Advice please - abnormal nuchal fold measurement. Should I get CVS test?

[malia]

I had my NHS scan today and was dated at 11+4. We were so happy to see the baby jumping around, but the sonographer spent half an hour trying to get the baby to lift his/her chin. She measured our nuchal fold at 3.6, and said this may be an indicator of a chromosomal abnormality.
We were send to see a consultant who carried out another scan, and again she couldn't get an accurate measurement because the baby wouldn't lift his or her chin.
We need to go back on Monday, and she said I need to decide if I want to have a CVS test if they are still unable to get a definitive measurement. The leaflet on CVS says that the test can cause miscarriage.

My partner and I are 26 and healthy. I kind of assumed my risks would be low. I'm in shock

Does anybody have any experience of this?

I'm scared of doing the test and increasing the risk of miscarriage, but also scared of the baby having something like Edward's and me not knowing.

Some measurement she took were as low as 2.6 so I don't know what to think.

 

[LoraLoo]

It's on the larger side but it's not an absolute measurement, sounds like baby was being a bit awkward especially as some measurements were significantly less.
Are you having the blood screening? Id personally have them if you haven't- although they can't give you a difinitive answer they can tell you if you are high or low risk for any syndromes which may help you make a decision on whether to opt for the cvs
So sorry you've come away so worried x

 

[malia]

It's on the larger side but it's not an absolute measurement, sounds like baby was being a bit awkward especially as some measurements were significantly less.
Are you having the blood screening? Id personally have them if you haven't- although they can't give you a dif unitive answer they can tell you if you Re high ir low risk for any syndromes which may help you make a decision on whether to opt for the cvs
So sorry you've come away so worried x

Thank you. The woman mentioned a blood screening but said that it wasn't covered by the NHS and that we would need to pay privately. Do you know what the blood test is called and I can look this up?

 

[Sweetkat]

Found a statistic on Google that 9/10 babies with your range of measurements will be absolutely fine. Good luck with the blood tests.

The baby with an NT of 2.9mm is also within the limit of normal range. Nine out of 10 babies with a measurement between 2.5mm and 3.5mm will be completely fine (Nicolaides et al 1999). As the NT increases, so does the risk of Down's and other chromosomal abnormalities.

 

[LoraLoo]

It's on the larger side but it's not an absolute measurement, sounds like baby was being a bit awkward especially as some measurements were significantly less.
Are you having the blood screening? Id personally have them if you haven't- although they can't give you a dif unitive answer they can tell you if you Re high ir low risk for any syndromes which may help you make a decision on whether to opt for the cvs
So sorry you've come away so worried x

Thank you. The woman mentioned a blood screening but said that it wasn't covered by the NHS and that we would need to pay privately. Do you know what the blood test is called and I can look this up?

I'm not sure what bloods she's referring to, but The bloods should have been offered to you when you booked in with mw- as far as I'm aware, all uk mums are offered it? It's part of the combined screening with with nt meadurement,
It only give you a '1 in xxxx' risk though.
Perhaps she was thinking of the harmony test? X

 

[malia]

It's on the larger side but it's not an absolute measurement, sounds like baby was being a bit awkward especially as some measurements were significantly less.
Are you having the blood screening? Id personally have them if you haven't- although they can't give you a dif unitive answer they can tell you if you Re high ir low risk for any syndromes which may help you make a decision on whether to opt for the cvs
So sorry you've come away so worried x

Thank you. The woman mentioned a blood screening but said that it wasn't covered by the NHS and that we would need to pay privately. Do you know what the blood test is called and I can look this up?

I'm not sure what bloods she's referring to, but The bloods should have been offered to you when you booked in with mw- as far as I'm aware, all uk mums are offered it? It's part of the combined screening with with nt meadurement,
It only give you a '1 in xxxx' risk though.
Perhaps she was thinking of the harmony test? X

I had blood tests done at 8 weeks but was never told anything about the outcome of them.

Has anyone ever had a CVS?
Should I get the test and risk a 2/100 chance of miscarriage?

 

[LoraLoo]

It doesn't sound like you've had the screening bloods then, they write to you with the results and they only take a week or so, they're usually taken when you have the scan.

As for the cvs..,It depends. For me it wouldn't have changed our decision so I wouldn't have had a cvs, but if you wouldn't continue with the pregnancy then I think you need to weigh up the risks. Such a hard decision to make x

 

[LoraLoo]

Did everything else come back ok- was the nasal bone etc present?

