The majority of pregnant women have an ultrasound around week 12 of their pregnancy, which includes a nuchal translucency scan. The medical practitioner doing the ultrasound will gauge your baby's nuchal translucency, a fluid-filled gap at the back of your baby's neck, if you decide to have the scan.
A screening test called an NT scan is carried out in the first trimester of pregnancy. It is usual to have fluid or clean room for a fetus at the back of your neck. But an excessive amount of free space might indicate Down syndrome or other chromosomal problems like Patau syndrome or Edwards syndrome.
Why is Nuchal Translucency Scan Conducted?
The outcomes of a nuchal translucency scan can inform you if your baby has a high or low chance of a chromosomal issue. The scan can help determine the chromosome in the nucleus, which stores the genetic material. The nucleus typically contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, which are inherited equally from both parents. In those born with Down syndrome, there is an extra copy of chromosome 21. Down syndrome in babies causes developmental delays and distinctive physical characteristics and cannot be healed. These consist of:
It is a pretty typical genetic condition. Unusual side effects including Patau syndrome and Edwards syndrome frequently result in death. Unfortunately, the majority of infants born with congenital defects die within the first year of life.
When is an NT scan scheduled during pregnancy?
An NT scan should be performed in the first trimester since the visible gap at the back of a growing baby's neck might vanish by week 15. Blood tests will also be necessary for this test in order to detect the levels of plasma proteins and the maternal hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Abnormal amounts of either can suggest a chromosomal issue.
How is NT Scan Conducted?
During the examination, an abdominal ultrasound will be performed by your doctor or technician. An ultrasound probe is inserted into your vagina in a transvaginal examination, which is an alternative.
High-frequency sound waves are used in ultrasounds to create images from within the body. Your doctor or technician will use this picture to determine the translucency, or clean space, at the back of your baby's neck. The NT scan cannot identify Down syndrome or any other chromosomal abnormalities. Only the risk is predicted by the scan. Discuss the available blood tests with your doctor.
As with every forecast, the accuracy rate fluctuates. Combining an NT scan with blood tests increases the screening's accuracy for determining the chance of Down syndrome by about 85%. If blood testing is not done in conjunction with the scan, accuracy falls to 75%.
How to Prepare for NT Scan?
There is no extra setup necessary for an NT scan. In most situations, testing is finished in less than 30 minutes. During the scan, you will be lying on an examination table as an ultrasound probe is passed over your abdomen by the technician.
The ultrasound images will be simpler to interpret if your bladder is full, so your doctor may advise drinking water around an hour prior to your consultation. Wear comfortable, open clothes since the lower belly must be accessible for the ultrasound machine.
The results of scanning will be accessible on the same day as the test. And it's important to remember that even if you get an abnormal result from an NT scan, your baby might not necessarily have a chromosomal problem. Similarly, normal test outcomes do not ensure that your baby will not be born with Down syndrome.
This exam is not faultless. A 5% false-positive rate is present. In other words, 5% of women who are tested have positive findings, but the baby is healthy. After a favorable outcome, your doctor can advise prenatal cell-free DNA screening, and another blood test. This test examines fetal DNA in your bloodstream to assess your baby's risk for Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities.
Results of NT Scan
An NT scan does not diagnose your baby; it just offers an estimate of the possibility of certain problems. Based on the results of the NT scan, which might offer a diagnosis, you might choose to have chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis. Despite the hazards, which include a higher chance of miscarriage, CVS and amniocentesis are often safe procedures.
All pregnant women should get this first-trimester screening test, while it is not required. If you are interested in learning more about NT scan, which is safe for both mother and child, speak with a doctor at Nepal IVF.
