Oh do everyone read "Expecting Adam" by Martha Beck... -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Margie Perkins Sent: Friday, November 15, 2002 5:03 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] FW: [birthnews] Social use of Ultrasound in Pregnancy
Julia I agree with what you are saying about the anxiety. The pressure to be a perfect incubator - the guilt feltover doing this or doing that - and produce a perfect baby is big. I had an interesting conversation with a woman the other day. I supported her for her first baby's birth two years ago and have been invited back for the next one in April. Last time she was really worried about 'problems' and as she was 38years old had nuchal fold stuff done which looked ok so she didn't proceed with anything more but was stil anxious. This time, at 40, she is not doing any testing because as she says 'I wouldn't do anything ( termination) and I know I'll manage, whatever I have to". So she has gained confidence through her first birth and two years. It was lovely to hear. Margie At Fri, 15 Nov 2002 13:56:51 +1100, Julie Clarke ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: > Dear Sally > I agree in theory that ultrasound can reduce anxiety over baby's > wellbeing, however, when I started teaching classes 15 years ago > everyone was mildly anxious over their baby's wellbeing, and currently > I find they are actually more anxious. > How do I measure this ? > By listening carefully during the large group and small group > discussions in my classes. The words they use to describe the > intensity > of their anxiety etc. > I find this psychological aspect very interesting. > Let me pose this idea to all - > I think that by putting ultrasound on the agenda of every pregnancy > routinely the health dept are actually giving the impression they > EXPECT > abnormalities. > Further that if there are abnormalities they SHOULD be disposed of. > I think that it is inferred to the expectant couples by the dept of > Health. > I have come to this conclusion because 15 years ago couples would > often > agree - "Well we'd love it anyway even if there was something > abnormal" > But I'm not hearing that anymore - in fact recently a man - a > first time > Dad - in one of my classes said - > " I'm really looking forward to it - I am really looking forward to > having this baby as long as everythings all right." > It spooked me for the moment and I went on to clarify that even > when > babies have imperfections they still need our love - > after all who can claim to be perfect ? > hug > Julie Clarke > Childbirth and Parenting Educator > Transition into Parenthood > 9 Withybrook Pl > Sylvania NSW 2224 > T. (02) 9544 6441 > F (02) 9544 9257 > M. 0401 265 530 > email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Sally > Westbury > Sent: Friday, 15 November 2002 11:44 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] FW: [birthnews] Social use of > Ultrasound in > Pregnancy > > The women I work with usually don't have ultrasounds. It is easy > with > this group of women who are making informed choices throughout > their > journey. > > I approach ultrasound discussions from many viewpoints. > > 1. Safety?? Or lack of?? > 2. The usefulness of the u/s,ie what will we do with the > information that we gain, will the information change the > pregnancy or > birth plan. In the harshest terms if at 18 week scan there was an > abnormality would she terminate the pregnancy? > > When put in this light many choose not to have one. > > Sometimes the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, for example a > woman > so worried about whether her baby is 'normal' an ultrasound can be > of > great benefit. Even then it just shows me that in fact what we > need to > do is to work with this woman's belief in herself and trust in her > pregnancy, birthing and parenting and so another bridge is crossed > on > this particular journey. > > It is not often clinically needed and even then often is not as > enlightening as we would hope. For example a woman really worried > about having another big baby after a 3rd degree tear first time > around was > assured that her baby was 3.6kg one week before the birth (even > though > we thought this was not correct) was in fact 5.2kg.. (no this is > not a > mistake 5.2kg) > > I guess in having a little review of the literature one that > reassures > me that my general way of practicing is on track is that the use of > ultrasounds has not changed outcomes for mother or baby. So in > light of > the research u/s is just causing a lot of angst with misdiagnosis > and > costs the health system huge amounts of money. (see Cochrane review > http://www.update-software.com/abstracts/ab001450.htm ) > > Sally Westbury > > ------------------------------------------------- > I had a chat with my hubby about this issue as he is a > sonographer. > On the accuracy of the image representations they are actually very > accurate. Yes the image is a computer composite of ultrasonic > images > but the information received is accurately calculated into a > composite > picture - not an interpretation - based on the measurements that > bounce > back off the item being ultrasounded be that a kidney, bloodflow > or a > baby. The images are an exact representation of what the > ultrasound > wave bounced off not an average or range in the same way that > percentile > graphs are. > > Hubby indicated that the best analogy for how an ultrasound image > was > produced was a photograph. The only difference being that normal > photography uses light waves while ultrasound uses ultrasound > waves. > They are all the forms of energy just osillating at different > frequencies and thus the energy's ability to penetrate and the > output as > visualised by the human eye differs. What ultrasound scanning > does via > the computer is allows us to see what ultrasound energy can see > that is > usually not visible to the human eye. > > As for the safety, hubby has indicated this is a very contentious > issue > in the industry. Whilst there have been no studies that prove that > ultrasound is safe - there is nothing but anecdotal evidence and > weak > correlations that prove it is dangerous. It is a naturally > occuring > form of energy in our environment - given - not usually at the > intensities used in ultrasound scanning. Realistically to choose > to or > not to have ultrasound - whether for fetal wellbeing or anything > else - > is just a risk analysis. The only difference between this and > other > things related to pregnancy and childbirth is that we don't have a > specific bad outcome that says its risk percentage is X%. > > Using the arguement that it hasn't been proven safe will never > work as I > am sure that I could also prove using statistics that of all the > babies > born with Downs Syndrome that 80%+ of their mothers ate potatos or > rice > - does this then mean that these cause Downs Syndrome or > alternatively > if you eat these you have a X% risk of Downs Syndrome. Until we > have a > specific outcome that can be proven to be caused by ultrasound, > whilst > eliminating other possible causes, we have no choice but to assume > it is > safe - if we don't then women should also be counselled against a > myriad > of other normal life activities that have at one time or another > been > questioned for links to medical problems (I remember computers and > photocopier radiation to unborn babies being an issue in the early > 80s). > > By all means exercise caution and do not recommend unnecessary > procedures but don't scare women of possible consequences when no such > consequences have ever been proven. Women get enough fear > instilled in > them from the obstetricians. > > Far more valuable is to spend time educating women of the ones we > know > are dangerous with proven risks like drugs in pregnancy and > unnecessary > caesarean sections. > > Debby -------------------------------------------------------- Looking for a free email account? 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