did you opt to have the level II ultrasound? update in 1st post

[brgnmom]

update: my sister has decided to schedule the detailed level II ultrasound, and I'm glad that she reconsidered, given the benefits of having this medical procedure done. Thank you again for your input!


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I did for both pregnancies when I was 26.5 yrs old & currently 31 yrs old, and I have no regrets. I actually thought it was standard procedure to have the level II ultrasound to confirm that everything looks fine.

But apparently I've spoken to quite a few moms-to-be recently and they have refused the level II ultrasound, citing that they didn't want their babies to be at risk for developmental issues from the sound waves. I'm usually an open-minded person, but I think the comment really caught me by surprise. Since my DH is a radiologist (M.D.), he has reassured me that the ultrasound is one of the safest procedures available today in his field, and it helps doctors identify potential issues.

I'm just wondering what your perspective is on this procedure during pregnancy. I'm concerned b/c my own sister is one of the moms-to-be who has rejected getting the level II ultrasound done. She found out the gender of her baby, but that's it.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I think that an occasional, medically necessary u/s is ok. I think that some women and practices get carried away and overuse them. Yes, I think there are risks but I think they are very small. I think it is better to avoid them if you can but a 20w u/s and maybe 1-2 more seem reasonable to me- benefits outweigh the risks. I would never go to a novelty, keepsake u/s place though.

Beth

[swissair81]

I didn't have a choice. I had a serious issue for the beginning half of my pregnancy & I needed frequent u/s to keep an eye on it.

[citymama]

What's a level 2 u/s? With both pregnancies, I had a first and second trimester screening, which involved a blood draw and u/s. The second tri u/s was about an hour long. I'm really glad we had them, both times!

[rkold]

I had one, but at the time had not realized they were optional. :/ I probably would have picked to do it still had I known, but I do wish I had been told it was optional and had been my choice if that makes sense.

[WolfpackMom]

I also had no idea it was optional, but I don't regret having it!

[citymama]

Well, isn't everything optional? I don't understand. No one can force you to have an ultrasound, right? It's not a medically necessary procedure.

[AshleyAnn]

I had two.

I had the usual 20 week full scan to check everything. I didn't consider any reason not to. I wanted to see the tiny person who had been wiggling around in there for 4 months and I wanted to know the sex.

My 'big' u/s where the checked everything out at 20 weeks showed some possible complications and they wanted to get a better view. It looked as if there was a spike of 'something' going thru her heart but they had no idea what it was or how life threatening it would have been. They also found they could not see the portion of the brain that connects the right and left sides (hypothalamus). I wouldn't have ever considered not having the u/s even though I fully intended to carry my pregnancy to term if there was a complication I wanted to know what to expect and give the doctors the best oppertunity to prepare. In the end the spike in her heart ended up being a shadow only visible at one layer and the brain was perfect.

Had something been wrong with the baby I would have been thankful to be informed before delivery day. I would have wanted to give her the best chance at survival.

[newg]

Boy. I had a ton with both DDs. Being a high risk pregnancy I had the reg. ultra sound at week eight and twenty and then had one at week 28 to check the heart. Then every four weeks I had a complete US ...and starting at week 30 I had an NST with a quick fluid level check every week 'till they were born.
In my mind all were necessary and I wouldn't have refused any of them.

[bubbaray]

OP, that is funny that your sis will have an u/s for gender (hello, not medically indicated!) and not the level 2, which does detect medical issues.

I had a level 2 u/s with both girls. I was AMA with both, though, and also had amnios with both of them. The level 2 u/s is part of the amnio workup here. Plus, I was highrisk with both and under the care of a perinatologist.

My peri was very much against u/s for gender or "optional" reasons -- like the 3/4D u/s where you get the video, etc. With both of my girls, I had minimal u/s on his recommendation: at 8w for "dating" (to schedule the amnio, even though my dates were accurate b/c of IF procedures), with the 16w amnio, and around 21w for the level 2. With DD#1, I also had an u/s at 10w for bleeding. That was it. No late term u/s for size or anything like that. Obviously, if it had been medically indicated, I would have, but he was very opposed to using u/s "just because".

I would have zero hesitation have a level 2 u/s, though. They are very detailed and pick up all sorts of things that can have an impact on antenatal care and at L&D -- for example, a friend of mine found out at her level 2 that her son had a heart defect. The birth was scheduled at a high-risk hospital with a pediatric cardiac center. If they hadn't known about the defect, he would have had to have been life-flighted to Children's instead of being born there, KWIM?