How the ultrasound made it to the big screen in medicine
Bashie Lisker with Yonah Chatzinoff
Gila was expecting twins in an otherwise uneventful pregnancy. At 27 weeks, though, the ultrasound technician had a stricken look; the conversation that followed with her obstetrician was even more unsettling, with her doctor gently telling her that one of the babies was unlikely to survive. While in turmoil, Gila sought guidance from a mentor, and got even more confusing information. “Ultrasounds aren’t the be-all-end-all,” she was told.
Gila’s mentor had a family member who, 20 years before, had been through a similar situation. The mother was told that one of her twins had no heartbeat. But the ultrasounds were wrong. Two healthy babies were born, and the mother had spent months of her pregnancy in painful grief for nothing.
“You can’t rely on a miracle, but don’t lose hope completely,” Gila was told. Looking back, she isn’t sure if it was the right or wrong thing to hear. The distressing prognosis was an incredibly difficult burden to carry through the third trimester — visiting the doctor, hearing the dire warnings each time — and that sliver of hope left her simultaneously encouraged and devastated. Could it be just a question of emunah? At what point was she relying on a miracle? Should she be preparing herself for the worst? Again and again, Gila found herself wondering: Could she really rely on those grainy images on the screen?
Gila’s mentor is not the first to cast doubt on the effectiveness or accuracy of the ubiquitous ultrasound.
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