Worth having private NT scan?

[Fuzzyduck21]

Nhs scan is booked for 13+5 and they are unable to bring it forward. I'm concerned that this is leaving it too late in case baby is bigger than 13+5 and they can't take the measurements. I've gone ahead and booked a private NT scan and blood test for when I will be 12+3 and they said they look at extra markers that the nhs don't look at routinely. My SIL has a heart defect from birth and was told that they will also look at heart in private scan.

My question is, what would you do? Would you have both scans? would you have private NT and then go to the nhs to see baby again and for them to date? is there any harm in having two scans close together?

Have any of you had both? which was the better experience?

I wouldn't opt for amnio/cvs but look to use the NT scan as an indicator so I can prepare myself if I didn't get the results I hoped for.

My friend had both. She said private scan was more thorough. You can also have harmony screening which is a more accurate screening test. Personally, I would just have the private scan but make sure if you are not going private for 20 week scan that you book with NHS once you have your dates.

I'm with fetal medicine and have had three scans within a week. However I wouldn't have one unless it was medically necessary.

Also, I think the reason the NHS don't look at extra markers is that it's difficult to do so when the foetus is so tiny and developing.

I only did the private scan at FMC (and Harmony) this time. I did not see the point to have a later scan (they also were suggesting it quite late at NHS) which would look at less markers, when I already knew the results. My hospital was happy with that and book 20 weeks scan based on the dates determined during private scan.

I had a private NT scan because it was peace of mind. I didn't get offered another scan on the NHS until 20 weeks.

I understand you want to know asap, but if they can't see at your NHS scan, either because baby is too big or in the wrong position, you can have the quad blood test from 15 weeks which gives the same level of accuracy as the standard tests at your scan.

The quad blood test doesn't have the same level of accuracy. It has an increased false positive result which may sway some women down the Amnio or CVS route when it's not necessary.

Thanks all for your replies. I'm thinking I will go with the private scan and then go to my nhs one but not have the nuchal again. Ive heard stories of people getting lost in the system if they don't have a 12 scan on nhs plus the more people looking at baby the better I guess!

I was also under the impression that the quad bloods weren't as accurate as the combined scan and were more likely to show a false positive as it didn't have the markers from the NT to bring the overall score down.

No test will change the outcome but would find some reassurance in knowing in advance

This pregnancy lark is a minefield!

Really? I asked when mine was arranged and the consultant told me the difference was negligible.

According to babycentre both the combined test and quad bloods have a 5% false positive rates. Either way, I just wanted to point out there was a third option.

The difference is in sensitivity. NT + bloods at 12 weeks ~ 85%, NT+ 3 other markers + bloods at 12 weeks (done at only few places, UCH, Kings hospitals, FMC) gives 95%, quad test ~ 75%. That's one of the reasons NHS moved to NT testing (also the results are earlier).
Good luck with the scan!

I am following NHS rules because as fuzzy said I don't want that my history gets lost in their system!! So I had last week the blood test at NHS and today I am going for the NT, despite this I booked the HT for the next week with which I hope I will have a most accurate results .
I am worried but fingers crossed everything will be ok for all of us !!

Are you paying extra for the heart scan? because my DD had a heart defect and at 16 weeks the heart is the size of a grain of rice. We were told that at that age it's very difficult to see anything. at 13 weeks it's even smaller!
I see your point about the dates and baby possibly being older, but to be honest I think that even if the neck measurement can't be taken, a good sonographer knows what they are looking at.
I'm also not sure what the 'extra' markers are!

I had same thing, nhs letter saying for 14+1 which i knew for sure as it was ivf
I called to move appt and they wouldnt let me go earlier than 13+2 so i did that, baby measured 13+6 (so almost the last day for measuring and would have been 14+5 if id gone with apt they made for me.
I personally think the scans should be done by 13w+0 because they use the size of baby, not actual gestation so it can easily be several days out.
Also sometimes they cant get baby to move from the wrong angle
Ive also seen quad test is less accurate.