Why do women receive “maintenance scans” during pregnancy? How can you see a suspicious supplier?

Last reports in the media in Nine newspapers It emphasizes a rapid escalate in the number of non-medical ultrasound providers offering “abyss ultrasounds” for future parents.

According to reports, the service caused stern damage, such as improperly diagnosed ectopic pregnancies and undetected fetal abnormalities.

So why do some women choose additional ultrasounds? And how can you say if you should trust a person providing ultrasound?

What are profit scanning?

Scanning of justification are a kind of non-medical choice or “entertainment” ultrasound Some women are looking for routine first and second trimester scans.

Skans for ensuring are sold as a way to “give you peace” about the child’s development or assurance that “everything progresses as it should” if you don’t have routine scanning.

They are also called commemorative ultrasounds, boutiques or souvenirs, because these business usually sell Memento packages. They often include so -called 4D images: renderings in combination with the fourth time of time to show movement.

Some companies offer Information on gender identification, sometimes with party accessories “reavowan sex”, as well as fetal audio recordings.

Why do women get them?

Detailed Intelligence studies I examined why ultrasound images go beyond routine scans are so popular.

Many expect Parents want Learn fetal sex as early as possible, look for assurances, see the features of their future child and get commemorative images.

Others consider routine scans too hurried and impersonal, turning to commercial suppliers as more ceremonial and satisfying ritual.

Health sociologists emphasized Positive health effects non -medical ultrasound that they can Help expect mothers AND Fathers bond with the child.

Some feminists in the 20th century criticized . Medicization of pregnancy Down devaluation “Living experience”. But they have the last feminist accounts Re -scanning non -medical as a way to get healthcare, which goes beyond Clinical usability.

Instead of trivializing the “entertainment” of these services, some argue obstetrics He could learn from the service, thus improving the patient’s satisfaction during obstetric imaging.

What are the risk of these services?

In recent years, technology ensuring detailed scans has become more portable, with a towel, Ultrasonic ultrasonic devices compatible with smartphones Now available.

This, along with Normalization of sharing ultrasonic images In social media, it probably led to the fact that more commercial companies offer these services.

However, the service is considered full of impossible psychological and social risk. Suppliers are usually not trained to advise mothers or families Fetal anomaly should Be suspected.

Professional organizations condemned these companies for misleading consumers False shifts. Since these scans are not checked by the clinicist, these operators cannot provide reliable assurances.

. World Federation of Ultrasound in medicine and biology AND Similar bodies to reject Commemorative ultrasound based on safety. Just like Australian Sonographers Associationwhich represents about 70% of sonographs.

No substantive restrictions on ultrasonic devices

The administration of Australian therapeutic goods regulates the supply of medical devices. It records them, classifies them according to their risk and sometimes attaches conditions for their employ.

However, Some portable ultrasonic scanners Approved as low risk devices, they do not have specific conditions. Secular consumers could theoretically Buy themincluding Personal import scheme.

Last year, TGA has been reported to several Hand devices It is used to detect the heartbeat of the fetus during pregnancy without medical supervision.

The decision took place after the review of the market, which stated that the parents were expected falsely calmed down by the devices themselves or through the non -underpressed people using them in home settings.

However, such a review was not carried out for portable ultrasonic devices.

When removing devices from the register, it may limit consumers in this way, this is not “Recalling the product“And it would not prevent further sale of used devices.

Who can do ultrasounds?

While some specialist health practitioners can perform ultrasounds (such as obstetricians with appropriate certificate), Most diagnostic imaging specialists are sonographs.

To perform Medical ultrasounds which are eligible for the medicare discount, sonographers must be trained AND accredited.

But there is no sonography Registration council To receive complaints about sonographs or take disciplinary actions against them. This distinguishes sonographs from registered doctors, such as doctors, nurses and pharmacists.

Australian Sonographers Association he argued Sonographers should be regulated by Registration council.

This can make sonographs more clearly identifiable by protecting the title, ensure that poorly performing sonographers are disciplined and enable consistent national standards.

However, this would not stop unregistered people from providing non-medical ultrasound.

So how can you say if your supplier is a sonograph?

One of the clear signals that the supplier offers non-diagnostic ultrasound is that there is no medicare subsidy.

Australian suppliers conducting imaging without Accreditation They must inform consumers about theiraccredited status And confirm that no medicare benefit is paid.

He wouldn’t do it raise.

How can you report a suspicious supplier?

You can file complaints based on the state Health complaints. For example, the Commission for Health Care Committee in Novel South Wales can examine complaints about sonographs as unregistered health practitioners and consider the appropriate Code of conduct.

When it was found that the sonograph was working improperly or creating a risk of health or safety, these complaints may issue orders forbidding a sonograph from providing any health services for a specified period.

Australian consumer law is another way in which the authorities can part as a crunchy suppliers. In 2015, the person was prosecuted in Western Australia After selling identical images with six women who received non -medical ultrasound in their homes.

Her offenses consisted of issuing false or misleading claims and accepting money on services that were not provided.

If the suppliers of non-medical imaging are misleading claims, including the level of clinical assurance that can be provided by non-diagnostic scan, you can report them to Australian consumer committee and componer.