WHY NOT look at the nasal bone while you're there for goodness sake??

[misty0]

Sorry - but i just cant understand why - when you're there on the bed and they're looking at the babys neck - the policy on the NHS in my area is 'not to look at the nasal bone'.

Is it the same everywhere?

I'm told with a shrug that i'll 'have to go private for that'.

I'm trying to locate a private clinic close to me and am struggling. Don't know if i can affort it either.

Cross

I think its because its a soft marker, so lots of babies where the bone can't be seen at around 12 weeks will be fine and not have Downs but all those parents it can't be found for will worry their knickers off, mostly unnecessarily.

Thank you haappycamel. x

I did a bit of research AFTER my rant and figured out just what you said.

But ... here we go again ...why cant they explain that at the time, instead of the shrug? Sigh.

I think i'm going to go for the private scan thing now anyway. It sounds like they take alot more time and effort.

Noooooo - OMG.

I was looking at the Beard Mill Clinic in/near witney, oxfordshire.

But poor you, lockets, how far along are you now? Did you try elsewhee?

Elsewhere.

It really depends on where you go! My NHS scan versus the one I had at the Fetal Medicine Centre in London was like night and day.

NHS - Here's your NT measurement, oh and we saw the stomach, heart etc. Done in 5 minutes. Wait eternity for blood test results.

FMC - Spend nearly an hour examining every part of the baby, obviously including the nasal bone, doing dopplers, getting another blood test (results back before scan is over), consultation with the doctor afterwards. Heck, they'll even guess the gender based on the angle of the nub with a high degree of accuracy. £150 I think it was. Money well spent!

oooooh, i honestly didn't know till being on her last night that they could tell the gender at 12 wks!

Sparklies - that sounds great, especialy getting the blood done on the same day + results. I think the clinic i'm looking at gets you in a couple of days ahead of the scan to take blood so they can give you the results all at once. Can you just contact the FMC yourself, or do you have to be refered?

Lockets - i havn't been given a risk yet, 10 weeks and no scan. I'm just being a worry arse because of my age. 43. 4th child, no previous probs.

Congrats on your great results

We had to have two scans because my NHS doesn't offer NT scans. And having seen their equipment I can see why!

The sonographers were perfectly nice, but they just pointed out the heartbeat, measured top to toe, pressed print for the photo at which point sprog moved so the picture came out all blurred and unrecognisable. The equipment wasn't up to the fine detail needed for an NT scan.

We had opted to go for a private NT scan because of my age and it was completely different. It was in Leeds, and the sonographer spent ages with much more detailed equipment - checking the brain, heart, stomach. She spent 10mins trying to get the little sod tyke to move so that she could check the nasal bone. She already had our blood test results, plus had confirmed a low NT measurement, so I think she was fairly confident of not freaking us out. Came back with the lowest risk possible, definitely worth the £190.

Misty I went to beard mill clinic (they're accredited by the FMC). They were absolutely brilliant and have great scanning equipment. You could see everything, even the heart and little tiny fingers at 12 weeks. The doctor even got the gender right :)

TBH even though I went there for the nuchal fold (baby did not behave himself at the NHS scan) it was such a nice experience and definitely worth the money. And I got the results the next day (could have got them on the day if I'd got bloods to the clinic in advance).

I have to agree with Sparklies our private scan was night and day different to our NHS one. Clinically speaking and also I appreciate touches like tea in china cups and gel that is warmed on the radiator before being squirted onto my tummy

Ooh Misty congrats! I'm 38 and have been thinking I'm getting on too much to think about a 3rd chid...you give me hope and the realisation that it's not weird to hve more!

My sis had her twins aged 41 they were her third prenancy and she was very hgh risk due to factors other than her age...but they were fine. No probs.

I understand your worries...hope you get something sorted.

Thank you seejane, and all the lovely ladies answering my original rant

You're NOT getting on too much for another at 38. (Although i must admit i was in pure terror when i had my coil out) my youngest is 12.

My worrys and paranoia about being an 'older mum' were realy soothed by coming here actualy -

Voice your worrys and you'll be flooded by lovely ladies 'our' age and above who are happily producing bouncing babes!

Good luck. And i'm ringing that clinic in a minute...

Well - if the receptionist is anything to go by at the beards mill clinic then it's lovely there!

We chatted for ages and i'm going tomorrow for my blood test.

Thank you everyone for your support.

I've never heard of anyone needing a referral for a private scan, and you can definitely self-refer to the FMC :)

I would have been happy with the NHS scan but I came back screen positive for Down Syndrome so we wanted to get a more detailed scan and a second opinion basically.

Thanks sparklies,

So your answer to my new thread would be yes then?!