Doctors are warning pregnant women to just stop.

There’s no other way to announce a pregnancy, but new recommendations are saying it might not be safe.

It is basically THE way to announce your pregnancy.

Ultrasound pic and cutesy caption.

“Baby on the way.”

“Bun in the oven.”

“And baby makes three.”

I remember seeing my baby on the screen for the first time. Actually no, that’s a lie, I remember seeing black and grey blurriness and asking the sonographer if the baby was okay. My lack of medical abilities aside it was still a special time.

But it seems parents-to-be are going overboard on those fuzzy black and white screens.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it “strongly discourages” the use of fetal ultrasound imaging for non-medical reasons.

So what exactly are ‘unnecessary’ scans?

Basically it means skip the 4D scan you are paying $300 for.

An ultrasound, for medical use, checks the baby’s growth and movements and will sometimes detect early birth defects. And these you should definitely go to.

Extra scans chosen by parents are simply to create memories and videos of their baby in utero. Trust me, you will NEVER watch it again once the baby is born. I have no idea where my 19-week scan DVD is. And why ruin the moment of seeing your baby's face for the first time at their birth?

There is now concern, that the optional memory-keepsakes aren't healthy for bub. Especially when they're not carried out by trained medical experts.

Health professionals are specifically frowning on ultrasound movies because they submit the foetus to extended exposure sometimes up to a full hour in order to gain the 3D or 4D images many parents are asking for.

The US FDA stated, “While we recognise that foetal imaging can promote bonding between the parents and the unborn baby, such opportunities are routinely provided during prenatal care.”

There has been no word whether Australia medical professionals will be updating our current guidelines on optional ultrasounds and the risks of over exposure to unborn babies.

If you do want a DVD of your ultrasounds, instead of booking a separate appointment, ask your sonographer if you they offer DVDs of your 12 or 19 week scans. These scans are often medically recommended and most now offer 3D photos as standard.

Getting a DVD of these ultrasounds allows parents to have a special keepsake without exposing their child to extra unnecessary scans.

Did you get a DVD of your ultrasound? Would you book an extra ultrasound for some 4D keepsake pictures and movies?

For some funny ultrasound pictures CLICK THROUGH the gallery.
 Images courtesy of oddee.com, parentdish.co.uk, bumptobean.com and G4TV.

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