RE: [ozmidwifery] Use of ultrasound routinely to check for breech position!!!!!

[Tania Smallwood]

This reminds me of the time we accompanied a woman into hospital in premature labour, with PROM and recently suspected twin pregnancy (no previous scans), and multiple midwifery and medical palps later, and three (count them, three) confirming ultrasound scans later, the woman gave birth to a singleton.  The tool of ultrasound is susceptible to the same level of misuse and false interpretation as any medical tool we have, just look at the research we have regarding EFM and it’s often misinterpretation, and lack of overall improvement of outcomes.  The tool is only as good as its operator…obviously we had a dodgy operator, or the bloomin’ machine was spooked!  Thought it was worth sharing amongst this conversation, Tania   From: owner-ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au [mailto:owner-ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au] On Behalf Of Lisa Barrett Sent: Friday, 11 August 2006 6:26 PM To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Use of ultrasound routinely to check for breech position!!!!!   I would like to share my experience of this over the past week.( with the permission of my client of course)   I have a client who's baby was breech until 33/34 weeks after using natural therapies I felt that it had turned.  At 37+ weeks  she felt huge movements then nothing for 2 days.  She went to the local hospital for a check over(It was a Saturday and she didn't want to bother me so didn't ring until she was there).  Baby was fine but found to be breech confirmed on scan just quickly run over her abdomen.  After a huge discussion of all options she decided she'd still birth at home but would like a cephalic version just to see if that was possible.  The Tuesday morning (now 38 weeks) I made an appointment and off we went.  When we were there she was palpated by a hospital midwife and the obstetrician.  Confirmed breech.  When the scan was put on her before the procedure the baby was cephalic.   When I made the appointment the obstetrician said to me, oh don't worry anyone could miss a breech assuming that I had made a mistake.  However What if the scanner over the weekend who couldn't tell anything but that it was breech was mistaken (I wasn't there so don't know!!) Or what if some babies just move around right up until the end.  Either way there would have been no point scanning her at 36 weeks.   Lisa Barrett, Midwife       -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.10.9/416 - Release Date: 10/08/2006 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.10.9/416 - Release Date: 10/08/2006