(National) Nov. 16,
2004 - Scott and Tara Hooks were about to sneak a peek at their unborn
baby. It was no ordinary ultrasound. It wasn't ordered by Tara's
doctor. In fact, it's not for medical purposes at all.
Tara says it's
simply a high-tech way for mom and dad to get a 3D view of their
miracle, "I saw my big baby cheeks from when I was born and my
husband's lips." Jennifer Sewing owns Fetal Fotos, "They come in to see
their baby, to have reassurance." They go home with a commemorative
video, CD-rom or picture.
Matt Evans owns
Baby Insight and says business is booming at non-medical ultrasound
facilities, "We offer state-of-the-art ultrasounds for women who want
to have to an emotionally bonding experience with their baby."
The increased
popularity of the elective ultrasounds has given birth to a new warning
from the FDA . Dr. David Feigal is with the Center for Devices and
Radiological Health, "We don't know of all of the effects and it's,
it's, it's not clear that this is a good idea."
The FDA is so
concerned, it recently issued an advisory telling parents,"...the
procedure should only be used to provide medical benefit." Dr. Feigal,
"We've heard of people having scans that will take as long as an hour
to obtain, and this is particularly concerning because, as the
technology has changed over time, the amount of energy transmitted has
increased."
Dr. Beryl
Benacerraf is with AIUM or the American Institute of Ultrasound in
Medicine, "The AIUM is against the use of ultrasound outside the
medical community." She says that, while ultrasound is generally
regarded as safe, her group backs the FDA's warning, "We have always
considered it important to keep the ultrasound exposure to what is
really necessary for the objective that we have, which is to make a
diagnosis."
The FDA warning
says..."ultrasound is a form of energy, and even at low levels,
laboratory studies have shown it can produce physical effects in
tissue, such as jarring vibrations and a rise in temperature. " Dr.
Feigal, "We still will have a healthy respect for what energy can do,
particularly on a developing fetus."
The companies say
no studies have ever shown any harm to the mother, baby, or operator
and they follow strict medical guidelines.
Amy Curtis is a
Baby Insight customer, "To have a keepsake that you have for the rest
of your life is, is worth the minimal risk that it probably does to the
baby."
Dr. Feigal says the
biggest responsibility a woman has is to lower all risks during
pregnancy, "There are any number of things that you have to be more
careful about when there's two of you in the picture and one of them is
a developing baby."
The FDA has left it
up to each state to regulate whether prescriptions are required in
order to have the ultrasound. Most OB-GYN's in the Midlands News 10
spoke to say they do not offer the service. One office we found that
does is the Women's Physicians Associates, but it only does the
prenatal portraits for patients.
Reported by Dawn
Mercer
Posted 11/16/2004
9:51pm by BrettWitt
