WFUMB Recommendations on Non-medical Use of Ultrasound
Infection prevention and control in ultrasound – best practice recommendations from the European Society of Radiology Ultrasound Working Group
April 15, 2019
WFUMB Clinical Safety Statement for Diagnostic Ultrasound – an overview
April 15, 2019WFUMB Recommendations on Non-medical Use of Ultrasound
The WFUMB disapproves of the use of ultrasound for the sole purpose of providing keepsake or souvenir images of the fetus.
Ultrasound imaging for non-medical reasons is not recommended unless carried out for education, training or demonstration purposes.
- In the absence of supporting evidence of safety, caution should be used to minimize ultrasound exposure to the fetus.
- The use of ultrasound to provide keepsake images or videos of the fetus may be acceptable if it is undertaken as part of a clinical diagnostic ultrasound examination, provided that it does not increase exposure to the fetus.
- The use of ultrasound without medical indication to determine the fetal gender is inappropriate, and contrary to responsible medical practice.
- Live scanning of pregnant models for equipment exhibitions at ultrasound congresses is considered a non-medical practice that should be prohibited since it provides no medical benefit, and risks to the embryo or fetus cannot be excluded.
- Ultrasonography is a medical procedure that should only be carried out in the clinical setting where there is a medical indication and when carried out under the supervision of a physician or an appropriately trained expert in diagnostic ultrasound.
- When using ultrasound for non-medical reasons the ultrasound equipment display should be used to ensure that TI < 0.7 and MI < 0.3.
Approved by WFUMB Administrative Council, October 2015