ROUTINE ULTRASOUND SCREENING IN PREGNANCY AND THE CHILDRENS SUBSEQUENT GROWTH, VISION AND HEARING

Objective To test a hypothesis of no association between ultrasound ex posure in early fetal life and growth or impaired vision or hearing du ring childhood. Design Follow up of eight to nine year old children bo rn to women who participated in a randomised controlled trial on ultra sound screening during pregnancy. Setting Nineteen antenatal care clin ics run by three central hospitals in Sweden from 1985 to 1987. Popula tion and methods Of 4637 eligible singleton pregnancies, 3265 (71%) we re followed up through a questionnaire sent to their mothers. Analyses were performed both according to randomised groups and to ultrasound exposure. Main outcome measures Parents' report of vision and hearing tests as recorded on child's record card. Parents' report of their chi ld's weight and height at 1, 4 and 7 years of age. Results Reduced hea ring was reported by 3.4% in the screening group compared with 3.5% in the nonscreening group (odds ratio [OR] 1.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67-1.41). The same prevalences were found when analysed accordi ng to ultrasound exposure (OR 1.0; 95% CI 0.67-1.42). Reduced vision w as reported by 6.3% in the screening group compared with 7.8% in the n onscreening group (OR 0.8; 95% CI 0.60-1.03). Corresponding figures fo r ultrasound exposed and unexposed were 6.2% and 8.0%, respectively (O R 0.8; 95% CI 0.58-1.00). No statistically significant differences: in body weight or height at 1, 4 or 7 years of age between screened and not screened children or between exposed and unexposed were found. Con clusion This study found no association between ultrasound exposure in early fetal life and growth or impaired vision or hearing during chil dhood.