Use at home fetal heart rate dopplars are they safe what is your opinion please!?

just wondering ive just purchased one for my 3rd pregnancy im 17 weeks have heard a little bad stuff but cant find any evidence to back in up anywhere is is true or are they 100% safe.

Use at home fetal heart rate dopplars are they safe what is your opinion please!?

Dopplar uses ultrasound waves that are more continuous as opposed to visual ultrasound. The FDA advises against both unnecessary ultrasounds, and non-medical use of ultrasonography.

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2004/10...

%26quot;As compelling as these sneak previews may be, the FDA is warning women about the potential hazards of getting keepsake videos. The agency also is warning companies against creating them for entertainment purposes. While ultrasound has been around for many years, expectant women and their families need to know that the long-term effects of repeated ultrasound exposures on the fetus are not fully known. In light of all that remains unknown, having a prenatal ultrasound for non-medical reasons is not a good idea.%26quot;

[...]

%26quot;With increasing mineralization of the fetal bone as the fetus develops, the possibility of heating fetal bone increases. The user should prudently limit exposure of critical structures such as the fetal skull or spine during Doppler studies (a type of ultrasound that detects movement, direction and speed, such as fetal heartbeat).%26quot;

http://www.sdms.org/positions/nondiagnos...

But ultrasound energy delivered to the fetus cannot be regarded as innocuous. Viewed in this light, exposing the fetus to ultrasound with no anticipation of medical benefit is not justified. Thus, we believe that these prenatal entertainment videos should not be performed.

http://www.askquestions.org/articles/ult...

According to one 1998 study, temperature increases of 4.5 degrees Centigrade (8.1 degrees Fahrenheit) were measured in the brain of late-gestation live guinea-pig fetuses insonated in utero for 2 minutes by pulsed Doppler-type ultrasound. (12) Other guinea-pig studies have shown adverse effects on cell division in bone marrow following ultrasound exposure. (13)

Use at home fetal heart rate dopplars are they safe what is your opinion please!?

I believe they are perfectly safe. If they were not, your doc would keep using one on your to check the baby.

I%26#039;ve know of a few people who rented them. The ones you can buy at Walmart, etc aren%26#039;t very good %26amp; usually only picked up Mom%26#039;s heartbeat, not the baby%26#039;s. If you are getting one, rent a quality one. There are quite a few companies you can find on line.

Good luck!

Use at home fetal heart rate dopplars are they safe what is your opinion please!?

My doctors have said it%26#039;s perfectly safe to use. I%26#039;m going to rent one in a couple weeks myself, as the medical grade ones are better for finding the heartbeat earlier than the ones you can buy in stores. Just remember, not to panic if for some reason you can%26#039;t find the heartbeat, even if you have before. The moniter may not be senestive enough, the baby could be laying in a position that isn%26#039;t good to reach the heartbeat, %26amp;, of course, you%26#039;re not trained. So there are days you won%26#039;t be able to get it everytime you try. Good luck!

Use at home fetal heart rate dopplars are they safe what is your opinion please!?

ive heard harmless and heard un determined. i just spent 20.00 on the cheap bebe one thats non doplar but sensetive to sound