Nuchal Fold?

[Daisypops]

Hi everyone, was just wondering if NHS patients have this test/scan? I haven't been offered it and MW has never mentioned it. Is it something you have to ask for. I'm now 23 weeks pregnant and scan was all ok so do I need the test and should I have had it?

Depends on area I think . Some do it as routine and have done for years (had one for ds 9 years ago), others seemingly not still or only for higher risk women. 23 weeks would too late - it has to be between 11 and 13 weeks, so normally done at the 3 month scan.

Thanks LIZS, I don't know if anything was actually checked at my early scan. I had it at 10+3 as I had some bleeding. If my 21 weeks scan was ok do I need to be worrying? x

it varies from area to area on the NHS
My county does not offer it, but I got referred to another county due to previous problems.
You are too late for one now.
It's all part of the postcode lottery

Presumably, if you're concerned about the nuchal fold test, you did the blood tests for anomalies...? I didn't have those myself, but won't you have had the results of those back by now? If those were ok, you surely don't have to worry about the nuchal fold test.

This is where I'm a bit naive. I don't really know what the nuchal fold test is for. I had the triple test, yes and I was low risk.

It's for Downs Syndrome. (I don't think it shows up anything else does it?? I didn't have the nuchal fold test either.)

As far as I'm aware, it just allows you to determine the risks earlier in the pregnancy (although one midwife did suggest to me using it as a dating scan - and it's not like I was in any doubt about ovulation / conception)

If you have both tests you get a slightly more accurate result. But if you were low risk anyway I def wouldn't worry.

It is a risk assessment for Downs based upon measurements taken from behind the baby's neck on the scan combined with a statistical probability given mother's age.

Nuchal fold is for DS or various other anomalies that can show up the same way (Turners Syndrome does, for example). It needs to be done between 11 and 14 (I think) weeks so too late to get it done now. It's routinely offered in my area [whereas the triple test isn't unless the nuchal screening suggests a problem] and when I had it in mid-2004 supposedly it was going to be rolled out as routine across the whoe of the UK by 2005. As you've seen, it hasn't been (unless the reason you didn't get one was that you'd had a scan at 10+3 so too early for nuchal scan but that counted as your "early" scan and so you didn't get offered the 11-14 week one).

I wouldn't worry if your triple test results were good and nothing out of the ordinary shows up at your next scan. There's never a 100% guarantee, but then there's never a 100% guarantee even with good nuchal results.

Well it certainly hasn't been rolled out here. On the contrary you don't even get the dating scan as standard any more unless you're uncertain about your dates (or lie and tell them that you are!).

i had mine private and the sonographer said that its not routine on the nhs because the scan time would need to be tripled as it takes longer to accurately measure the nucahl fold, as it did with dd. too much cost to nhs. i asked my midwife where i should go to have it done and when i would need it and she told me 'off the record' that they're not allowed to talk about it. its a disciplinary matter! they can only tell you to research on the net. disgusting

They're obviously allowed (encouraged?) to talk about them around here. They even give out leaflets for the local private scanning operators and advise you to use them!