National Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center, Trondheim, Norway.
The purpose of this paper is to examine a possible association between prenatal ultrasonography and delayed speech among children. A follow-up study was carried out on primary school children born to women who took part in two randomized controlled trials of routine ultrasonography during pregnancy. Of 2428 eligible singletons, 2161 (89%) were followed up with a parental questionnaire and with information from maternal and child health centers. Parents assessed the development of speech during the childhood years and reported their observations in a questionnaire. Maternal and child health center records provided data on the children's development of speech and any referrals of children to a speech therapist. No significant differences between ultrasound-screened children and their controls were found in the parental assessment of speech development. According to health center records, screened children were less likely to be referred to a speech therapist (odds ratio, 0.51; 95% confidence interval 0.31, 0.85), but there were no other significant differences in speech development as reported in the health center records. We conclude that routine ultrasonography in utero is not associated with delayed speech in children.
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