12 wk scan

[first_timer]

hi all,

just wondering if it is vital for a 12 week scan, i went to my gp last week and the hospital only have requested a 18-20 wk scan, but of course i would want to hear heartbeat etc before than and was wondering about other experiences.

does the hospital or gp normally request 12 wk scan or is it up to the individual??

i am currently 10 wks.

thanks guys!!

[Arimeh]

If it helps any, with DS I had a scan at 9 weeks, just to make sure everything was going ok and to hear the heartbeat - and a GP referred me to the scanning place for that. Then I had the 18-20 week scan referred by my OB.

With this pregnancy, I heard the heartbeat at 8 weeks in my OB's rooms (cos she has a really old ultrasound machine) and didn't have a 12 week scan (I don't think she refers you to them unless there is a problem?) and have only had my 18-20 week scan, and that is all I get unless I specifically ask for a 3D one.

Hope this helps !!

[SamiH]

Hi

It is not a 'routine' scan, so is requested normally through your gp or ob. depends on your age too - they are mainly recommended for women over 30, and definitely if over 35 but a lot of other ladies have them so they can have a look at the baby and go forward etc. The 12 week (which is actually 11.5 - 13.5wks) scan is for a combined risk assessment, which is a screening for downs syndrome predominantly - they take measurements from fluid of bubs neck, and you have a blood test and do the analysis from there as to what risk you may have for downs syndrome. I think amnio is sometimes recommended if results come back under 1/300.

I hope that info helps, and sorry if gave you too much, but wasn't sure what you knew and didn't

Sam

It is also up to you whether you have it or not, it is not mandatory.

[Heaven]

I just had my first appointment with my GP this morning and she recommended not having the 12 week scan due to my age and no history of downs in the family.

She said the downs test is not very accurate and a lot of ppl get told they are high risk and have a normal healthy bub so it often just causes more stress than it's worth. She just recommended an 18-20wk scan assuming all is going well so that's what I'm having.

I hope that helps! It's your choice whatever you want to do! If you want the scan you can ask your GP for a referral.

[Georgi]

As Sami said it's not necessary to have a 12 week scan though my GP recommended I have one to check for Downs, even though it's not in my family, but she said it is best to prepare yourself & your family in case there is a risk.
Although I'm not concerned about the risk, I did want the chance to be sure my pregnancy is progessing as it should, and that there is a healthy bub in there. I would rather know now than in another 9 weeks. Basically, I'm just having the scan to get the chance to see the heartbeat & be sure it is a viable pregnancy.
Talk to your GP / Ob & ask what they suggest for you.

[Beach Mama]

I didn't have one with Isabelle and had one yesterday...... I stressed alot with Isabelle about downs, but then having said that have been worried sick leading up to the scan yesterday. My age factors into it too, I'm 32 and my risk now is much greater than for a 22-23 year old for example. Anyway I just loved hearing bubs heartbeat and seeing it waving arms and legs about in there! Luckily my risk came back as low so I don't need to worry about an amnio.

I guess it really is up to you and how you feel about the testing.... the way I was asked initially was if it was confirmed that I was having a DS child would I termnate or continue with the pregnancy, because the risk of miscarriage is high with an amnio. I couldn't make that decision without knowing for sure, but I knew this time around I wanted to know my risk to put my mind at ease a bit.
Everyone is different, speak to your carers and see how you go!
WIshing you a happy and healthy 9 mths hun!

[SamiH]

Just wanted to reiterate that the assessment is screening, not diagnostic, so no, they can't tell you definitively - but amnio can - hence why it really won't be recommended as an option unless high risk and age factors cos of the associated risk of potential m/c.

I had it screening with both my kids, but I was 31 already with my first.

If you just wanna see the heartbeat and all the bits etc, just ask for a normal obstetric scan - half the price too

Good luck!

[first_timer]

so amnio is a different type of scan?? sorry i havent heard of that term before thats all!

i am turning 28 next week, so i dont know if i am still in that "risk age" but is it not a general rule that they test for down syndrome in any case? or do you ask for that as well, i know it was recommended by the hospital but my gp doesnt think it is necessary.

sorry i am so new to this...too many questions.

[SamiH]

Nah, not at all, I am just a preggers ole fart hehehehe.

Amniocentisis is when they put a needle in the uterus and take out some fluid and cells - analyse it - they look at the cells and can tell for certain if bubs has any chromosomal problems. There is a risk of miscarriage - can't remember stats though - so only recommended if screening tests have come back high risk or if you have other children with genetic differences. It happens around 16 weeks usually.

So, for your age - it is up to you. You are not considered high risk age wise - but you don't have to be "more mature" to have a baby with downs either

Downs screening is not routine - it is done around 12 week mark for reason Tanstar said, to give couples options I suppose.

If it won't make a difference to your family and you wouldn't terminate etc - then ask yourself why you would have it done - very personal decision.

Hope that helps a bit more ??...

[LimeSlice]

Hi

I dont know where you are so I m not sure if it will be correct for you...But At the start of my pg I went through a GP/OB, and he sent me for a dating scan (about 7-8 weeks) and then the 13 week scan for the downs test, etc...I loved having this one done, and in fact the only decent pic I have of my pg is the U/S from the 13 weeks scan, so Im glad I did it.
After about 12 weeks you can start going to the free antenatal clinic at the hospital and they arrange all the u/s's blood tests that need to be done for the rest of the pg, also see you for check-ups and do the urine/hr monitoring too.
I went for the 20 weeks scan which is an anatomy scan - to determine that all the legs and arms are there, that the kidneys are functioning and the arteries are where they should be!

