Question about not having NT test.

[Tink_]

I have the option of having NT test done at my dating scan on Wednesday but I'm not sure about whether I want it or not.

My midwife felt it would be quite anxiety provoking especially as there are no major risk factors for us. Although obviously she was happy for the test to be done!

Basically though I'm wondering if we choose to opt out of the NT part of the scan, would they still tell someone if there was a major issue that would affect the baby and it's health over the next few weeks before 20 week scan?

Thank you

x

 

[MnGmakes3]

Im going to choose not to have this done. My main concern was I don't want to go through the next 7 months worrying about all the things that would be wrong and preparing for a horrible outcome.

Sorry, to answer your question I'm not sure how they would know about possible risks without doing the scan. We only get 2 US here in the states (one to confirm and then another at 20 weeks for gender confirmation)
Would you have to pay for a private if you wanted to find out after it it was initially offered to you?

 

[Tink_]

Thank you for your reply

Sorry, I didn't mean anything about the things they would test for with the NT but I guess any other big risks with the pregnancy which don't relate to Downs Syndrome etc. So if they saw it was very small and wouldn't survive I'd still want to know of that sort of issue.
Xx

 

[Jingles23]

They would definitely tell you if they noticed anything unusual. We didn't get the nt scan with our first 2 and won't be getting one this time either.

 

[Scout]

Yes, if they see anything of concern on your scan they would tell you and offer you additional testing.

 

[Tink_]

Thank you x

 

[babifever]

If I could take it back I would have never took the test. A lot of stress comes with it, and truth be told you never really know untill baby gets here anyway, even if tests are good. I'll never get it again.

 

[Berri]

They should still tell you if anything is obviously wrong/unusual. Baby is still pretty small at 12wks and while they'll have a good look, the anomaly scan at 20 wks is better at picking up abnormalities.

They do combined testing for Down's Syndrome here, that is a blood test and the NT scan. I didn't do the blood test but to be able to claim back for part of the cost of the scan at the time (which I wanted because I'd had bleeding and couldn't face waiting until 20wks), I had to say I wanted the NT done.

Really at the end of the day, an NT scan can't tell you for certain whether or not your baby is affected. What it can do is help you to decide whether or not to have a diagnostic test.

 

[crazycatlady5]

I've been wondering the same thing. My dr wouldn't give me his straight up opinion. I got the impression he thought it caused more harm than good, I got the impression he thought it often caused unnecessary stress and worry and often didn't give conclusive results, just could show an increased risk and then in the end everything could be fine.

I still need to read up on it more. What I'm wondering is can it show you a problem that you could prepare to have medical treatment for at birth that you wouldn't otherwise know about?

 

[mrs.e.e]

I'm the opposite, I had the scan done with my baby boy and I'm so glad I did. He had a cystic hygroma that turned out to be t13. Our son died naturally but it meant we chose not to tell our daughter I was pregnant- knowing that she would never bring her sibling home. It's a personal choice, no right or wrong. X

 

[Berri]

I've been wondering the same thing. My dr wouldn't give me his straight up opinion. I got the impression he thought it caused more harm than good, I got the impression he thought it often caused unnecessary stress and worry and often didn't give conclusive results, just could show an increased risk and then in the end everything could be fine.

I still need to read up on it more. What I'm wondering is can it show you a problem that you could prepare to have medical treatment for at birth that you wouldn't otherwise know about?

From my understanding the 12wk scan can pick up major abnormalities but a lot of things that may be treated at birth (or prior) are usually picked up at the 20 week detailed anomaly scan.

 

[IsabellaJayne]

I had it done last time and will do again. I'd like to know to be able to prepare myself. The NT scan doesn't tell you for definite but it gives you a risk ratio then you can choose to have an amnio which gives you a definite yes or no answer. They take amniotic fluid from the sac and look at its chromosomes to give you a definite answer.

I guess its all about if you want to know of there could potentially be a problem or not.

 

[IsabellaJayne]

I was low risk last time so wasn't offered any further testing such as amnio or CVS. Is refuse those anyway. Hoping I'm low risk this time.

 

[WW1]

As with our last pregnancy we have decided not to have this test done. For us, the risk of an amnio if they found an issue was too high and it wouldn't change what we'd do about the pg anyway so it's not worth the unnecessary worry.
With DD at our 20 wk scan everything was fine. When she was born, she had a skull condition and a hole in her heart. So sometimes, you just don't know. She's absolutely fine though (had surgery on her skull at 1 year) and I'm not sure knowing at 20 wks would have helped anyway. None of it is an exact science - but it's still amazing what they can tell!

 

[Alpha]

I'm also not having the NT at my scan. As others have said it can't give you a definitive yes or no, only that you're high or low risk. If my results came out at high risk I still wouldn't have the amnio done, so for me, it'd just be another thing to worry about for the rest of the pregnancy. It's a personal decision though.

 

[Twinmum87]

I had never even thought about having it done with my twins do when I got my first scan at 14+5 weeks and they said it was too late it didn't bother me one bit. OH and I discussed it as both agreed we will not be going ahead with measurements or tests this time if we are given the option.

 

[bathbabe]

I didnt have it done I didnt have it during my last pregnancy either.
They WILL tell you if anything during your scans isnt 'normal' tho. X

 

[klsltsp]

With my first we weren't going to do it. My doctor recommended it because he said that there is some information that can only be collected at that specific gestation. So we did it, and boy was I glad.

At my anatomy scan at 18 weeks, they were having trouble seeing one of the valves for the heart, there was information from the NT scan, that helped to assess the situation.

We know that there are a lot of false positives, and just knowingly accept that.

 

[mrs.e.e]

I posted earlier but just wanted to add one extra bit . A couple of people have put that the risk of an amnio or cvs is too high, statistically it depends on what odds you were given of a chromosome issue. Our nt plus bloods put us at a 50% chance however a cvs was 2% chance of loss . For is it was the right choice, as I said earlier there is no right or wrong it's all personal choice but thought I'd add that point.

 

[Gracesmom10]

Yes, at the 20 week scan they will be looking for "markers" of birth defects.

You just have to ask yourself, if the NT scan came back with high risk results, would you have further testing? What would you do with that info from the further testing?