The Society of Radiographers (SoR) in Britain has raised the alarm about the great risk posed by private ultrasound clinics for pregnant women, which often operate without qualified medical staff.
According to the SoR, anyone with an ultrasound device can call themselves a "sonographer," even if they don't have any professional degree or license.
This practice is resulting in misdiagnoses and serious risk to the lives of the mother and baby, including cases where parents have been told that their child has died, while the baby was completely healthy.
“Anyone can do ultrasound – even without any qualifications”
The professional officer for ultrasound at the Society of Radiographers, Gill Harrison, said many patients do not know who is scanning them.
“Many women are shocked to realize that the person doing the ultrasound may not have any medical degree – or even be someone who has been disbarred for ethical violations,” Harrison explained.
The association warns that some of these individuals were previously prohibited from working in public hospitals, but have been employed in private clinics where legal control is lacking.
These clinics offer ultrasounds that cost between 50 and 300 euros, but with no guarantee of safety or medical accuracy.
Shocking cases of misdiagnosis
The association reported several serious cases where false diagnoses have endangered the lives of the mother and baby.
One of them is the case uncovered by Elaine Brooks, a former public hospital sonographer and regional representative of SoR.
She told of a woman 8 to 9 weeks pregnant who was told by a private clinic that the baby was dead and "severely deformed," advising her to go to the hospital for an abortion.
"When I scanned her, I saw a beautiful pregnancy at nine weeks - with a heartbeat, completely healthy," Brooks said.
She discovered that the clinic had mistaken a blood clot under the embryo for the baby itself, incorrectly measuring it.
"If the hospital had given her the medication the clinic recommended, the baby would have been aborted," she warned.
The mother, who had been drinking wine over the weekend after thinking her pregnancy was over, was left "emotionally devastated" after discovering the mistake.
Serious problems that can go unnoticed
According to SoR, private clinics often fail to detect major fetal abnormalities that can be evident in the early weeks of pregnancy.
"There are times when women have a private ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby and then, at the 20-week ultrasound in the hospital, we find out that the baby has serious defects – like spina bifida or polycystic kidneys – that should have been seen earlier," Brooks said.
spina bifida
It occurs in about 1 in 1000 babies when the spine does not form properly in the womb, causing nerve damage that affects walking, urination and movement.
Its early detection gives doctors the opportunity to plan vital interventions within 48 hours of birth.
Polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD)
A hereditary disease where fluid sacs form in the kidneys and liver.
Early diagnosis allows for monitoring every 2–3 weeks and specialized treatment to avoid organ failure.
Hydrocephalus (fluid-filled ventricles in the brain)
In this case, the baby has excess fluid in the brain, which can lead to speech problems, epilepsy, or developmental delays.
Treatment requires delicate surgery to place a shunt that drains after birth – so early detection is crucial.
Ectopic pregnancy
When the embryo develops outside the uterus – a condition that endangers the mother's life.
If diagnosed early, it is treated with the drug methotrexate; in late cases, it requires urgent surgical intervention.
Authorities: "Patients must be in safe hands"
A spokesperson for the British Department of Health and Social Care stated:
“No parent should have to experience the trauma of a misdiagnosis. We are committed to ensuring that all healthcare professionals are properly licensed and regulated.”
The British government has announced that it is reviewing regulations for health professionals to ensure that no unsuitable people work in this field.
Message for future parents
The Radiographers Association calls on pregnant women to:
to check the qualifications of the person performing the echo,
not to rely solely on private clinics, and
consult their doctor with any doubts.
“Ultrasound is a vital diagnostic tool, but only when performed by trained professionals. Errors are not just technical – they can cost lives,” the SoR statement concludes.
The safety of mother and baby is not a business – it is a medical duty. /GazetaExpress/
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