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Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc., January 2015 fhea.com
Avoid Fetal "Keepsake" Images,
Heartbeat Monitors
The FDA is strongly discouraging the use of over-
the-counter (OTC) Doppler fetal ultrasound heart-
beat monitors or ultrasound imaging equipment for
the creation of fetal keepsake images and videos. Ul-
trasound imaging should be reserved for times of
medical need and performed by appropriately
trained operators, the agency cautions.
Although there is a lack of evidence of any harm
due to ultrasound imaging and heartbeat monitors,
prudent use of these devices by trained health care
providers is important because ultrasound can heat
tissues slightly and in some cases can produce cavi-
tation in some tissues. Long-term effects of tissue
heating and cavitation are not known, so ultrasound
scans should be done only when there is a medical
need, based on prescription, and be performed by
appropriately trained operators.
Fetal keepsake videos are controversial, according
to the FDA, because there is no medical benefit
gained from exposing the fetus to ultrasound. The
agency is concerned because several companies are
commercializing ultrasonic imaging by making fetal
keepsake videos, and in some cases, the ultrasound
machine may be used for as long as an hour to get
video images of the fetus. There are no controls on
how long single imaging sessions will last, how many
sessions will take place, or whether the ultrasound
systems will be operated properly, the FDA states.
Similar concerns apply to OTC Doppler ultrasound
heartbeat monitors, which are also prescription de-
vices and should be used only by, or under supervi-
sion of, a health care professional. OTC use involves
no oversight of how the device is used, and no regu-
lation of number of, or length of, the sessions spent
scanning a fetus. This increases the potential for
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