Ultrasound screening during pregnancy: psychological strain experienced by the investigating staff.

Ultrasound screening during pregnancy in Sweden is mostly performed by midwives. Detection of abnormalities may lead to psychological stress in the pregnant woman as well as the sonographer. In order to evaluate the emotional reactions of the staff, 95 midwives participated in an inquiry. From the results, it is obvious that the midwives experienced strong and overwhelming emotions. There was no organization for feedback for 50% of the midwives and 33% did not feel that they had enough support. Copyright 1993 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology