In the evolving landscape of prenatal care, many families are beginning to ask a critical question: Are routine ultrasounds helping—or hindering—our birth experiences? Dr. Jen Santos, DC, CACCP, a second-generation chiropractor and educator specializing in pediatric and perinatal care, challenges us to look beyond protocol and into the heart of our prenatal choices.
Ultrasound: A Tool, Not a Given
Dr. Santos’s journey into questioning ultrasound safety began in childhood, assisting in her father’s chiropractic practice where therapeutic ultrasound was used for musculoskeletal issues—but strictly contraindicated during pregnancy. This contradiction stuck with her.
“Why is it unsafe to use ultrasound therapeutically on a pregnant person’s knee, but perfectly fine to use diagnostically on their womb?” she recalls asking. This question set her on a path of inquiry that would eventually inform both her personal pregnancies and professional approach.
While ultrasound has become synonymous with standard prenatal care, Dr. Santos urges a deeper look: “If something is considered safe, then why does the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists explicitly caution against non-medically indicated use?”
Indeed, most guidelines today still recommend using ultrasound only when there’s a clear medical reason. Yet in practice, many families undergo numerous scans—often without informed discussion of alternatives or risks.
Understanding the Risks: Heat, Brain Development, and False Positives
Ultrasound isn’t just “seeing with sound.” It’s a form of energy that creates heat as it passes through tissue. This heat can concentrate, especially around fetal bones and the skull, potentially affecting neural development. Dr. Santos cites compelling animal studies, particularly research on mice showing that prenatal ultrasound exposure disrupted proper neuronal migration—an essential part of brain development.
“We’re not saying it causes autism or speech delay,” she emphasizes, “but we are saying that it’s affecting developing brains in ways we don’t fully understand yet.”
Another major concern? The emotional and clinical consequences of false positives. Dr. Santos highlights studies where ultrasound detected supposed abnormalities that resolved naturally in over half of cases. The psychological toll—anxiety, fear, disconnection from the baby—can be profound, especially when the diagnosis proves unfounded.
As Sophia, co-host of the Born Wild Podcast, reflects, “I’m glad I didn’t know about my son’s anomalies before birth. I had a stress-free pregnancy and a beautiful home birth. Knowing might have changed that experience entirely.”
Reclaiming Informed Consent in Fetal Monitoring
One of the most overlooked facts in prenatal care is that Dopplers and electronic fetal monitoring (EFM)—common even in midwifery settings—are also forms of ultrasound. Unlike intermittent or pulsed ultrasound, these technologies often emit continuous sound waves.
Five minutes of Doppler exposure is equivalent to about 30 minutes of pulsed ultrasound. Yet few families are informed of this, or that alternatives like fetoscopes (which use no ultrasound at all) exist.
“We’ve stopped questioning,” Dr. Santos warns. “And when we stop questioning, we risk losing autonomy.”
A More Empowered Model: When to Say Yes—and When to Pause
Dr. Santos isn’t advocating for the elimination of ultrasound. Rather, she supports a more intentional model: choose it when it offers real insight, and decline it when it doesn’t.
When her own midwife suspected a breech position late in pregnancy, Dr. Santos agreed to a targeted scan: “I told the tech, I don’t want to see my baby. I just want to know if it’s a head or a butt.” The scan lasted less than a minute. That information helped her plan for a safe and supported breech home birth—one that went beautifully, despite the fear-based warnings so often attached to breech delivery.
Building a Culture of Birth Based on Trust, Not Fear
Ultimately, what Dr. Santos and the Born Wild team emphasize is the need for trust—trust in the body, in the baby, and in the birth process. This includes building support systems that respect intuition and sovereignty, while using technology mindfully and sparingly.
“Informed consent isn’t just about saying yes or no,” says Sophia. “It’s about having enough information to decide if something truly serves you.”
Dr. Santos echoes this, urging both practitioners and parents to remember that just because something is routine doesn’t mean it’s harmless. “We’ve accepted tools like ultrasound without ever demanding evidence that they improve outcomes. That has to change.”
Final Thoughts for Families and Birth Professionals
If you’re an expectant parent:
- Ask why each scan is being recommended.
- Know you can request alternatives like fetoscope monitoring.
- Understand that fewer scans often mean less stress and more connection.
If you’re a birth worker:
- Educate yourself on the mechanics and risks of ultrasound and Doppler.
- Make space for clients’ questions and intuition.
- Challenge systems that prioritize protocol over personalized care.
Want to Learn More?
Dr. Jen Santos brings her expertise to chiropractic students, midwives, and families alike through Acorn Chiropractic Club in Napa, Santa Rosa, and Petaluma. Her work highlights the need for practitioners who support autonomy—not fear—as the foundation of care.
To hear more of Dr. Jen’s insights, tune into the full episode of the Born Wild Podcast.
