Nuchal Translucency Scan

11 weeks - 14 weeks

This is the first stage at which the fetus can be seen in greater detail. This scan confirms that there is a heartbeat, and the number of fetuses. The baby’s head, trunk, arms, legs, hands and feet can be seen and we will also look at the placenta, amniotic fluid and umbilical cord.

The doctor or sonographer will then measure the ‘nuchal fold’ or ‘nuchal translucency’ and the baby’s nose bone. The nuchal translucency is the skin at the back of the baby’s neck. In some babies with problems such as Down’s syndrome, and also in some normal babies, this can be enlarged by fluid. The nose bone can be small or absent in Down’s syndrome babies. The doctor will take a blood sample from your arm and perform blood test for two particular hormones. The result of this test, which will be available from the lab within two hours, will give you more specific information about your level of risk. From this information we can calculate the risk of your baby having fetal abnormalities such as Down's syndrome. This will be expressed as a probability of abnormality of one in "something". 1/300 or better is considered a good result. You can either wait for the result in our comfortable lounge, or you can give us a convenient phone number and we will call you with the result later in the day. This is called the combined test for Down's Syndrome.

Time needed for the scan: 20-30 minutes.

Pictures: We will give you a few pictures of your baby for you to keep.

After you have had the results of this combined test, you can make an informed choice about whether to have a CVS (chorionic villous sample) at 12 weeks, or an amniocentesis at 16 weeks. These tests give definitive information about whether there are any abnormalities. These tests are ‘invasive procedures’ and carry an added risk of miscarriage of 0.5%. This means that 1 in every 200 women who have these tests will have a miscarriage as a result of having the test. The CVS and amniocentesis procedures are not performed at The Birth Company; they are referred to Professor Nicolaides at The Fetal Medicine Centre, which is downstairs in the same building as The Birth Company.