirm a heartbeatCheck the pregnancy is in the uterusDetermine the number of babies

How Many Scans Are Safe During Pregnancy Ultrasound at 7 Weeks A Sonographer will perform the ultrasound. So being prepared for the ultrasound will require you to have a full bladder. not a bursting bladder! A good tip is to empty your bladder and have 2 glasses of water, approximately 500-600mls an hour before your appointment.

Both a transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound will be performed, and both are safe throughout your pregnancy. A transabdominal ultrasound is scanning over your abdomen, and in the early weeks of your pregnancy, under 10 weeks; the most accurate way to perform the scan is transvaginally. This is done with a small transducer placed into the vagina with an empty bladder.

The Sonographer will ask you a few questions to get a relevant history from you.

When was your last menstrual period (LMP)?Do you have regular cycles?Is this is a naturally conceived pregnancy? Or IVF?How many pregnancies have you had? What were the outcomes?If you had miscarriages, how far along were you?How many children do you have?Any past operations?Are you taking any medications?

Please don’t hesitate to let the Sonographer know if there is any other information relevant to your pregnancy. This information helps such as if you were breastfeeding at time of conception, recently stopped using the oral contraceptive pill, and if there has been any bleeding or spotting.

  1. These reasons are important when confirming the gestational age of your embryo.
  2. So what will you see? The Sonographer will do a quick survey scan to confirm the gestational sac with the embryo is in the uterus, and will confirm a heartbeat is seen.
  3. The number of gestational sacs is counted, as well as the number of embryos in each sac.

A single pregnancy has one gestational sac with a single embryo inside. A multiple pregnancy including twins, triplets etc, may include a single gestational sac with two embryos within, or two gestational sacs with an embryo in each. The combination is important to determine if you are carrying identical or non-identical twins, or if there is a triplet pregnancy.

5 weeks 1-4mm6 weeks 5-9mm7 weeks 10mm8 weeks 16mm9 weeks 22mm

How Many Scans Are Safe During Pregnancy Ultrasound at 9 Weeks A strong fetal heartbeat can be clearly seen at 7 weeks. The range can be from 100 to 180 beats per minute (bpm), Any earlier than 7 weeks, you may not see the embryo or fetal heart beating due to the embryo being so small. A gestational sac and yolk sac may only be visible.

Do not panic, the Sonographer will try and give you as much information as she or he can. You may need to come back in 7 to 10 days time for a follow up scan. A week can make a significant difference in what you can see on ultraosound. Your referring Doctor will advise you. Sonographers are caring and professional, and happy to answer any of your questions.

Don’t be afraid to ask about what you are looking at, it’s normal to be curious at what you are seeing on the screen. The scan is not long and you will leave after approximately 20 minutes. The Sonographer will give you an image and be able to tell you your due date.
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Can too many scans cause miscarriage?

There is no evidence that having a vaginal or an abdominal scan will cause a miscarriage or harm your baby.
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Can using a fetal Doppler harm the baby?

The safety of the Doppler ultrasound devices is stressed, in that they do no harm to the baby, but the risks of delaying seeking medical attention and the limitations of Dop- pler devices tend to be overlooked. Current practice Movements can vary considerably from fetus to fetus and at different times of the day.
View complete answer