20 week sonogram | Imamother

amother

Brunette

Sun, Jul 12 2020, 5:10 pm

Never understood the “worry the rest of the pregnancy thing”- my brother found out that his first was downs with a heart condition at the 20 week- they were able to be set for the heart condition and did not allow my SIL to deliver normally (She has to have a c) because of the medical fragility of the baby. There is so much we can now do with science to prevent stillbirth etc. Now if a rav says not to because we can still daven if we don’t know the reality, that’s something different

sky

Sun, Jul 12 2020, 5:22 pm

I’ve heard many things.

Among them is that Hashem can change things at any time. But as long as we don’t know it’s a hidden miracle. Once we know it’s a public miracle which doesn’t happen as often. (Ice heard that once ppl have heard a bad diagnosis to daven and keep it a secret to try to keep the miracle more private).

Many issues can be found using a Doppler, blood tests, being aware of your body.

I know many posters will tell stories about how an ultrasound saved their baby. And I’ve heard many of them. And I know they are true. But it doesn’t change the idea that tefilla can change anything.

I bought the the "Mayo Clinic Guide to a Health Pregnancy." as my go to book with my first pregnancy. In the "Reason to have it done" section - this is what they write about ultra sounds, it made me more comfortable with my decision:

Quote:

"Ultrasound is used so often with pregnancy that you may assume it's a routine part of prenatal care. But researchers have found that for most healthy women with normal pregnancies, a routine ultrasound doesn't seem to make a difference in the outcome of the pregnancy. It may not be cost effective if there aren't any questions of normal fetal development
"If concerns develop, these concerns are best often addressed by an ultrasound. If your not sure when you became pregnant , an ultrasound can help determine the baby's gestational age. If blood tests indicate an abnormality, an ultrasound my identify it. If there is bleeding or a concern about the babies growth rate, an ultrasound is the best initial test. In addition, ultrasound imaging can be used to guide your health care provider while preforming other prenatal tests, such as amniocentesis or chronic villus sampling
"Many women and their partners look forward to an ultrasound because it gives them a first glimpse of their baby. Some parents value an ultrasound for finding out the relations of the baby. Although this is often possible, its not recommended as the sole purpose of an ultrasound. Talk to you health care provider about your need for an ultrasound."

amother

Burlywood

Sun, Jul 12 2020, 5:27 pm

Hashem_n_Farfel wrote:

Why did someone tell me when I was 20 weeks along that getting a 20 week sonogram was against halacha?
I asked her about it when I was pregnant with my son and she told me it’s better not to take it because if the doctor finds something wrong you’re gonna worry the rest of the pregnancy.

Has anybody else ever heard of such a thing?
My husband says it’s nonsense 😅

Some people like to “make up” Halacha.
It’s not Halacha, period.

Some people won’t do testing that could cause them to worry, I feel he opposite, I think if one can know there are complications, such as heart problems for the fetus, chas vashalom, they can line up surgeons to operate right away etc.

People also told me it was against Halacha to find out the gender (through a blood test, no less ) 🙄

It may be hashkafa, but that’s entirely different.

mammale

Sun, Jul 12 2020, 5:48 pm

sky wrote:

Quote:

This is so interesting. I'm curious when this book was printed?

amother

Powderblue

Sun, Jul 12 2020, 5:56 pm

Never understood it either. My first 20 week sonogram I was told I have placenta Previa. It’s a condition when the placenta covers the cervix either partially or totally. I was put on moderate bed rest for 6 weeks, and the problem was resolved b”h. I was able to deliver naturally and didn’t have any problems with the placenta after that. Bh for sonograms that can detect problems and sometimes we can actually prevent harmful or dangerous situations.

amother

Salmon

Sun, Jul 12 2020, 6:01 pm

sky wrote:

Quote:

Most being the key word. I’m surprised that rabbis still recommend skipping all ultrasounds when they can help create more positive outcomes.

sky

Sun, Jul 12 2020, 6:02 pm

mammale wrote:

This is so interesting. I'm curious when this book was printed?

