Ultrasound during pregnancy and birthweight, childhood malignancies and neurological development

The present paper summarizes some of the epidemiological studies of in uter o ultrasound exposure and subsequent childhood development, Emphasis is pla ced on birthweight, childhood malignancies and neurological development. A meta-analysis, including neurological outcomes such as handedness, speech d evelopment, motor development, hearing and vision, is presented. The epidem iological evidence does not indicate any association between diagnostic ult rasound exposure during pregnancy and reduced birthweight, childhood malign ancies or, neurological maldevelopment. The possible association between ul trasound and nonright-handedness among boys needs further evaluation. (C) 1 999 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology.