I have 3 children, and have NEVER had an ultrasound. My pregnancies were perfectly normal and there was never a need. You can have a healthy baby without ultrasound scans. They are NOT necessary, but, in my opinion, have become a novelty that has never been proven as safe. Like the commenters above, it is my hope that these devices will be limited to use by medical professionals.

Ultrasounds are not an inevitability in pregnancy. No woman is mandated to have one in her pregnancy, despite what incomplete or misinformation she may have been given by peers or obstetricians. Unfortunately, there are to date no long term studies showing the safety of routine use of ultrasound technology. Unless it is medically indicated (pregnancy alone not being a medical indication), having an ultrasound is not necessary. People who are not trained in the use of ultrasound technology should not have personal and routine access to it (Sorry Mr. Cruise). I hope this new GE gadget will not be marketed directly to the general public as it will perpetuate the safety myth of routine ultrasound use.