Ultrasounds can decrease bone density
Prolonged prenatal ultrasound exposure leads to decreased bone density and strength in young rabbits.
SELANGOR, Malaysia, Mar 27, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Young rabbits exposed to ultrasound during fetal development had weaker thighbones than unexposed rabbits, according to a study published in the Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology. While the finding applies to a relatively small group of test subjects, 142 young rabbits, it raises questions about the rising use of prenatal ultrasounds in women worldwide.
| Researchers analyzed the effects of ultrasound exposure on baby rabbits and found the rabbits had lower bone density, raising questions about the common use of ultrasounds on pregnant women worldwide. (Copyright: 123rf/Pavel Losevsky) |
Ultrasounds use high-frequency sound waves to produce images of internal body structures, including developing fetuses. The ultrasound image is produced by the reflection of sound waves bouncing off the structures they hit. Ultrasound imaging has been used for over 20 years and is considered relatively safe.
However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cautions against using ultrasound for non-essential purposes. The concern is that ultrasound waves carry energy that heats tissues and can sometimes produces small gas bubbles in body fluids or tissues. The long-term effects are unknown.
With the use of neonatal ultrasounds increasingly popular and commonplace - many women have multiple ultrasounds throughout their pregnancy - a team from Universiti Teknologi MARA in Malaysia wanted to study potential side effects.
They studied 22 pregnant rabbits, who gave birth to 142 young. Four mother rabbits received no ultrasounds, while the others were exposed to ultrasound for 30 minutes, 60 minutes or 90 minutes once during pregnancy. Each rabbit received only one ultrasound, but the timing was varied throughout the three trimesters of pregnancy to see if there were different effects. The researchers analysed the baby bunnies' thighbones at once and five months.
Overall, bunnies exposed to ultrasound in the womb had significantly weaker bones than those not exposed. Bones can absorb far more energy than other tissues, which is why ultrasounds can have a disproportionate effect on them.
There were some variations between exposure amount and timing. In the first trimester of pregnancy, the bones have not yet ossified, so they were better able to handle the ultrasound heat. But by the second and third trimesters, the bones are thicker, and so there is a greater impact. The bunnies' bodies were unable to repair the damage and their bones had greater porosity and lower density than control subjects.
The researchers note that many times medical professionals encourage ultrasounds to boost business, and pregnant women enjoy getting the images. However, since rabbit bones are similar to human bones, this and other studies suggest it would be safer to restrict ultrasounds to high-risk pregnancies and other necessary situations, the researchers conclude.
For more information about this research, please contact:
Iza Nurzawani Che Isa Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 42300 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan Email: zawaniisa@yahoo.com Tel: +60 3258 4405; Mobile: +60 13 2423304
About Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology (JST)
Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology (JST) is published by Universiti Putra Malaysia in English and is open to authors around the world regardless of nationality. Currently, it is published twice a year in January and July. Other Pertanika series include Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science (JTAS), and Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities (JSSH).
Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology aims to provide a forum for high quality research related to science and engineering research. Areas relevant to the scope of the journal include: bioinformatics, bioscience, biotechnology and bio-molecular sciences, chemistry, computer science, ecology, engineering, engineering design, environmental control and management, mathematics and statistics, medicine and health sciences, nanotechnology, physics, safety and emergency management, and related fields of study.
Website: http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/
The paper is available from this link: http://bit.ly/2o9vyow
For more information about the journal, contact:
The Chief Executive Editor (UPM Journals) Head, Journal Division, UPM Press Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (R&I) IDEA Tower 2, UPM-MDTC Technology Centre Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 Serdang, Selangor Malaysia. Phone: +603 8947 1622 | +6016 217 4050 Email: nayan@upm.my
Press release distributed by ResearchSEA for Pertanika Journal.
Source: Pertanika Journal Sectors: Science & Nanotech, Healthcare & Pharm
Copyright ©2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Asia Corporate News Network.
|
Latest Release
MHI Concludes Positive Impact Finance Agreement Mar 29, 2024 19:20 JST
| Panasonic Energy and Mazda Enter Agreement Towards Supply of Cylindrical Automotive Lithium-ion Batteries Mar 29, 2024 17:42 JST
| Eisai to Divest Rights for Merislon and Myonal in Japan to Kaken Pharmaceutical Mar 29, 2024 15:51 JST
| Eisai's Brain Health Self-Check Tool "NouKNOW" is Certified as "ME-BYO BRAND" by Kanagawa Prefecture Mar 29, 2024 15:19 JST
| Eisai: Discovery Research on Dual Orexin Receptor Antagonist Lemborexant Honored with PSJ Award for Drug Research and Development 2024 Mar 29, 2024 14:32 JST
| Fujitsu Selected as CDP Supplier Engagement Leader Mar 29, 2024 10:28 JST
| Mazda Production and Sales Results for February 2024 Mar 29, 2024 10:00 JST
| Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Receives Order from the University of Tokyo for "MiPoLin" Power Prediction and Lines Selection System Mar 28, 2024 16:45 JST
| Mitsubishi Logisnext Completes Demonstration of Automated Truck Loading, Leading to Start of Actual Operations in Japan Mar 28, 2024 13:52 JST
| Toyota Releases Sales, Production, and Export Results for February 2024 Mar 28, 2024 13:35 JST
| TANAKA to Install 500 kW Fuel Cell System to Promote the Use of Hydrogen Energy at Production Plants Mar 28, 2024 03:00 JST
| PEVE to change name to TOYOTA BATTERY Co., Ltd. and produce batteries for a wide range of electric vehicles Mar 27, 2024 15:13 JST
| NTT and Olympus Begin World's First Joint Demonstration Experiment of Cloud Endoscopy System Mar 27, 2024 15:00 JST
| TANAKA Holdings Announces Green Loan Financing for Construction of New Head Office Building Mar 27, 2024 03:00 JST
| JFE Steel and Hitachi Jointly Started Providing Solutions for the Steel Industry Mar 26, 2024 19:04 JST
| La Banque Postale and JCB join forces to elevate payments experience for travellers in France Mar 26, 2024 15:00 JST
| Fujitsu Tech Leverages AI and Underwater Drone Data for 'Ocean Digital Twin' Mar 26, 2024 10:24 JST
| NEC develops marketing strategy planning & effectiveness simulation technology using generative AI Mar 25, 2024 10:08 JST
| Toyota to Open New Tokyo Head Office in Shinagawa in FY2030 Mar 22, 2024 16:15 JST
| Hitachi Selected as CDP Supplier Engagement Leader for the Third Consecutive Year Mar 22, 2024 16:04 JST
|
More Latest Release >>
|