Guest guest Posted May 29, 2004 Report Share Posted May 29, 2004 Fri, 28 May 2004 21:18:07 -0500 WC Douglass Ultrasound-off Daily Dose May 28, 2004 ************************************************************** Sounding the alarm on hazardous ultrasound - again It's been a year since I've written anything about this, but a recent Associated Press article has spurred me to weigh in again on this traditionally hot-button topic: Prenatal ultrasound. As you may know, I'm vehemently opposed to this all-too- common procedure the vast majority of conventional doctors regard as harmless. Why? Because evidence shows that it can cause subtle damage to the prenatal brain. In past Daily Doses and in issues of my newsletter, I've exposed various bodies of research that point to a causal link between prenatal ultrasound and: * Lower birth weights * Delayed speech development * Subtle changes in brain chemistry * False positive diagnosis of brain defects Also, one large-scale Swedish study showed a link between ultrasound scanning and left-handedness (believe it or not, often the result of subtle prenatal brain damage). The study revealed a 32% greater chance of left-handedness among the ultrasound group when compared to an un-scanned " control " group. Need more proof of this correlation? Since 1975, when doctors started aggressively ultrasound scanning late in pregnancy (usually to determine the baby's sex), rates of left-handedness have increased dramatically - especially among male babies. Look it up. Yes, there's lot's of evidence out there that ultrasound is harmful to unborn children. Yet despite the fact that respected medical journals like the Lancet, The Canadian Medical Association Journal, and the New England Journal of Medicine have all written about this topic, the mainstream has all but ignored the negative evidence. Even the lethargic, quick-to-turn-the-other-way FDA has commented on the dangers of ultrasound. According to the AP story, their position on the technique is this: " Ultrasound is a form of energy, and even at low levels, laboratory studies have shown that it can produce physical effects in tissue, such as jarring vibrations and a rise in temperature... prenatal ultrasounds can't be considered innocuous. " Remember, non-natal ultrasound is often used to super-heat and soften damaged muscle tissue after surgery or injuries. Despite all of this, nearly every conventional doctor out there continues to grant this sonic bombardment - which can reach the equivalent of nearly 100 decibels (as loud as a subway train!) - the thumbs up, and now, it's being made available to parents AT THE LOCAL MALL. Keep reading... ************************************************************** To start receiving your own copy of the Daily Dose, visit: http://www.realhealthnews.com/dailydose/freecopy.html Or forward this e-mail to a friend so they can sign-up to receive their own copy of the Daily Dose. ************************************************************** Prenatal " portrait studios " In upscale suburban shopping malls all across the country, dozens of unregulated ultrasound centers have opened in just the past two years. Sporting cute monikers like Fetal Fotos, Womb with a View, and Prenatal Peek, these boutiques use even more powerful ultrasound to show expectant mothers " portraits " of their unborn babies... Not for bona-fide medical diagnostic reasons, but for mere ENTERTAINMENT! You read that right: There are a growing number of virtually unregulated prenatal ultrasound centers out there operating under the gray umbrella of " non-medical " usage - therefore dodging the strict regulation that accompanies medical ultrasound (which still doesn't prevent fetuses from being damaged, mind you). For around $200 a session, expectant mothers can take a break from shopping for maternity clothes at the local mall and " bond " with their babies using the latest in " 4D " ultrasound technology. Never mind that the folks handling the sound " gun " might be under-trained - and completely protected from any medical liability whatsoever. How do doctors feel about this? According the AP article, some MDs and medical groups are against it, but many seem to think it's perfectly harmless. How does the FDA feel about it? Technically, it's illegal, according to them. And they're considering action against the studios - including sending some of these centers a HARSH LETTER or two to make their point! Atta' boy, bureaucrats! According to the FDA, more than 90 problems have been reported to them specifically with regard to ultrasound machine use (though not all of them were units designed for prenatal use). Of these incidents, 63 involved serious injury. Hope incident number 64 isn't your granddaughter... Guarding my readers (current and future) against mainstream dangers, William Campbell Douglass II, MD ************************************************************** To start receiving your own copy of the Daily Dose, visit: http://www.realhealthnews.com/dailydose/freecopya.html Or forward this e-mail to a friend so they can sign-up to receive their own copy of the Daily Dose. ************************************************************** Copyright ©1997-2004 by www.realhealthnews.com, L.L.C. The Daily Dose may not be posted on commercial sites without written permission. ************************************************************** Before you hit reply to send us a question or request, please visit here http://www.realhealthnews.com/questions.shtml ************************************************************** If you'd like to participate in the Dr. Douglass' Real Health Breakthroughs Forum, search past e-letters and products or you're a Dr. Douglass' Real Health Breakthroughs r and would like to search past articles, visit http://www.realhealthnews.com ************************************************************** Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Messenger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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