Routine Ultrasonography in Utero and Development in Childhood

The study was performed {o investigate any associationsbet1reen routine ultrasonography during pregnancy andsubsequent reduced vision and/or hearing among children.A follow-up was carried out of primary school childrenborn to women 1rho took part in two randomi::ed, controlledtrials of routine ultrasonography during pregnancy. Of2428 eligible singletons, 2161 ( 89%) were followed up witha parental questionnaire and with information from mater-nal and child health centers.Parents assessed vision and hearing in their children andreported their observations in ·questionnaires. At the ageof 7 years, the children were also screened with bilateralvisual acuity tests and pure tone audiometry at publicmaternal and child health centers.No significant differences between ultrasound-screenedchildren and their controls were found in the parentalassessment of vision or hearing. The objective tests did notshm;· any significant differences between children in thetwo groups with regard to visual acuity or hearing.The risk of reduced vision or hearing was no greater forchildren of mothers who had been offered routine ultra-sonography during pregnancy than for those whose mothershad not received that offer.