Couldn't get nuchal measurement at 12 week scan

[Vida32]

I went for my first 12 week scan last week but turned out to be 11+1 rather than 12 and the sonographer said we were just slightly too early to get the nuchal measurement. Went back today (12+5) and the baby was in the wrong position. I walked around, had a drink, rolled backwards and forwards on the scanning table (!) and the baby just wouldn't get into a good position.

We saw movement and a good heartbeat and good growth since last time but they couldn't do the measurement.

We are also moving house next week and will be under an entirely new hospital, midwife, etc. hundreds of miles away.

Hospital today said it will now have to be the quadruple test, which I know is less accurate. I have looked into options where we are moving and we could (just barely) get another appointment for NT screening privately, right before the cut-off date at the end of next week. Or we could go for the Harmony test privately, which obviously gives us more time to arrange it. We'd have to borrow some of the money for either of these options from my family but they are happy to support us. We're not badly off and count ourselves very lucky but the costs of moving at the moment just means we are under a bit of financial pressure.

NT costs less but it will really be our last chance and there's always the possibility that we will have the same issue again. Harmony costs more but is more accurate.

If we had a Downs positive result we would want to continue the pregnancy but I am concerned about Edwards and Patau's.

Has anyone else had this experience? What did you do?

Yes this happened to us. Sonographer couldn't take the NT measurement at 12 week scan. Tried the same as you - rolling around, star jumps etc but baby wouldn't play ball. She did say that NT looked well within safe limit though. We had the Quad test at 16 weeks (no one mentioned that it's less accurate). The risk for Downs came back at 1 in 14000 (I'm 38). We didn't feel we needed any further testing. I'm in Wales and they don't test for Edwards or Patau on the NHS here anyway. I did find waiting the extra few weeks for the Quad test a bit stressful but then there's always something to worry about in pregnancy! Wishing you all the best.

They couldn't see at my scan , I also had 2. I was reffered for the blood tests but in the end didn't go. I was not in a high risk category and they said all the measurements and heartbeat was good so I was content with that. I have found after speaking to people a lot don't actually have the screening.

Thanks so much for the replies. That gives me a different perspective on things. I am definitely overanxious about the pregnancy but that's in large part because we have family history - not of chromosomal abnormalities but of generally unexpected and unusual medical events. We just found out my father-in-law has a congenital heart condition that may be hereditary, my brother-in-law was born with no legs below the knee and no reason for this has ever been identified, I have had a PE in reaction to the pill and am on blood thinners for this pregnancy, and my 33 year old DH is under investigation for autoimmune conditions and just this week has been told he likely had early onset diabetes (without the usual risk factors). All of these things have very small odds so I find it hard to draw comfort from the fact that a condition is rare or unlikely.

Hi, they also couldn't do the measurements at my scan as baby wouldn't move no matter how I jumped etc. Where I live if they can't do the measurements they don't offer another scan which I was quite worried about and contemplated paying for a private scan myself. In the end as everything looked positive at the scan other than that we decided we weren't going to bother so I just had the blood tests done at 16 weeks and the result came back 1/91000. It felt like I waited ages for the risk factor especially as from what I've gathered from on here many places do the blood test at 12 weeks and I had to wait an additional 4. I do think as I was anxious anyway it didn't help, I've also spoke to lots of people and the same thing has happened to them.

I had this, being tipped upside down (felt like it) on the scanning table and all and baby wouldn't budge.

I went for a private scan instead of the bloods and baby cooperated beautifully the second time. I think it's pretty unusual that they can't do the measurements first time (I had no problems in my first pregnancy) so you'd have to be really unlucky to not get them the second time. I don't know if it's different if you're paying and they don't get it, you could phone up and ask what happens - maybe they offer a free rescan or something?

Thanks all. They wouldn't be able to rescan if the private one didn't work because the first appointment I can get is on the cut off day for NT measurement. It's good to hear it's unusual for it to happen several times. From what the sonographer said I thought the blood test could only check for Downs and not Edwards or Pataus, as well as being slightly less accurate for Downs than the combined?

The Quad test isn't less accurate, it is just done later, usually after 14 weeks so is less popular because most women want to know sooner rather than later.

It's all a bit confusing. The NHS website does say: 'This blood test only screens for Down’s syndrome and is not quite as accurate as the combined test.' So, whatever the accuracy, it seems it definitely doesn't cover the other conditions.

Some hospitals will screen for T18 using quad, it's possible but not standard NHS practice and not very accurate. In your situation, I'd opt for a NIPT that is highly accurate for t18 and t13 (probably not Harmony) or have the quad and wait until the 20 week scan. Most cases of t18 and t13 are detected at 20 weeks anyway.

Same happened to me and like you a series of rare medical events in the family recently had made me unusually anxious. We went for the harmony which came back in five days time with all lowest risk factors - I was also keen to find out gender so that was a lovely bonus. I know it's expensive but the peace of mind I got from it made it worthwhile.

Same happened to me

I had the quad and the result was something mad like 1:150,000. DS is one in a couple of days so all was fine.

Best of luck!

We couldn't get an accurate NT measurement at 12 weeks, we had the blood screening done - can't remember which one. Everything came back normal.