title: Medical legal issues in obstetric ultrasound.
abstract: More than any other innovation, ultrasound has revolutionized the practice of obstetrics and gynecology in one generation. Unfortunately, there are medical legal risks of which all practitioners should be aware. This article discusses the general aspects of a medical negligence case as they relate to the performance of the obstetric ultrasound examination, summarizes the recommendations of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine regarding the performance of these examinations, outlines potential areas of negligence, and discusses ways to avoid them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, The New York Presbyterian Hospital, 525 East 68th Street, Box 122, New York, NY 10021, USA. fac2001@med.cornell.edu
authors.forename: Frank A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Chervenak
authors.forename: Judith L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Chervenak
mesh_terms: D004282:Documentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters; D011786:Quality Control; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000592:standards*; D015974:Wrongful Life