Nuchal Scan at 11 weeks at UCHL possible?

[forthefuture]

Hello ladies, I'm a newbie to to mn, loving reading all the posts recently. I got a BFP on 28th Nov (first timer), am 8 wks + 5 days today and due for my nuchal scan on fri 28th dec at UCH London.

DH and I hoped to be away for christmas with family and friends, but now coming back to London for the scan, which is right between christmas and nye. Have tried to get the apt re-booked for a week before at 11 weeks, but they seem to have very strict guidelines on scanning dates starting at 12 weeks.

I know the nhs is stretched to the max but it would be so great to know my baby has a heart beat and things are going okay so we can tell family over christmas, with me not drinking it will be very suspect anyway and being cautious I would prefer to keep the good news quiet until after the scan. Other than going private does anyone have any ideas on how I get the scan date shifted back to the fri or thurs before christmas? Anyone else had an earlier scan at uch? Due for antenatal mw meeting at the hospital on sat.

I'm pretty sure the scan window for nuchal testing is 11+5 to 13+5, whether that means its not possible to measure the nuchal fold accurately before that I don't know but its likely.

Having said that a quick google suggests 11 weeks onwards is ok. I would check with UCLH directly.

Are you getting mixed up with dating scan and nuchal fold scan?
They are quite different thats all.

Youc an pay for an earlier scan privately if you want to.

Nuchal scan is for abnormailites and goes hand in hand with a blood test to test possiblity for Downs.

11-12 weeks scan is dating.

Earliest they can do a Nuchal scan is 11+3. I know this because I've always had mine as early as possible due to past history. Even at FMC, the private clinic that Professor Nicholaides, who introduced Nuchal screening, have the same guidelines.

Thanks everyone, called UCH again but this time talked with a MW, I was told they do not offer just dating scans they do not pay for them (maybe it's different if you are high risk but didn't ask). I was told at the Nuchal scan (12 wk) appointment they will take bloods and scan for downs and they will also date then. They can't move this apt any earlier due to my LMP. Oh well looks like I will need to pay to go private for an early dating scan, which seems like needless expense being so soon before the 28th or as the MW advised I could try to get the GP to refer me for an early dating scan at a clinic.. next stop the GP but I doubt wanting to know before christmas is a good enough reason! Seems I'll have to pull out the "on antibiotics" card to avoid christmas drinking and then confess all after the 28th if we have good news.

Hi for. Bear in mind that they also take into account that EDD won't necessarily be accurate if you've just calculated it from LMP etc. I thought I was 12 weeks at my 12 week scan but was only 11 + 6 and some can be out by up to a week I think.

The good thing about UCLH is that when you do go for this scan they will do loads of measurements and your bloods and calculate your chances of DS and Trisomy 18 while you wait, so no waiting a week for results. Plus I think they do these tests earlier than a lot of hospitals.

The equipment they have there is amazing. You can even see the chambers of the heart filling and emptying - completely blew my mind thinking how small everything is!

Thanks PandaWatch, wow sounds really amazing seeing even the heart chambers, I didn't even think that would be possible so early, wow! That's great to know they test for Trisomy as well as DS, plus there's no waiting time for results, great to know. Pregnancy all seems to be about waiting, and more waiting.

I just can't believe I am really pregnant yet, even after 4 positive test results, I think I have to see it to believe it! Does anyone know or even how do they feel about having two ultrasound scans a week to 10 days apart? Would this do any damage to the baby, is there any risk of over exposure to mild radiation or anything like that? I am now thinking or paying £75 for an earlier dating scan just to check there is a baby and heart beat before Christmas so we can tell family + friends and then still go in for the more thorough testing at UCLH between xmas and nye.

I think it's pretty safe. I had scans every 10-14 days from 7 weeks until 16 weeks because of treatment I was on to prevent miscarriage. I doubt very much they would do that if there was any risk. It can be very reassuring to have an earlier scan than waiting until 12 weeks, which can feel like the longest 12 weeks in history!

Ultrasound uses no radiation and is risk free as far as anyone knows. Some older studies linked more scans to lefthanedness but even that isn't one extra scan.

This is good news, no adverse affects from frequent scans, I think I will have to go ahead and get a scan done earlier, it would make such a good xmas pressie for the in-laws and my parents - providing all looks well, fingers crossed and thanks everyone for your kind advice.