Efectos biológicos adversos y seguridad del ultrasonido en el embarazo. Revisión sistemática

Introduction

Nowadays ultrasound is a necessary tool in prenatal care. As no adverse effects have been reported in humans, health care professionals and patients consider an ultrasound scan in pregnancy to be a safe procedure, even making indiscriminate use of this tool.

Objective

To evaluate the best available scientific evidence regarding the safety and potential biological adverse effects of ultrasound in pregnancy.

Material and methods

A systematic search was conducted in the electronic databases PubMed and Medline. Studies that assessed the short and long term effects of ultrasound exposure during pregnancy in its different modalities were included.

Results

A total of 9,115 references were identified. Of the 18 studies included in the analysis, eight were conducted on animals and 10 in humans. From the latter, eight were cohort studies and two were case control studies. Due to the heterogeneity of the populations, exposures and outcomes measured, a statistical analysis was not feasible. Apart from a weak association between exposure to ultrasound and left-handedness in boys, there was no evidence that prenatal exposure to ultrasound is associated with major adverse effects.

Conclusions

Absence of evidence of harm is not equivalent to absence of harm; therefore it is still prudent to expose our patients to the least amount of ultrasound energy necessary. Knowledge by ultrasound operators about the safe use of ultrasound during pregnancy is the best strategy to prevent its potential adverse effects.