Hi Krystle, my doc told it is purely a scan to determine if the baby will be a downs one. But as someone else said, the scan is not 100% accurate. It's measured on the baby's neck or something like that. If the measurements are in the downs area, then that's when they ask if you want the needle into the placenta which can cause miscarriage.
I could not go to the hospital and get it done for free, as I am not over 30, so I have to go to a private clinic and is going to cost me $390!! Which I will get probably half back from MC. I don't particually want to go for the scan, but my fiance does. My appt is 21st Oct, so I am feeling a little anxious about it.
It is really a personal thing weather or not to have the nuchal translucency test. I know little about billing but in my experience people receive a percentage of the cost back. Your doctor will be aware of billing codes etc so you just need to mention this.
Now the nuchal translucency test is a combined u/s and blood test. The blood test is for free bhcg and PappA. Then you will have an u/s. The u/s measures the nuchal fold at the back of your babies neck. After 13 weeks and 5 days the nuchal fold measurement cannot be accurately measured. So, the test has to be done before then and after 11 weeks and 5 days (times approx and will depend on the practice)
Many women will have the nt test regardless if they would have further testing. It is a very personal thing. For some women the need to know is very important for others it is not.
This is a screening test NOT a diagnostic test. So you will be given a ratio - of say 1:500 so if this was your result for every 500 women with the same result 1 will have a baby with chromosomal issues.
This test does not only screen for downs syndrome or trisomy 21. Most chromosomal issues present similarly on u/s at this gestation. Contrary to popular belief chromosomal disorders do not happen just to older mothers they can occur in babies of younger mothers also.
There are also so called "soft markers" that show on u/s. Many babies with chromosomal issues especially trisomy 21 and 15 do not have a nasal bone - this can be examined during nt u/s. The kidneys are often affected as is the heart and sometimes cysts on the brain.
I would recommend all women go to a fetal medicine unit to have their nt u/s. Here a fetal medicine obstetrician will review your u/s most often whils you are there. You will leave on the day with your result. Usually you will have the blood test a day or two prior to u/s.
First of all I'd just like to say that as much as I complain about my local hospital they don't rip me off. I've NEVER had to pay for any ultrasound for any reason and I don't think I've even seen any facilities for people to pay ... I'm in NSW also and age etc never has anything to do with it. You're just never asked - give the medicare card and away you go.
Anyway! I'm glad though now that we have a healthcare card we can go to our local medical imaging place because they bulk bill if you have a h/c card which is awesome cos they give you the films 5 minutes later to take home with you.
I had the scan with Jovi. Was never a consideration in my mind - mainly because I wanted to see her so badly. It's certainly personal choice though and not something that is 100% accurate. My SIL and bro had one with their first and were told at repeated screenings that the baby had downs and a heap of other complications - one final scan before they had to make the aweful and stressful decision that they would terminated they saw yet ANOTHER specialist who ran all the same tests, rang the other doctos and it turned out that the machines weren't calibrated right!!!! Abi is now 3 and there's not a damn thing wrong with her.
So I guess even if you did it and they gave you a bad report, I would certainly have 2 or 3 other opinions before I started thinking about anything else.
We'll prob have the scan with this one but at the moment all I am thinking about is our u/s we're having on the 3rd to make sure the baby is well and growing (since we miscarried a few months ago). Time seems to be going VERY slowly ...
When I got a high NT measurement they spent a lot of time looking at the nasal bone which fortunately was present which helped ease my worry a little, but I still chose to have an amnio just to make sure (1/37 chance of DS). It's one of those things you just don't know what you'd do until you are faced with the decision to know more about your pregnancy. You may think you wouldn't have invasive testing, but most women who are faced with a high risk of a chromosonal issue do actually go on and have it done. It would be incredibly hard to go through the pregnancy without knowing one way or the other.
Most DS bubs are actually born to women in their twenties even though their risk is much lower than women in their late 30's or in their 40's. This is thought to be because many women in that agegroup don't get the NT test done, nor do they usually go for invasive testing like most women over 35 do (and often go on to terminate if a trisomy is detected).
I am not having the NT scan done. Instead my Dr gave me a referall to a bulk billing Ultrasound place for a 'dating scan'. This is totally free and we will be able to see bubs again at 12.5 weeks. We know our dates so this is just a way for me to see bubs moving around before we tell our families.
I chose not to have the scan for personal reasons, I would not abort, I am young, and I am feeling OK about waiting til the 18-20 week scan.
It is a personal decision and I wish you all the best with it!
i have just made my booking for this scan. it will cost me $110 and i will get $59 back according to the receptionist.
i would never abort, or have amnio or cvs, but if there is a potential issue i want to be prepared for that. Im 35.
mostly i just want to see my baby!!!!!! havent as yet so really looking forward to that. we have been holding off telling anyone until we get thru this scan. SO yay for next friday, thats the big day!!!!
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