I did the bloods and the Downs u/s (13 weeks) because I wanted t be prepared if something was wrong, but I know that lots of results are inaccurate with these tests, but for my piece of mind, I wanted to know so i guess it depends how you feel

Handy to know that you can request an u/s referral at ANY stage of your pg if you want one, although after about 32-36 weeks the baby is really too big for a clear pic of anything

HTH and hope you have a great pregnancy!!

Alexis

[first_timer]

Nah, not at all, I am just a preggers ole fart hehehehe.

Amniocentisis is when they put a needle in the uterus and take out some fluid and cells - analyse it - they look at the cells and can tell for certain if bubs has any chromosomal problems. There is a risk of miscarriage - can't remember stats though - so only recommended if screening tests have come back high risk or if you have other children with genetic differences. It happens around 16 weeks usually.

So, for your age - it is up to you. You are not considered high risk age wise - but you don't have to be "more mature" to have a baby with downs either

Downs screening is not routine - it is done around 12 week mark for reason Tanstar said, to give couples options I suppose.

If it won't make a difference to your family and you wouldn't terminate etc - then ask yourself why you would have it done - very personal decision.

Hope that helps a bit more ??...

thank you that helps heaps!!

[Beach Mama]

Ah thanks Sami - my comments might have been taken as if the scan might show baby definately has DS which isn't the case! Sorry to confuse! I guess what I was getting at was that my GP and hospital basically ask you the questions of what you would do, because if you wouldn't terminate, then they say it's not worth going through it all I guess. Each to their own though, I don't know that I would but I still wanted to see my gumnut so had it anyway!

[mumisabella]

Hi, I just wanted to share my story with u and hopefully this can help u a little bit with ur decision.
I was 20 when i had a nuchal test (12 week scan) done last year. My results came back that i was a high risk patient and my ratio was a 1:5 chance that my bub would have Downs. So i was referred for a CVS (Similar to Amnio but done earlier in a pregnancy and gets a sample from the placenta and not the amniotic fluid). While i was there, it turned out that someone somewhere had mixed up my birthday and had me down a year younger which when i corrected the mistake, it put my risk up to a 1:4 chance. As u can imagine, i was a COMPLETE wreck for around 2 weeks. Waiting for the results is the hardest. I had a phone call and the results showed that my bub had NO genetic/chromosomal abnormalities. I was so relieved and happy. I had spent 2 weeks of my precious pregnancy stressing, crying, preparing for the worst. So i do not believe that they are correct in giving a risk factor. I do believe however that they are a stressful experience and would not influence my decision this time around. I am planning to keep my baby at any cost so this 12 week scan is just a chance for me to see and say hello to my beautiful baby. I think, unless u are planning to terminate the pregnancy if u were to find out something was wrong then go ahead, but if u really are not too concerned and do not want the added stress, then i would suggest just having another scan or see ur GP so they can check the baby's heart beat (with a doppler)before u have ur morphology (18-20 week) scan.
Hope this has helped a little and let u know that it's not the be all and end all.
Good luck and just follow ur instincts x
(Just so u are not confused, i lost my little girl to other developmental problems that they picked up at a 16 week scan)

[SamiH]

Tanstar - not at all hun - just a couple of people mentioned docs and others said they weren't that reliable - I was just letting first-timer know it wasn't diagnostic in case she was confused with all of us sharing our thoughts

Mumisabella - so sorry for your loss. Amazing the strength women find inside to deal with such heartbreaking situations. Re : the risk factor you were given, I understand the wait would have been difficult - at my 19 wk scan with DS they thought there was a soft marker for Trisonomy 13 - I had the triple screening done - he is perfect - but I had to also wait 10 days for the results with my hubby overseas - was just awful.

There must be some reliable science behind it though, otherwise I wouldn't think it would still be done??

So, First-timer - have we completely bamboozled you LOL.

Good luck!!

[[M]umma[M]ia]

hey,

im having my 12 week scan on the 16th april. Yeh its the down syndrome one, even tho im only 20 and its no where in my family. Im having the down sydrome bt done next week too. There is no way i could bring myself to wait until week 18-20 to have my scan. its bad enough that i have to wait till im 12 weeks Im not too worried about the results, i just want to see that my bub is ok

[shorty]

Im 22 and also getting the 12week scan. Im only getting done so i can get another peek at bubs

HTH
Simone

[first_timer]

Thank you to all for sharing your stories with me (and everyone else of course)

I feel bamboozled...but all good info to know and share.

I suppose at the end of the day its up to the individual but i know i definetely want a 12 wk to see our little one happily floating around

All the best guys!!

[nangari]

Just wanted to let you know too that having a baby with Down Syndrome is not the end of the world!! You can have a test to see if your in utero baby has it or not but I don't think you can have a test (besides checking heart which can be fixed) that tells you if your baby will be healthy or not. My daughter has Trisomy 21 and is hardly ever sick and does not suffer at all and really, there's nothing wrong with her. Sure she takes a little longer to do stuff but hey, I know other kids without DS who are slow to do stuff too!!

Congrats on your pregnancy First Timer! Try not to let all the pre-baby stuff worry you. It's not worth it and I believe worrying is harmful for growing bubs Hope the rest of the pregnancy goes well and if you want some really good info on pregnancy and birth, check out the secondhand bookshop of your local uni or even pop down to your local library. There's some really great info out there

Cas