PRENATAL HOME VIDEOS: WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS?

Stanley B Barnett, PhD, Chair of ASUM Safety Committee

The appropriateness of selling prenatal images or videos to parents-to-be is an important issue of debate that encompasses a range of clinical, medico-legal and safety considerations. The commercial aspect of so-called non-medical uses of diagnostic ultrasound has caused a strong reaction in the USA from both the FDA regulatory body and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM). In fact, the AIUM is so concerned it has been a topic of discussion in many meetings of the AIUM Bioeffects Committee in recent years. The problem originated in the USA with some operators (not necessarily accredited as ultrasound diagnosticians) offering images and home videos for sale.