NHS Obstetric Ultrasound Examinations: Guidance on Sale of Images, Fetal Sexing, Commercial Considerations and Requests to Record.

The Society of Radiographers (SoR) is very much aware that expectant parents welcome the opportunity to obtain images of their developing baby and to be able to share these with their family and friends. Parents will also often ask the sonographer to reveal what the fetal sex is. The SoR is also conscious that the time allowed to perform an ultrasound scan for diagnostic or screening purposes under NHS provision is limited.

Adding non-essential services to the ultrasound scan increases the time required which can in turn have an impact on other patients with pressing clinical needs. It can also conflict with the purpose of the examination which, under NHS funded provision, will be performed for a specific clinical reason, or as part of a national screening programme for fetal anomaly. There can also be major distractions caused to the sonographer in a highly litigious area of practice at a time when very high levels of concentration are required.

This guidance relates solely to NHS commissioned ultrasound examinations performed for screening or diagnostic purposes as part of a national screening programme for fetal anomaly; or other scans performed for diagnostic or monitoring purposes that are funded as part of overall NHS maternity provision and are thus free to the woman or pregnant person. It does not extend to ultrasound examinations performed where a scan has been requested by the woman or pregnant person and is outside normal NHS provision.