Yale University scholars have come up with a new speculation that fetal ultrasound might affect newborn brain development. The experiment was performed on pregnant mice that were exposed to ultra sound for 30 minutes. The researchers reported in this week’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Nevertheless, Dr Pasko Rakic, leader of the research and chairperson of Yale department of neurobiology reassured the parents about the safety of ultrasound by saying that he would himself suggest his daughter for ultra sound for medical reasons. There are certain forms of brain cells that migrate during the brain formation in the fetal stage. However, as the research was carried on it was discovered that when the rays of ultra sound fall on the fetus the cells did not migrate. Copel, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences in Yale said: The forms of migration [of brain cells] and the timing of migration differ in primates like humans than in mice. In humans, there is a much longer period in which neurons [nerve cells] are migrating. the lowest possible ultrasound setting should be used to get the necessary diagnostic information" and that the examination should be as brief as possible. A typical pregnancy ultrasound tests lasts 15 to 20 minutes. Thus, Rakic is of the view that the experiment was performed on mouse but to reach on a solid footing, they will have to conduct an experiment on the larger animals that are more similar to humans.
