Anyone who wishes to have a “keepsake” scan carried out at a private clinic should ensure that the person carrying out the scan is fully qualified. A balance must always be maintained between diagnostic benefit and risk to the patient. Dating ultrasounds provide precise crown-rump length (CRL) measurements to determine gestational age and EDD. Ultrasound scans performed within the 7- to 12-week period provide the highest due date accuracy, as the fetus is in the best position for measuring. Gastroschisis is an explanation for an elevated maternal serum AFP. This is a repairable defect that will most often have a good outcome.
Getting ready for your 12-week scan
Although the heart structures aren’t yet fully developed at six weeks gestation, it’s possible to see the electrical impulses of their developing heart (sometimes referred to as embryonic cardiac activity). Other conditions are more difficult to see at this stage of pregnancy as the baby is very small. Having the scan does not hurt, but the sonographer might need to apply slight pressure to get clear views of your baby. A black and white picture of your baby will then be seen on the ultrasound screen. To view the list of sonographers who have obtained the certificate of competence in measurement of nuchal translucency please click here.
How long does an ultrasound take?
A dating scan measures your baby and this helps your doctor estimate how long you have been pregnant, and when your baby is due. Not everyone needs a dating scan, but they can be very helpful if you aren’t sure when you conceived. You will have to wait a few weeks for the results of the nuchal translucency tests because the risk factor is calculated using both the scan and the results of a blood test which will be conducted separately. You will receive a letter after the results of your blood tests have been processed and the letter will tell you what the estimated chances are of your baby having Down’s syndrome. If the results are considered to be low then no further tests will be conducted. Remember that this is only a calculated risk factor and there is still some chance that your baby may have the condition even if you have a low risk result.
The Doppler works by emitting high-frequency sound waves that bounce off of the fetal heart and create an audible sound. However, the fetal heart is very small and can be difficult to locate at such an early stage of pregnancy. However, there are other possible reasons for not detecting a fetal heartbeat during the initial ultrasound examination. Some of these reasons include incorrect calculation of amateur community mobile version pregnancy dates, an irregular menstrual cycle, or an incorrect gestational age estimation due to the position of the uterus or other factors. However, the timing of the ultrasound may vary depending on the medical history of the mother. Women who have had previous miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies may require an earlier ultrasound to ensure that the pregnancy is viable and in the correct location.
However, scans can pick up serious health conditions and other issues for baby. This is always something to keep in mind when preparing for your scan. Because an NIPT involves only a quick blood draw with a needle and syringe, it’s safe for you and your baby. All you’ll need to do is offer up your arm at the doctor’s office or a lab. Your sample is then sent to a lab, where a technician will look at the DNA in your blood for signs of abnormalities.
This scan should be ideally performed between 12 weeks 5 days and 13 weeks 6 days of your pregnancy. A nuchal translucency screen is recommended for all pregnant women and is often one of several routine prenatal tests during the first trimester. The care of women who have an abnormality detected after a positive screening test is beyond the scope of this discussion. Often women in this circumstance will complete pregnancy care in a high risk setting although there are some who will return to the primary care practice on a shared care basis. The special needs of this patient population are usually managed in a high-risk setting.
1.4.21 Consider discussing the increased risk of preterm birth with women who have unexplained vaginal bleeding. 1.4.4 When considering pharmacological treatments for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different antiemetics with the woman. Take into account her preferences and her experience with treatments in previous pregnancies.
3 Information and support for pregnant women and their partners
With consent, an internal examination may be performed during a female pelvic ultrasound. Remember, any woman who falls pregnant can have a child with a chromosome problem, but the risk increases with age. If you have more than one ultrasound during your pregnancy, giving you ‘multiple dates’, then the earliest ultrasound in which your baby was seen should be used, because it will be more accurate. If you have any questions about this, please feel free to talk to your sonographer or doctor about this. A dating scan shouldn’t hurt, but sometimes the sonographer does have to press quite hard on your tummy, which can be a bit uncomfortable, and may leave you with a few bruises. Once your sonographer has got the measurements they need and seen a heartbeat, they’ll point it out to you.
Mine took 2 weeks – just as i was starting to fret about it not turning up! I got the results of blood test (where thy give you the chances) and scan at the same time, although i didnt have the test which tells you for more or less definite. Your GP, obstetrician or midwife can answer your questions and give you more information on antenatal screening tests.
When an abnormal test results in the offer of invasive testing with potential harm to the fetus and a situation that confronts a decision about abortion, it leaves many women angry and confused. If you are expecting twins, you will probably get more ultrasounds to check their growth. This condition is called twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome and is treatable either by early delivery or by lasering blood vessels in the placenta.
The use of ultrasound in pregnancy has increased dramatically over the past three decades. It is now possible to evaluate fetal structure and growth and provide the clinician with information about the developing fetus. It may be used as a diagnostic test after an elevated MSAFP to look for spina bifida or other structural birth defects. When used by experienced operators, prenatal ultrasound is sensitive and specific enough for the diagnosis of neural tube defects (Lennon & Gray, 1999). Amniocentesis is still necessary when an adequate examination of the fetus is not possible, when another indication such as maternal age is present or when an abnormality is detected.
The scan builds a picture from the way high-frequency sound waves from a probe passed over your tummy reflect off your baby in your womb (NHS, 2020). This creates a 2D image and, based on your baby’s size, your carer will estimate the gestational age of your baby and the estimated due date (NHS, 2020; NICE, 2021). As the combined test is just a screening test and not a diagnostic test, your combined test results won’t tell you for certain if your baby does or doesn’t have a chromosomal condition. Instead they will give you the chance—either higher chance or lower chance—that you might be carrying a baby with this condition. The scan is carried out at most NHS antenatal clinics and is usually offered and done during the 12 week dating scan.
1.4.17 Refer pregnant women with unexplained vaginal bleeding after 13 weeks to secondary care for a review. 1.3.25 Advise women to avoid going to sleep on their back after 28 weeks of pregnancy and to consider using pillows, for example, to maintain their position while sleeping. 1.2.2 Consider reviewing the woman’s previous medical records if needed, including records held by other healthcare providers. Some clinics that perform medically indicated 2D ultrasound scans do provide photos. When you check in for your ultrasound, ask about this possibility and the cost. Women who are over the age of 35, have a history of previous miscarriages or fertility treatments, or have certain medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure may be at a higher risk for miscarriage.
It may improve the diagnostic confidence of dating, nuchal translucency (NT) and chorionicity assignment in twin pregnancies. The “virtual 3DUS placentoscopy” can guide selective fetoscopic laser photocoagulation (SFLP) to treat twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). Volumetric assessment of the dysmorphic acardiac twin with the Virtual Organ Computer-aided Analysis (VOCAL) software is more accurate than the conventional ultrasound measurement.
