Hi Cobweb, sorry you're feeling confused about the nuchal scan. It really is so confusing to have lots of information bombarded at you during pregnancy isn't it?? I remember it from last time - total nightmare. Fortunately for me, my dp is a GP and I would often go home and ask him to interpret what had been said and we could also discuss things in a more 'informed' way if you like.
I'm not a midwife or a doctor, but I'm not sure I agree with your midwife! If she'd said that to me I would have said "ok, but I'm still having the test"
This is the nuchal scan as I understand it.
They measure the thickness of baby's neck (using much better scanning equip than when I had my dating scan on the NHS!!) and calculate the risk factor of, mainly Down's, but there are other tests. If you have asked for a combined blood test too, they will send the neck thickness results off and combine them with the tests they do on your blood. The combined test gives an accurate, but not conclusive, result. Mine was 1 in thousands last time.
However a friend of my sister came back with something like a 1 in 7 chance and decided to have an amnio which told her definitely. An amnio is the only thing that will tell you definitely, but unless you have been put in a high risk group from your nuchal results you wont obviously have one.
I don't know what happens at your 12 week scan i.e. do they do the measuring of the neck. My NHS does not include a 12 week scan, only the 20 week one, scanning does seem to depend on area. So as far as I understand it, I wont get the information unless I go private.
Confusing!
I am getting it done for these reasons;
1.I want to see babs before the 20 week scan!
2.I want some indication of what is happening.
3.We are lucky enough to be able to afford it.
I hope this has been of some help to you, and remember, it's only my opinion!!