Erin and William Petersen almost didn't get the ultrasound. You don't really need it, the doctor told them, but come on in if you like and have a look at your baby. They watched excitedly as the baby, just 12 weeks old, moved its hand across the screen. It looked like a wave hello to Mommy and Daddy. Excuse me, the technician said as she put down the ultrasound wand and headed toward the door. "Is everything OK?" the Petersens asked. "No," the technician answered and walked out of the room. Sky-high rate of a birth defect Nearly two years after the state of Washington was alerted to a possible cluster of babies born with severe birth defects, experts are speaking out, criticizing the state health department for not doing enough to save babies' lives.
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Anencephaly is a fatal brain defect
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There has been a cluster in rural Washington
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Experts are criticizing state health department
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The health department has defended its response
When the ultrasound tech walked out the door, the @placeholder were left alone, Erin's stomach still exposed with the ultrasound gel on it.