Thomas Söderqvist The 5 March issue of the Danish medical weekly (Ugeskrift for Læger) reports the results from a qualitative study of pregnant women’s choice of prenatal ultrasound scanning.
It turned out that rational risk assessment seems to be a less motivational factor than doctors had expected. Instead, women tended to get involved in the scanning procedures more for aesthetic and emotional reason — to be able to ‘see’ a screen picture of their future baby together with the father.
In other words, ultrasound scanning is turning into yet another product of the experience economy, like taking a tour to the nearest IMAX theatre.
What’s next? Swallowing a pill camera before going to dinner and letting the whole family follow the steak’s way through the intestines? (for the gastrointestinal contribution to the experience economy, see this link).
(for an earlier post and discussion of the experience economy, see this link)