Quote:

Fetal ultrasound should be done only for valid medical reasons. Fetal ultrasound isn't recommended only to determine a baby's relations. Similarly, fetal ultrasound isn't recommended solely for the purpose of producing keepsake videos or pictures.

If your health care provider doesn't suggest a fetal ultrasound but you'd like the reassurance an ultrasound can provide, share your wishes with your care provider so that you can work together to determine what's best for you and your baby.

queen esther

Sun, Jul 12 2020, 8:15 pm

I'm one of those "ultrasound saved my baby" stories, due to severe heart defect we were able to plan for and initiate care for right away as oppose to ending up in ER or c"v worse. No rav we deal with has ever advised against ultrasound But I have heard, on this site, the hashkafic concept like someone mentioned above- that hidden things can still be changed and better to leave the fetal development unseen and let Hashem work the miracles without us seeing... But I've never discussed with a rav myself, so not totally sure.

sky

Sun, Jul 12 2020, 8:19 pm

I know this isn’t true in all cases - But very often a skilled ob who doesn’t rely on ultrasounds will find heart issues using Doppler or placenta issues using touch. My dr measures babies more precise then the ultrasound. Many younger drs are not trained the same and will insist on ultrasounds because they can’t detect it otherwise.

In the end we have to daven for healthy babies because It’s all in Hashems hands.

cbsp

Sun, Jul 12 2020, 8:43 pm

sky wrote:

I bought a barns n nobles in 2006 when preg with my first. Printed 2004.

It’s not that I don’t do ultrasounds. I’ve done it to figure out baby due date or issues such as large baby. All listed as reason to do it on the Mayo Clinic website.

From the current Mayo Clinic website
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tes.....94149
Quote:
Fetal ultrasound should be done only for valid medical reasons. Fetal ultrasound isn't recommended only to determine a baby's relations. Similarly, fetal ultrasound isn't recommended solely for the purpose of producing keepsake videos or pictures.

If your health care provider doesn't suggest a fetal ultrasound but you'd like the reassurance an ultrasound can provide, share your wishes with your care provider so that you can work together to determine what's best for you and your baby.

Medicine and technology has advanced since then. It is a bit irresponsible to post data from 2004 without initially posting the date it's from and without checking to see if the data is considered current.

My now 8yo son (and possibly I) wouldn't be alive today if not for ultrasounds.

I could have been dead if they would have relied on other symptoms to determine whether an ultrasound was medically necessary - my son had a congenital lung condition which pushed his heart against the chest wall and left untreated could have led to a condition called "hydrops" which threatens the life of the baby and the mother.

The second part you quoted is most likely talking about the non - medical ultrasound sites where you can get 3D ultrasounds, etc. AFAIK, the ultrasound schedule (which is covered by insurance) is deemed medically necessary. Preventative medicine is also a form of medical necessity...

amother

Bronze

Sun, Jul 12 2020, 9:15 pm

While I've heard of people who don't do sonos I think doing at least the big one at 20 weeks is the responible thing to do. But maybe that's because I had one of those my baby wouldn't be alive if not for the sono stories. I had a vasa previa with valementous cord insertion. I had previously had a normal, uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery, had no symptoms during the pregnancy that there was anything wrong, there no way it would have been detected. If not for the 20 week sono baby would have bled out within minutes, if not seconds, of my water breaking. I am so grateful that I live in a time when the technology exists to prevent such an awful outcome.

amother

Firebrick

Sun, Jul 12 2020, 9:43 pm

amother [ Brunette ] wrote:

I didn't worry the pregnancies where I didn't do it. I did worry the one where I did and had a false positive for ventriculomegaly 🙄

I'm almost 100% sure my rav isn't against it, didn't even have to ask. But I understand that the chance of finding out something you can actually fix in the womb is teeny, and that false positives are quite common, so that's why I don't.