4 ms·

You didn't say why, which is fine, but I hope there is something more significant than just "twins" and that there is an actual intent to change treatment based

You didn't say why, which is fine, but I hope there is something more significant than just "twins" and that there is an actual intent to change treatment based on all that testing. If you wouldn't take specific action based on the results, then the exposure is unjustified. Satisfying curiosity is not a proper justification. See the Chinese ultrasound study. It's a study that is impossible to perform in the USA because it wouldn't pass ethical review. Ultrasounds were proven to cause structural changes in the brain. One can reasonably assume that structural changes are bad.

analog31 7y ago
Certain pregnancies are automatically elevated to "at risk" status, and AFAIK twins are one of the check boxes. Another is maternal age.
- EADGBE 7y ago
  > Another is maternal age. See: Geriatric Pregnancy/Advanced Maternal Age Pregnancy (Pregnancy after the age of 35).
gavanwoolery 7y ago
From the onset, they were classified as high risk due to being mo/di twins (monochorionic/diamniotic). It is now known that these pregnancies are much higher risk due to entanglement and other issues ("high risk" being a relative term). As it turns out, the doctors were right to assume this risk, as one of the twins has already received brain damage from (what they hypothesize) was inadequate blood flow. I'm generally against anything but procedures that are absolutely necessary, and the ultrasounds and MRI certainly were not voluntary on our part. Personally, from all the research I have gathered it seems like ultrasounds are quite safe, although I am not an expert. As for taking action, I had the same dilemma. Before we knew anything was wrong, one of the doctors ordered an MRI based on a hunch. I did not want to do the MRI unless it gave us some sort of information we could act on, and abortion was out of the question, legally and morally speaking under these circumstances. But we did it anyway, and at least the information has prepared us for what to expect.

analog31 7y ago

Certain pregnancies are automatically elevated to "at risk" status, and AFAIK twins are one of the check boxes. Another is maternal age.

EADGBE 7y ago
> Another is maternal age. See: Geriatric Pregnancy/Advanced Maternal Age Pregnancy (Pregnancy after the age of 35).

gavanwoolery 7y ago

From the onset, they were classified as high risk due to being mo/di twins (monochorionic/diamniotic). It is now known that these pregnancies are much higher risk due to entanglement and other issues ("high risk" being a relative term). As it turns out, the doctors were right to assume this risk, as one of the twins has already received brain damage from (what they hypothesize) was inadequate blood flow. I'm generally against anything but procedures that are absolutely necessary, and the ultrasounds and MRI certainly were not voluntary on our part. Personally, from all the research I have gathered it seems like ultrasounds are quite safe, although I am not an expert. As for taking action, I had the same dilemma. Before we knew anything was wrong, one of the doctors ordered an MRI based on a hunch. I did not want to do the MRI unless it gave us some sort of information we could act on, and abortion was out of the question, legally and morally speaking under these circumstances. But we did it anyway, and at least the information has prepared us for what to expect.