Hi, everyone! Hmmmmm. I think some clarification is in order. I
am suspicious of a possible connection between obstetric
ultrasound and learning disabilities in the child if:
(1) there were frequent (2-4) U/S scans done before 20 weeks
gestation; and/or
(2) there were frequent (more than 6 or 7) scans done over the
whole pregnancy.
**There is no way for me to prove my suspicions.** That's why I
call them suspicions. I have seen only 2 women with breastfeeding
problems that I *believe* I have eliminated every other factor I
can think of, to be left with the fact that they had an awful lot
of ultrasound scans. One had 8 (her OB liked doing them, no
medical reason), and the other had at least 13 (now *this* was a
nightmare pregnancy, premature contractions, ovarian cyst). I
just saw a sweet religious woman who is starting her 7th month
after IVF, married 7 years, quite anxious (well, we can
understand that!!!), breastfeeding very important (and there are
both cultural and psychological reasons for this too!). Because
of the IVF, she had frequent early U/S scans that I'm not
entirely convinced were justified, but that's beyond my protocol.
I'm anxious to see how this little one does with breastfeeding. I
already urged the mom-to-be to try to do without epidural and to
refuse pethidine (demerol).
BTW, the conventional wisdom in Israel currently seems to call
for 3 routine scans during pregnancy: one to verify age of fetus,
one to check "systems", one to check growth. In my heart, I can
justify only the middle one as a routine. Many health
professionals become extremely passionate and lambaste me as some
kind of monster because of my position and beliefs. Sorry, I
don't have a problem with this. After my heart breaking over and
over because of my daughter's problems with learning disabilities
for all these years, if there is ANY TECHNOLOGY with a risk for
causing LD, I would hope that there's a darned good soul-search
over risk-benefit for every single case, test or scan. Yes, I
still have a lot of rage, and this is how I resolve it. Dizzy
from the soapbox, Judy Knopf in Beer Sheva, Israel