AMA Says Ultrasound In-Utero "Portraits" Are Bad Idea
Reuters Health Information 2005. © 2005 Reuters Ltd.
Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or
similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of
Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the
content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the
Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters
group of companies around the world.
By M. Mary Conroy
CHICAGO (Reuters Health) Jun 21 - Keepsake ultrasound "portraits" of fetuses
are not medically appropriate and should be discouraged, the American
Medical Association's House of Delegates stated at its annual meeting here
this week.
Recent advances in ultrasound technology, including 3-D image capacity, have
made the "pre-birth" portraits popular, which prompted the Missouri
delegation to the House of Delegates to ask the AMA to go public about the
risks of the practice.
The Missouri doctors said the ultrasound portraits are often done by
unqualified technicians in whose hands ultrasound, which is generally a safe
procedure, may have unanticipated risks.
The new AMA policy directs the organization to adopt current Food and Drug
Administration policy on the use of non-diagnostic fetal ultrasound. The FDA
policy states that "keepsake" fetal videos are an unapproved use of a
medical device. In approving the policy, the House of Delegates also
directed AMA leaders to lobby the FDA to enforce its prohibition of
unapproved, non-medical uses of the technology.
During a reference committee hearing "testimony was overwhelmingly in
support of this resolution calling for the responsible use of diagnostic
ultrasound during pregnancy," said Dr. Daniel van Heeckeren, who chaired the
reference committee.
Dr. Van Heeckeren, a thoracic surgeon at University Hospitals, Cleveland,
Ohio, added that "fetal ultrasonography is considered safe when properly
used. And although there is no evidence to suggest that exposing a fetus to
unnecessary ultrasound is harmful, strong support was voiced endorsing its
use only where there is a clear medical benefit to the patients."
He also noted that use of diagnostic ultrasound for "keepsake" purposes puts
the clinician at risk of potential legal liability since this imaging is
often performed without parents receiving the standard counseling that
normally precedes ultrasound examinations.
Dr. Marilyn Laughead, of Scottsdale, Arizona, and a delegate form the
American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, said, "Although there is no
confirmed biological effect of ultrasound known today, there may be some
effect identified in the future. For that reason ultrasound should be used
only for medically indicated purposes."
Leanne Wynne
Midwife in charge of "Women's Business"
Mildura Aboriginal Health Service Mob 0418 371862
--
This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics.
Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
