§         A Geddes Keepsake ultrasound is an examination performed primarily for patient purposes versus medical purposes. It is not a diagnostic examination.

§         Each patient who has a Geddes Keepsake ultrasound acknowledges the following:

o       That the ultrasound examination is being performed for personal reasons versus medical reasons.

o       That a copy of the results of the examination will not be provided to her physician.

o       That the results of the examination may not be used in a legal medical claim against the patient's physician or the licensed Geddes Keepsake provider.

§         Every day medical professionals around the world personally experience the benefits of keepsake ultrasonography. Licensed providers of Geddes Keepsake ultrasounds have advanced the following benefits:

ü      Substance Abuse: To assist a patient in dealing with substance abuse during a pregnancy (smoking, alcohol, drugs, etc.).

ü      Fetal Bonding: To assist in early fetal bonding with the mother, father and others associated with the pregnancy. Fetal bonding can lead to better care of the unborn child.

ü      Abortion: To assist a patient who is considering an abortion.

ü      Support Structure: To help improve the support structure and social environment associated with the pregnancy.

ü      Keepsake: To capture images that could become an important support tool in raising the child.

ü      Pregnancy Issues: To identify medical conditions that need to be addressed.

ü      Fetal Anomaly: To assist a patient and family in dealing with a known fetal anomaly.

ü      Bereavement support: In the case of fetal demise, to assist the mother, family and friends in dealing with their loss.

Currently, licensed providers of Geddes Keepsake ultrasounds have advanced these eight benefits with regard to keepsake ultrasonography. This list will increase as additional benefits are identified.

§         Limited research exists with regard to measuring the actual impact and benefit of keepsake ultrasound scans. While many studies are currently being completed, until the results are published, the benefits associated with keepsake ultrasound services are only indications of benefit. Until formal research has been completed, keepsake ultrasonography will, most likely, not be adopted by the medical community as a standard procedure.

§         Diagnostic ultrasound has been a vital tool in prenatal care for more than 35 years.

§         Prenatal ultrasound imaging has become an invaluable tool in the care and management of pregnancy. Countless lives of mothers and babies have been saved as a direct result of ultrasound technology. As the image quality and capabilities of ultrasound continues to improve, the benefits will become even more pronounced.

§         Thousands of studies have been conducted. Nothing has surfaced yet that indicates any harmful effects in the use of ultrasound on animals or on humans.

§         The greatest risks arising from the use of ultrasound are the possible over- and under- diagnosis brought about by inadequately trained staff, often working in relative isolation and using poor, outdated equipment.

§         The quality of any diagnostic ultrasound examination is based on the following top four factors. Please note, the first three factors are under the control of the organization providing the ultrasound services.

1.      The capabilities of the ultrasound machine. If the ultrasound machine is not able to acquire the diagnostic image, then an anomaly can go un-detected.

2.      The capabilities of the sonographer. If the sonographer does not have the training or experience to acquire the images, then an anomaly can go un-detected.

3.      The capabilities of the physician, radiologist or perinatologist. If the physician  does not have the experience or training to correctly diagnose the images, then an anomaly can go un-detected. Radiologists and perinatologists, working in maternal fetal medicine, are coinsidered the best qualified to complete the technical review of the images acquired during the ultrasound examination.

4.      Position of the baby. If the baby is not in a good position, then the images necessary for a diagnostic or keepsake examination may not be able to be acquired. 

§         Most patients are not aware of the top four factors that impact the quality of an ultrasound examination. As a result, most patients do not insist that a state-of-the-art machine be used, operated by an RDMS-certified sonographer, sonologist, or licensed medical practitioner with the images being reviewed by a board-certified radiologist, perinatologist, or qualified OB/GYN.

§         Most insurance companies will only reimburse for one ultrasound examination during the course of the pregnancy unless complications are discovered during the first examination. In some cases, insurance will reimburse for a second "reassurance" examination completed in the third trimester. Most patients are not aware of this fact and do not insist on the highest quality of service for their medically reimbursed ultrasound examination.

§         Many physicians and medical offices do not retain the services of a certified sonographer to perform ultrasound examinations.  Most states do not require that a certified sonographer operate the machine or perform the exam. Many organizations that provide ultrasound services are not committed to continuing education and training for their sonographers.

§         Because of the risks of litigation associated with a diagnostic ultrasound, many organizations have placed "restrictions" on their ultrasound services. These restrictions may include:

o       No video taping of the diagnostic ultrasound images for the patient.

o       No pictures provided for the patient. If a picture is provided, it is not labeled or tagged in any way.

o       No one but the mother may attend the session. Some organizations will allow the father to attend.

o       The screen is turned away from the mother for most of the ultrasound examination. Maybe at the end of the examination, the mother will be provided a view of the screen.

o       Limit communication between the sonographer and the patient about the ultrasound images. The patient is told that the sonographer is only there to capture the images, not to provide diagnostic services.

§         Because of these restrictions, patient benefits, including fetal bonding, which may have been resulted from an ultrasound examination, have decreased.

§         The GE Voluson 730 is currently the state-of-the-art 2D, 3D and 4D ultrasound imaging machine. No other ultrasound machine compares in terms of image quality and image rendering capabilities.

§         The GE Voluson 730 scanner shows in minute detail the activities and even the facial expressions of the baby within the womb. It can be used from as early as the seventh week of pregnancy to monitor the baby's development up to birth. The scan can also be invaluable in identifying abnormalities such as cleft palate.

§         The GE Voluson 730 ultrasound machine is ergonomically designed in collaboration with world-renowned Porsche™ designers.

§         3D/4D ultrasound currently brings a new dimension to fetal imaging, yielding a better means of disclosing findings for clinical diagnosis and greater clarity for concerned parents in their understanding of those findings.

§         3D imaging has been beneficial in the assessment of spina bifida, ventral wall defects and extremity disorders. The images obtained also enhance the integration of care with pediatric subspecialities, such as pediatric surgery and pediatric neurology. Developments in the field will soon create better estimates of fetal weight and improved fetal cardiac diagnosis.

§         3D imaging is particularly beneficial in the diagnosis of Mullerian disorders, where tubal patency is not an issue, and when a physician wishes to avoid the discomfort of a hysterosalpingogram for the patient. 3D imaging also lends itself to IUD localization and the characterization of adenexal masses.