Detection rates may vary and be reduced by factors such as Note:Īlthou gh a structural screening scan is undertaken, detection of structural problems will never be 100% accurate. The accuracy of scans is about 70% in detecting all abnormalities. It is performed by a sonographer or obstetrician, using a fairly advanced ultrasound machine that provides excellent resolution for imaging. Ultrasound screening for physical abnormalities is usually done during around the fifth month or 20th week of your pregnancy. Further testing can then be done to exclude these. An ultrasound scan can be used for screening to look for abnormalities in the physical structure of the baby, for example in the heart, lungs, spine, brain, long bones in legs or arms, organs in the abdomen like liver, stomach, intestines, kidneys, bladder and even check for cleft lip and palate.įinding of certain abnormalities during an ultrasound scan may also alert doctors to the possibility of Down Syndrome or other genetic abnormalities in the baby. Screening Scan (Week 18–22)īeing an expectant mother, you will find it reassuring to know that your baby will be born healthy with no congenital deformities. The absence of the nose bone is a worrying sign, which increases the risk of Down Syndrome. If your baby is in an optimal position, ultrasound examination after 11 weeks may be able to visualize the baby’s nose bone (known as nasal bone). So do consider this test, which is perfectly safe for your baby. This test is quite accurate to detect Down Syndrome as the detection rate is 80% in the hands of experienced doctors. Other causes may include heart abnormalities or even other rarer If the neck fold is unusually thick, it may indicate that your baby may have Down syndrome.
#3D SCAN AT 24 WEEKS PREGNANT SKIN#
This is done by a measurement of the skin fold thickness (nuchal translucency) at the back of the baby's neck. In recent years, ultrasound scans in the first trimester can be used to assess the risk of your baby being affected by Down Syndrome (read the article on The first trimester ultrasound also allows you to know if you are expecting twins or even triplets.
Indeed, the accuracy of the first trimester ultrasound scan is within a week. It also helps you to plan ahead like informing your employer about maternity leave and making all the necessary arrangements for baby care before the arrival of your baby. This is especially important for your doctor to manage your pregnancy well. Your expected date of delivery (EDD) can then be estimated accurately.
The current gestation (age) of your pregnancy can be calculated by taking measurements of your baby during the scan (Table 14.1). Be assured that vaginal scanning is safe and will not harm your pregnancy in any way. Sometimes, your doctor may use a vaginal probe for the scan when your pregnancy is about 5 to 6 weeks. The baby’s heartbeat is normally visible by 6 weeks of pregnancy. This happens to 1– 2% of all pregnancies. Visualising the pregnancy in the womb is reassuring, because it confirms that it is in the right location.Īlth ough very uncommon, pregnancy can sometimes be implanted in the wrong place like in the fallopian tubes (known asĮctopic pregnancy). This can be seen as early as 5 to 6 weeks of pregnancy. In a usual situation, the scan will show the early pregnancy sac in the womb with the fetus within the sac. Your first ultrasound scan should be performed in yourįirst trimester of pregnancy. It is a safe and useful way of obtaining images of your baby and his/her surrounding environment to provide useful information on his/her health (Figure 14.1). An ultrasound scan is an assessment tool commonly used by doctors during your pregnancy.
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