I woke up very early for me this morning. No idea why, but it happens now and again. It seems I either can't get to sleep right away at night, or I wake up after only 5 or 6 hours and can't go back to sleep again. Such is life.
So I got up and checked my email. Not much new there. Then I checked the blogs I read. Again, not much new there. And then I checked the news. About usual there - not a cheerful way to start the day.
However, this article caught my eye: Researchers Worry Navy Sonar Could Harm North Atlantic Right Whales.
I've posted before about my thinking on fetal ultrasound usage. I am against it, except in rare cases. I do believe there is a proper use for it, don't get me wrong. We just use it too much. Using it as a general diagnostic tool to diagnose pregnancy or during pregnancy really bothers me for a number of reasons.
The very first reason is that doctors look for reasons to abort babies, especially here in Ukraine. "Oh look! This ultrasound shows your baby has big problems. You need an abortion!" The fetus may or may not have problems, the doctor just wants the 'tissue' to sell for stem cell or other research. In the States - I have yet to understand why ultrasounds are so important other than trying to find something wrong so the imperfect baby can be aborted before it is born. Unless there is some indication that inutero surgery needs to be done, or indication that surgery is needed immediately after birth - why do doctors routinely bombard babies with high frequency sound waves? It may make the doctors job "easier" but what does it do to the baby?
The simple answer is - we do not know.
I know the medical community will argue that it is safe and no damage is being done. Look at all the millions of babies born "ok" after being bombarded by sound waves!
But this is not a natural thing. Man kind is discovering over and over that new technologies and things we thought were good and wonderful are really not so good and wonderful for us. Think striping all the nutrients out of wheat and making white flour - tastes wonderful, makes wonderful items to eat, but food manufacturers must add artificial vitamins and minerals back into the products to give them any nutritional value. White flour turns into sugar so much faster in the body, creating more problems for diabetics. White flour and white bread are wonderful - but they are not good for us in the long run.
How many medicines have been created and used for years and years before enough studies have come out proving that they cause side effects more dangerous than the original problem? Dozens, if not hundreds over the years!
And now modern man decides he knows better how to care for unborn babies and their mothers.
This was not much of an issue for me when I was pregnant. Ultrasounds were not used all the time, in fact, both of the doctors I went to never even suggested one. The first ultrasound I had was on a lump in my breast. I watched the monitor, listened to the doctor and technician and scheduled an appointment with an oncologist. I went to that appointment, was examined and then asked, "Why are you here?" "I'm here because of the lump in my breast." "What lump?" "Here...uh, well, there was a lump here and I had this ultrasound done and they said to see an oncologist and find out what is going on." "Oh. Well, there is nothing there now, maybe the ultrasound broke it up. That happens sometimes." (Not an exact quote of the conversation, but pretty close.)
I left that office praising God for taking away the lump (it was about the size of an almond). And not long after that I heard a woman talking about having an ultrasound done on her developing baby.
I am well aware that doctors say it is safe, that no damage is done to the fetus, that different frequencies are used (what did they use on my exploratory breast ultrasound? - it was just a regular ultrasound machine like they use for fetuses, nothing special used for breaking up kidney stones, etc.)
I think of the words of our dear "Ukrainian daughter" - I asked about the ultrasound she recently had, just wanting to know how it had gone (I've never talked to her about this, not ever). She was excited and pleased because she saw the baby for the first time. And then she said, "He didn't like the ultrasound, though. He started moving all over the place trying to get away from it."
So, we bombard our babies with ultrasound waves and think it's great and wonderful. And yet, scientists are worried about killing whales and other marine life by the use of sonar. I'm sorry if you disagree, but I think this is really twisted thinking.
I know that sonar uses different ranges of sound waves. I know that the navy believes it is safe for creatures that live in the sea. But some scientists disagree. There have been cases where whales have died when they have been near sonar, or become confused and end up damaging or killing themselves either by trying to get away from it or because they no longer function properly.
As humans we cry Save the Whales, and abort our babies by the thousands. As humans we see damage done by sound waves to marine creatures and try to get it stopped, while all the time using similar processes on our unborn babies and thinking nothing of it. What damage is being done, at the molecular or DNA level, that we know nothing about? We ASSUME it is safe because there is no immediate connection to something wrong. How many years did Marie Curie work with uranium, and then radium, before she developed cancer? (around 30) It took many years for people to realize that these elements were extremely dangerous, partly because they did not see immediate problems (Marie Curie carried test tubes around in her pocket and even "remark(ed)on the pretty blue-green light that the substances gave off in the dark." "Due to their levels of radioactivity, her papers from the 1890s (and even her cookbook) are considered too dangerous to handle. They are kept in lead-lined boxes; those who wish to consult them must wear protective clothing.").
Sound waves are fine for babies, dangerous for whales. Twisted thinking.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
ultrasound
noun
1: very high frequency sound; used in ultrasonography
2: using the reflections of high-frequency sound waves to construct an image of a body organ (a sonogram); commonly used to observe fetal growth or study bodily organs [syn: {sonography}, {ultrasonography}]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
sonar
noun: a measuring instrument that sends out an acoustic pulse in water and measures distances in terms of the time for the echo of the pulse to return; sonar is an acronym for sound navigation ranging
2 comments:
I have to disagree with you on this one, Cindie. All three of my kids had severe cord problems, in fact, it's a miracle two of them were born alive. A miracle from God as well as regular ultrasound monitoring at the final stages of my pregnancy. It allowes doctors to induce early and save the life of the baby if the ultrasound showes any signs of distress. It's different for whales, they find food and avoid obsticles using high frequencies.
Our oldest son was born with the cord wrapped around his neck and tied in a true knot - this was so unusual it is actually on his birth certificate. I had no ultrasounds and he was born with no problems and has a very high intelligence. Our grandson was born C-section (I understand that is "old" terminology for it now) after our daughter did not go into complete labor for many hours and was losing strength to keep on. When he was born, the cord was around his neck and around his foot - if she'd gone into full labor he would have died. She had at least one ultrasound (I think it was actually two) and they did not detect this problem until he left the womb. However - God ordained that he should be here - and he is a fine little boy, except for being on the hyperactive side. I thank God for the surgery. Years ago we would have lost them both. What I object to is having ultrasounds done monthly (as OFTEN happens here) as well as those done when there is no apparent problem. We DO NOT KNOW what damage may be being done, yet we have a whole generation of kids around the world being subjected to this. Some marine animals do produce their own sonar - but man-made sonar is different and does cause damage at times. I still contend - it is twisted thinking to want to protect whales from sound waves and not our children.
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