 

[malia]

It doesn't sound like you've had the screening bloods then, they write to you with the results and they only take a week or so, they're usually taken when you have the scan.

As for the cvs..,It depends. For me it wouldn't have changed our decision so I wouldn't have had a cvs, but if you wouldn't continue with the pregnancy then I think you need to weigh up the risks. Such a hard decision to make x

I would continue with the pregnant if it was downs, but with something like Edwards I wouldn't want to carry a baby to term for it to die shortly afterwards.

Do you think I can request the screening bloods?

Everything else was okay as far as I'm aware.

 

[LoraLoo]

Looking at your scan pic im thinking you are scotland?

The nhs site just states England which I just find strange, but yes Id definitely be asking, I can't understand why they wouldn't do it x

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/screening-amniocentesis-downs-syndrome.aspx

 

[cskme_]

hey, just a suggestion, my baby had his or her chin on their chest the first time I went in for NT scan, I had to come back days later and it was in another awkward position but luckily I drank a bottle of orange juice before my scan so it moved and bounced around and changed positions frequently during my scan.
I suggest maybe drinking a tall glass or bottle of orange juice before going for your scan just to give your baby a little sugar rush

 

[Yo_Yo]

I'd personally pay to have the private blood test, Harmony I think it's called? I wouldn't want to have a cvs.

So sorry you're going through this, I'm sure it'll end up being a false alarm

 

[cupcake23]

Nuchal fold measurements plus bloods taken is called the combined test, it's a screening test, it can only tell you your risk, they obviously can't give you a result due to getting differing measurements. There is a private test called harmony and that's around £500 and can tell you if there any abnormalities, I would wait for my follow up scan and would rather go with the harmony test than the cvs. All the best x

 

[malia]

I'd personally pay to have the private blood test, Harmony I think it's called? I wouldn't want to have a cvs.

So sorry you're going through this, I'm sure it'll end up being a false alarm

Unfortunately I can't possibly afford the £500 cost of a private test

Nuchal fold measurements plus bloods taken is called the combined test, it's a screening test, it can only tell you your risk, they obviously can't give you a result due to getting differing measurements. There is a private test called harmony and that's around £500 and can tell you if there any abnormalities, I would wait for my follow up scan and would rather go with the harmony test than the cvs. All the best x

The combined test is not offered in Scotland, for some inexplicable reason.

hey, just a suggestion, my baby had his or her chin on their chest the first time I went in for NT scan, I had to come back days later and it was in another awkward position but luckily I drank a bottle of orange juice before my scan so it moved and bounced around and changed positions frequently during my scan.
I suggest maybe drinking a tall glass or bottle of orange juice before going for your scan just to give your baby a little sugar rush

Thank you - I will try that.

 

[cupcake23]

https://www.dsscotland.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/NHS-Flyer.pdf

Page 32 mentions combined screaning.

Could you go privately if it is the case they don't offer the combined test? The problem is the test doesn't give you a definite answer only a cvs will and with the risks it's a horrible decision to make x

 

[malia]

https://www.dsscotland.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/NHS-Flyer.pdf

Page 32 mentions combined screaning.

Could you go privately if it is the case they don't offer the combined test? The problem is the test doesn't give you a definite answer only a cvs will and with the risks it's a horrible decision to make x

We have talked about it and we are considering putting the £450 on credit cards for a private harmony test if we do not have a more positive measurement on Monday.

Thanks everybody for your help x

 

[Lucasmum]

I'm no help but I know what your going through though nothing was detected on our scan my blood work came back as high risk for Down's it's been a roller coaster of emotion but we are not having further testing done as the result would not make a jot of difference to us, big hugs xx

 

[malia]

I'm no help but I know what your going through though nothing was detected on our scan my blood work came back as high risk for Down's it's been a roller coaster of emotion but we are not having further testing done as the result would not make a jot of difference to us, big hugs xx

Thank you. It is comforting to know that others are going through the same thing. I wouldn't do anything if the baby had downs, but I'm worrying so much about the other conditions, such as Edward's.

 

[Jessicahide]

I really feel for you, its probably completely fine, but yet you have been put through this stress, i am shocked they don't do the harmony tests on the nhs!!! This is why i refused the nucol fold test yesterday.... sending my love x

 

[malia]

Just to update everyone - I had my rescan this morning and NT measured 3mm, so within the normal range doctor is now treating it as normal and counting the previous scan as an error. Thanks everyone for your help x