What is pelvic ultrasound?

Objectives:

To test a hypothesis of no association between ultrasound exposure in early fetal life and growth or impaired vision or hearing during childhood.

Design:

Follow up of eight to nine year old children born to women who participated in a randomised controlled trial on ultrasound screening during pregnancy.

Setting:

Nineteen antenatal care clinics run by three central hospitals in Sweden from 1985 to 1987.

Population and Methods:

Of 4637 eligible singleton pregnancies, 3265 (71%) were followed up through a questionnaire sent to their mothers. Analyses were performed both according to randomised groups and to ultrasound exposure.

Settings, Design and Main Outcome Measures:

Parents' report of vision and hearing tests as recorded on child's record card. Parents' report of their child's weight and height at 1, 4 and 7 years of age.

Results:

Reduced hearing was reported by 3.4% in the screening group compared with 3.5% in the nonscreening group (odds ratio [OR] 1.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67-1.41). The same prevalences were found when analysed according to ultrasound exposure (OR 1.0; 95% CI 0.67-1.42). Reduced vision was reported by 6.3% in the screening group compared with 7.8% in the nonscreening group (OR 0.8; 95% CI 0.60-1.03). Corresponding figures for ultrasound exposed and unexposed were 6.2% and 8.0%, respectively (OR 0.8; 95% CI 0.58-1.00). No statistically significant differences in body weight or height at 1, 4 or 7 years of age between screened and not screened children or between exposed and unexposed were found.

Conclusion:

This study found no association between ultrasound exposure in early fetal life and growth or impaired vision or hearing during childhood.

Please click on the required question.

• 1 Which doctor should I see?
• 2  What are symptoms and signs?
• 3 How can we be certain whether an abnormality that my doctor has found is the cause of my problem or an incidental finding?
• 4 How do doctors arrive at a diagnosis?
• 5 What does a gynaecologist do during a consultation?
• 6 What is the purpose of the pelvic examination?
• 7 Will a blood test to assess a hormone level provide a guide to treatment.
• 8 I have a phobia about blood tests. What should I do?
• 9 What is pelvic ultrasound?
• 10 What are CAT and MRI scans?
• 11 Will my general practitioner receive information from my specialist gynaecologist?
• 12 Will I see the same specialist every time I attend the out-patients clinic?
• 13  What is known about emotion. Information?
• 14  Could my emotional problems be of hormonal origin?
• 15 Does my doctor understand my anxieties and concerns about my gynaecological problem?
• 16 How much information do patients want about their condition?
• 17 Will the doctor listen to my views on how my problems should be managed?
• 18 How do doctors decide on the best treatment?
• 19 How do doctors decide on the best hormone treatment?
• 20 How long will my hormone treatment be effective?
• 21 What are the risks of surgery?
• 22 How long do gynaecological operations take?
• 23 Have there been advances in gynaecological surgical treatment?
• 24 I have been offered a choice of treatments. How can I decide which will be best for me?
• 25 What is the place of support groups?
• 26 Where can I obtain more information?
• 27  Are there any dangers in acquiring health information on the internet?
• 28 Support Groups.

Thank you for choosing to visit us.

This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London - Specialist Interests - Reproductive Medicine including Infertility, PCOS, PMS, Menopause and HRT.

I do hope that you find the answers to your women's health questions in the patient information and medical advice provided.