Call For ‘Souvenir’ Scans To Be Banned In First 10 Weeks Of Pregnancy

All parents-to-be love getting that photo of their unborn child and showing it off to family and friends, but if taken during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy it could come with some risks to the baby.

A growing number of couples are requesting to have a scan as early as six weeks into the pregnancy – when there’s no medical reason for needing to do it and it could expose unknown risks to the foetus, warn experts.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) says early ‘entertainment’ scans should be avoided because the high-frequency sound waves that provide the image could be dangerous to the unborn baby.

There’s no evidence yet that it is, but the RCOG says the “precautionary principle” should apply.

The warnings come following a review, conducted by the Scientific Advisory Committee at the RCOG, which looked at the first 10 weeks of pregnancy to provide doctors with up-to-date information.

Dr Christoph Lees, reader in obstetrics and fetal medicine at Imperial College London and lead author of the study says that normally a scan would be only be ordered if a potential problem was identified.

“Ultrasound scanning in the embryonic period is an invaluable resource in several important scenarios where the embryo is at possible risk,” he says.

While he admits that there aren’t any grounds for questioning the safety of an ultrasound when one is required, Dr Lees says we need to be aware of the possible “long-term adverse effects” – particularly in the first few weeks of pregnancy when the foetus is most vulnerable.

Pregnancy Scans Available
Hospitals offer all pregnant women at least two ultrasound scans during their pregnancy – between eight and 14 weeks and between 18 and 21 weeks.

The first scan is primarily used to estimate the women’s due date based on the baby’s size while the second scan, called the anomaly scan, checks for any abnormalities.

As well as the traditional 2D scan photos, there’s a growing trend of couples shelling out for a 3D and even 4D scan or video of their unborn child – often before the 10-week ‘safe’ point. These offer a lot more detail on these pictures and videos, including the foetus’ face, fingers and toes.

How soon did you have your first ultrasound scan? Let us know in the comments below.

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