Concern Over Safety Of Commercial Ultrasound Scans

Science Daily — Expectant parent' desire to see images of their unborn children has given rise to commercial companies offering keepsake ultrasound scans without medical supervision, often referred to as "boutique ultrasonography"

In a special report in this week's British Medical Journal, journalist Geoff Watts considers whether this non-medical use of the technique can be justified

Improvements in ultrasound technology have transformed antenatal scans from two dimensional black and white images to 3D, 4D and even moving pictures of the unborn child। Expectant parents seeking a CD-ROM or a DVD of their scan can expect to pay £150-£250 (€230-380; $300-490).

The companies say that ultrasound has not been shown to cause any harm to mother or baby, but the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, and the French Academy of Medicine are among several official bodies that have reservations about such use of the technology.


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