NT scan - can you do anything but worry and google?!

[captainbarnacle]

Had my first scan this week and seemed to go well. Am measuring 6 days ahead so am 14w tomorrow (based on size).

My NT measurement was 3mm. The sonographer didn't highlight this as a problem at all - and of course I had my bloods taken and they get put in the formula along with my age (34).

Obviously, I made the mistake of googling the 3mm - and it looks like this is on the very highest limit of 'normal' and for some people has given them risk ratios of greater than 1:100 of DS and other issues.

I have the scan photo and there's a clear white image where the nasal bone should be.

Someone please tell me to STOP GOOGLING!

STOP GOOGLING!!!!!

I know it's hard as there are a thousand worries running through your mind, but 3mm really isn't bad. Everything will be discussed when the bloods come back and feel free to totally interogate your midwife when the call comes.

Nasal bone is a very good sign.

I hope you aren't torturing yourself with 'what if's'. Pregnancy is a stressful time of your life, as well as wonderful and down right scary. Hormones are running rampant and make things feel so much more intense.

Step away from the computer Captain... Step away from the computer.

Oh, and congratulations on your pregnancy

and, don't forget that you have had your NT test at the top end of the timeframe.... So your baby will be that bit bigger, and will have a thicker NT naturally...

Yep, as has been said - at the 14 week end, the NT measures a lot more than at the 11 week end. Yes, it's not ideal and average, but it's not in the OMG zone either if you know what I mean! In fact a lot of places use a cut off of 3.5mm before getting concerned.

With my first the NT measurement was 2.2mm at 13w4d or something. I had no idea the NT grew and I was on a US due date forum where they all had theirs at 11 - 11.5 weeks and were reporting sizes of around 1.2mm and I was getting very worried. But babies grow :)

maximum crown-rump length for NT is 84 mm, if the fetus is measuring ahead & bigger than that then it isn't reliable.

Barnacle please stop worrying and wait for your blood results. Also stop googling!

I was in the opposite camp - had a very low NT measurement so was very confident only to be knocked for six when bloods came back 1:8 - eek!! Am not trying to scare you, just trying to make the point that whatever you think/feel/say/google will not change the end result.

Btw I had a CVS and it was all fine

Re-iterate that presence of nasal bone is good though. Good luck for the wait for your bloods - keep us posted.

Oops I forgot

Bloods came back. Age related risk is about 1:444. With that highish NT measurement plus blood that was increased to 1:264. This is classed as low risk by my hospital, though am sure elsewhere it would be high risk?

So no more testing offered. Am kind of putting it to the back of my mind....

I think it has to be less 1:100 or less before other tests are recommended. Just remember 1:264 in percentages is less than 0.5% chance that your baby will have Down's which is tiny.

Barnacle, do you live near London? I've heard that the Fetal Medicine Centre take more measurements than just the NT when calculating a probabilty (no idea what though, sorry)-maybe worth looking into if you're worried and looking for more peace of mind? Sorry it's so stressful.

Hi there

As others have said, 1 in 264 is not a high risk and you should try REALLY hard not to worry and upset yourself. To be honest the elevated risk is probably as a result of the nuchal being at the high end of normal for its gestation, and would have increased a lot more if you hormone markers had been indicative of a problem (low PAPPA and high beta HCG). In fact if you have got those blood results you could ask to be given reference ranges for the normal ranges which will hopefully re-assure you.

Last year a scan at about 11+4 resulted in a 5mm nuchal for me, which when age adjusted on it's own conferred something like a 1 in 30 risk, then the bloods came back at 1 in 5 for downs (my area doesnt screen for other chromosomal abnormalities) - so my blood results showed an even worse picture and at that point the 4 in 5 chance of not having down's was more likely a 4 in 5 chance of something rarer. Oh and I was going to say; no sign of nasal bone. The fact your baby has one is hugely encouraging.

Having been through all this last year I have spoken with a lot of people on MN about screening results and tests; anecdotally it seems that most people that have had a problem pregnancy have a huge nuchal from the start (we are talking the 5mm plus category, and thats much earlier than 14 weeks, by 14 weeks a lot of these would be grown to 8 or 9mm); obviously its all down to statistics and so on, but it honestly sounds like you dont have anything to worry about it (and believe me i wouldnt want to give someone false hope).

If you are still worrying it might be worth requesting that you have your detailed anatomy scan with a foetal medicine consultant; but to be honest your pregnancy will be considered low risk so that might not be possible unless you are prepared to go private. just make sure they look for soft markers for downs like having a detailed look at the heart; all the other things like bone lengths are part of the routine scan.

I know its really hard not to worry but please try not to. No-one can promise you everything is going to be ok but does look really unlikely that it won't be xxx

Thank you so much for your posts - I am just waiting for my 16/18w midwife appointment (all antenatal appointments are in my living room) and thought I'd pop on. No I live quite a way from London. It's kind of stressful when I think about it, but managing OK to not think too much.

Ilovekitty - that's such a helpful post. After creating this post I have found the antenatal tests bit of mumsnet. Some great advice on there from some wise wise ladies. I have also reassured myself that my bloods must have been fine for the risk 'only' to have doubled from my agerelated risk.

I guess my hospital have shown no concern at all about my results - which is great but also unnerving when I check online and see what has been said to other people.

I know it's all statistics and stuff and statistically the risk is not huge. Only just over 3w until my 20w scan and I am hoping that one will reassure me a little more.

Thanks again.