Ok, is the ultrasound a Nuchal Translucency Scan? That's the ultrasound done in conjunction with a bloody test (BETA HCG & PAPPA) - testing for Downs Syndrome. If it is, you must be between 11wks 3days & 13wks 6days when you have the ultrasound. It would be most optimally assessed in the middle of those dates which would be 12wks.
The other reason you may be requiring a scan at 12 weeks is to firstly make sure the pregnancy is viable & secondly to get your EDD (according to size & when your LMP was etc).
I would check with your GP or Obstetrican or whoever referred you for the scan as to what type of Ultrasound they have ordered for you to have. What does your referral read?
For the NT scan, i had bloods taken at 11 weeks... and then the scan at 12 weeks and some days..! because i had the bloods taken before the scan, i had my NT results 45min after my scan!! good luck
SDhoegal, I would contact the centre that you are to have the u/s. They will know far more than the gp.
Why the u/s centre said it may be too early is because if your dates are out a bit this could make it too soon for an accurate result.
Most if not all fetal medicine units will ask that the bloods are done a day or two before the nt u/s. This is so on the day you will have a full result. Many u/s centres don't do this. They give you the result of your nt u/s and then phone or send the results of your blood test combined with nt u/s combined risk.
It is confusing - especially when different places do it at different times. It is my belief that 10 weeks is too early for the bloods to be done prior to a 12 week u/s. For best results the bloods should be taken as closely as possible to u/s.
I used to work in Radiology and took all the pregnancy ultrasound bookings etc. The 1st thing people would say to me when ringing up to book early preg ultrasounds is, I need to book a 12 wk preg ultrasound. I would ask is this scan for dating purposes only or is it for the Nuchal Transluncy Scan? (Most people had no idea). I would say, you need to read your referral from your dr which will specify what your dr has referred you for. Has your Dr given you a pathology request form for BETA HCG & PAPPA as well as your ultrasound referral?
If you do have a referral for both pathology & ultrasound, it is likely that your dr has ordered a Nuchal (Down Syndrome) test for you. This HAS to be done between 11wks 3days & 13wks 6days. Your bloods must be taken 2 days prior to your ultrasound. This is because the test is most accurate when the bloods are done as close to the ultrasound as possible, and secondly, the blood results usually take 2 working days to arrive at the ultrasound clinic.
I'll give you an example - The patient thought she was around 12wks preg, I booked the Nuchal ultrasound & got the patient to arrange to have bloods done 2 days prior. She come's in for her ultrasound, blood results have arrived etc - all good. But when we scan her, she's only 11wks preg. We would stop the scan & re-book her for 1 wks time. She would be required to have another lot of blood tests done to ensure her overall results are accurate. The blood readings in 1 week can change, therefore requiring another blood test.
Bearing in mind, a 24 year old woman is not considered to be at "high risk" for Downs. You are only considered to be in the high risk category if you are over 35 yrs old and/or had a history of miscarriage/stillborn, have family history of Downs. Medicare will not cover a Nuchal Translucency scan unless you fall into one of those categories.
On the topic of having a Nuchal scan done.... you have to take into consideration that it's all well & good to have this scan done (cause you're worried etc), but you have to ask yourself "if my results come back at high risk - like 1:100 chance.... what would you do?" Would you terminate? Let me tell you this now... I have seen many cases where younger/older women have had this test & their results have come in at high risk. I know with one particular case, her risk was 1:57 or something & she was 24yrs old. She decided to proceed with the pregnancy & ended up having a perfectly normal baby boy!!! It's a tough call to make & I believe people should undergo councilling prior to having this scan. So many GP's out there send women off for these scans & the poor patients have no idea what they are really being tested for!
Personally, I would not bother about having a Nuchal done unless I was 30+. You have to make the decision "would I take the next step & have an amnio done if my results came back high risk?" "would I be able to cope having a child with Downs?" "would I terminate if the results were high risk?"
I would suggest DEFINATELY having a good chat with your Dr before going for this test. Lots to consider........
Thanks heaps to Jodie82. You have made more sense to me than any Dr. I already have my referral for my blood test and NT scan, but you have certainly put some issues into perspective. Thanks again
So I got my referral on Sat from my GP, it is for first trimester scan and BT.
GP says EDD is 28 March 2008.
FS says EDD is 4 April 2008.
Literature from GP says I can go for first trimester scan and BT (NT test) anywhere between 10 and 13 weeks. GP has written her EDD on the referral form which means I will be 12 weeks to the day when I go for the scan, instead of 11w2d.
Does this sound okay? Should I make the scan for a later date?
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BellyBelly Member
Dumb Q - When To Have 12 Week Scan?
good luck
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