From: Self <TDHWICSC/CMCDERMOTT>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: media concerns, ultrasound
Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1995 08:44:46
Hello! My first message! I am Chan McDermott, a breastfeeding
educator and Bradley Method Childbirth instructor working for the
Bureau of Nutrition Services (WIC) at the Texas Department of Health.
I may have met some of you at the most recent ILCA conference--I was
there with my husband, four year old son and three month old
daughter--I was the one pacing in front of the exit doors with Mariel
in the colic hold for the majority of the WONDERFUL conference!
I have two quick responses:
1) Yes! Please respond to references to breast and formula feeding
in the media (as discussed by Deena Zimmerman, I believe). Personal
letters that are rational and to the point are best, but you can also
become a MediaWatcher. The National Breastfeeding MediaWatch is a
program run out of BNS-TDH (my employers). MediaWatchers receive a
free packet of postcards. Whenever you see a media reference that is
good/bad/unnecessarily uses the bottle/contains misinformation, etc,
send one postcard to the producer/editor/director/cartoonist/whomever
and one to us at MediaWatch. A letter will be written from our
offices as well. From Oct. '94 to June '95, roughly 400 postcards
(including duplicate "sightings") were received at TDH-BNS and 155+\-
letters were written.
To recieve postcards, contact Laurie Coker at:
Breastfeeding Section
TDH-BNS
1100 W. 49th St.
Austin, TX 78756
512-406-0744
2) Re: Ultrasound. As a Bradley instructor, I have the video of
the CNN report that Alison referred to. I watched it several times
over the weekend. The report is OLD--probably mid to late '80s. It
needs to be updated! But,some points from the report:
-- NIH and WHO have not recommnded that US be used routinely in
pregnancy.
--defines ultrasound (US) as a type of radiation but which, unlike X-rays, is
called non-ionizing, so MDs consider it safe
--US has three areas of concern: genetic damage (one researcher says
it would be very subtle damage, but that it could persist for more
than 10 generations); cancer and delayed birth defects
--Warning signs are showing up in three places: genetic damage to
cells in test tubes; lab animals and humans
--from a Columbia University geneticist: At the time of the report, US had not been proved to be a mutagen,
but if it were, it would then also probably be a carcinogen, as they
often go together.
--Researcher referenced above is a radiologist from the Albert
Einstein College of Medicine who has been detecting abnormalities in
human and animal cells exposed to US. She says that abnormalities
are consistant with changes seen after exposure to 29 rads of
ionizing radiation/x-rays, which is roughly the equivalent of 250
chest X-rays
---A government study, n=2000, showed about half of the babies
irradiated (their term) did show lower birth weights. This study had
not been released at the time of the CNN report.
--Showed cells growing properly and cells growing after exposure to
US. Radiologist researcher says tumors can develop.
--I have the address and phone # of the the Academy of Husband
Coached Childbirth, but am not sure I can put it on . . . ? Oh--I'm
told that I can, but not cite the price. It's:
AAHCC
P.O. Box 5224
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
1 (800) 4-A-Birth
The video is entitled: Fetal Effects of Ultrasound
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