12 week scan report is scaring me - can anyone help interpret?

[poppydawg]

Hello all,

I'm so worried - I had my dating scan on Tuesday (which put me at 12+5) the ultrasound technician seemed quite non-committal when we asked if things looked good. At the time, I interpreted this as being normal - obviously she wasn't going to be able to say 'in August you will have a perfectly healthy baby in your arms' because it's early days and things can go wrong. This is my first pregnancy after 3+ years of ttc so I was just so relieved when she found the heartbeat.

But (because I'm a worrier) I had a look at my notes today - see attached for extract - I've also attached the scan pic. I understand everything but the following:

• BPD: it looks like she's written 73mm but I have read that a normal range in between the 12th and 13th week is 21 - 25mm so this seems really abnormally high. Anyone know what this might indicate?

• FAS: anyone know what this might indicate - some kind of test for fetal alcohol syndrome? I'm worried about this because I had given up on he idea of conceiving naturally and was waiting to reach the top of the IVF waiting list so had quite a few boozy pre-Christmas nights out before I realised I was preganant.

• M/L: any ideas?

I wish I had the presence of mind to ask more questions at the time but I was lost for words:(

If you're concerned about this please ring your doctor or midwife tomorrow and make an appointment to go through it.

I think the fas is something about fetal action seen possibly.

I wouldn't worry, they generally don't say much either way at the 12 week scan unless they pick up something serious.

Please try not to worry. I know it's hard but I've had a few 'bad news' scans and you know about it, they are totally straight with you and tell you exactly what they can/can't see. It's part of their professional responsibility.

If they'd found something wrong with your baby you would know about it. I promise.

I'm not sure, but at every scan I have had they told us that if they saw anything that concerned them they would say and then scan would be repeated and consultant app. I hope that your hospital would do the same. I know it's tough but try not to worry and ring them tomorrow.

I agree with Kitty's closing line. The minute someone else comes in "just to check" is very different from reading medical notes as a layperson. It's worrying you though so I'd go through this with a mw (who isn't a sonographer so your googling may still trump her knowledge).

Now feet up. Please.

And congratulations xxx

Fetal heart +ve

No mistaking that!

I am on my phone so cannot see the scanned notes but would echo the recommendation to go and see your midwife to have the notes explained to you. I would say though that a 2 can easily look like a 7 so it would be 23- within the normal range - and FAS could mean fetal assessment scan - so please don't worry

I did a quick Google and I think FAS stands for foetal anomaly scan and 8 /52 means in 8 weeks - therefore 20 week scan. A few people have asked on other boards. Am pretty damn sure no-one diagnoses foetal alcohol syndrome at 12 weeks! Don't worry lots and lots and lots of people get drunk before they know!

Stop worrying and try to enjoy being pregnant. They would have told you if something was even remotely wrong.

I am on my phone so cannot see the scanned notes but would echo the recommendation to go and see your midwife to have the notes explained to you. I would say though that a 2 can easily look like a 7 so it would be 23- within the normal range - and FAS could mean fetal assessment scan - so please don't worry

If they had seen anything of concern you would've been told there and then and follow up appointments arranged with consultants or specialists.

Are you seeing your midwife soon? I think it's be worth mentioning this anxiety.

FAR Feotal Anomaly 8/52 ... simply saying you will be booked in for 8 weeks time for 20 wk scan

M/V Routine appointment to be made with midwife for 16 weeks gestation

Okay, firstly, don't worry! If there were any problems you'd have been told and they would have been discussed on the day with a consultant. As I am no expert, I'm not going to say any more on the individual concerns you have, but if you are worried, you should make an appointment with your midwife to talk it all over. I haven't had my notes yet as I'm only 5 weeks, but for both my last pregnancies I was given a sheet explaining the terms used on the forms, but then I'm in Wales and things might be different where you are.

As for drinking, a few drunken nights early on are unlikely to have done any damage, your placenta doesn't even kick in until about 7 weeks.

Congratulations on your scan, that's a lovely looking bean you have there

Having been in the situation of recieving bad news twice at a scan I PROMISE you would know. There is no way on gods green earth they would let you leave without telling you.

Just googled BPD and 73mm would be 50th percentile at 12 weeks. I'll see if I can link.

No, sorry, head circumference would be 73mm. Hmm.

www.baby2see.com/medical/charts.html#BPD_OFD_HC

I reckon they measure BPD and calculate head circumference from it and actually record head circumference.

Tolly is right. If there's anything to be worried about, you would have been told.

Poppydawg - what country are you in? In England we don't use the bpd to date with. It's no longer used in many hospitals. We use the CRL (crown to rump length) up to 13 weeks and HC (head circumfance) from 13 weeks to calculate the due date.
Ignore the BPD as is irrelevant nowadays. People have such different shape heads which is why it's not used.
The NT is the Nuchal Translucency for the Combined Screening test.
FAS... 8/52 is 8 weeks out of 52. are you having your fetal anomaly scan done in 8 weeks time? I'm assuming you will be approx 20 weeks then.
M/R - you have an appointment generally with your midwife at 16/40 weeks gestation.
Hope that helps

As someone whose very healthy one year old had a high nuchal fold, I would have loved those numbers. Honestly, truly, those would have made my day - your nuchal has a 1 at the front!

If you are really troubled, then the Fetal Medicine Center in London is the private wing of King's College Hospital's research centre, and it's half the price of most private care - a 3 month scan is from memory around £150 and worth every penny. If you can afford it, they are unbelievably thorough. We had that scan and the 20 week one plus the Harmony test with them, as I was 39 and the measurements were a worry for us. But really I don't think you sound like you have any cause for concern - you can always call the FMC and ask to talk to a clinician about those results and see if they think a scan with them is necessary? They are a charitable research foundation, not a business, so they'll say no if they think all looks rosy.

Congrats on your pregnancy.

FAS 8/52 is fetal anomaly scan in 8 weeks.

What country are you in OP?

Wow - thank you everyone. I am feeling so much better and more rational now. Note to self: don't read my notes and go on the basis that no news is good news! For those asking, I'm in Scotland (South Lanarkshire specifically) xx