Nuchal fold tests - did you have to pay for yours? Is it just a postcode lottery thing?

[KIQFTM]

Hi

I'm a regular poster but am just keeping things under wraps for a bit.

I'm 8 weeks pregnant and 40. It seems my local health authority don't do nuchal fold tests/scans. In fact the people I have spoken to all seem rather vague about it and almost surprised that I've asked. So far, I've pretty much been told I need to organise it myself. Is this standard throughout the UK? Have heard some health authorities do them routinely or will based upon your age. Is there anyway round it or am I just stuck with having to pay if I want it done.

Really, really not sure what I would do regarding results, just exploring all avenues at the moment

TIA

Yes I paid for mine and went to the Fetal Medical Centre tel: 020 7486 0476. It is the private clinic of Professor Nicolides who heads the feotal medical unit at Kings. It fact he is the doctor who invented the procedure.
I don't know how you would get an appt at Kings, etc but if you wish to be seen at the above clinic I have included the phone number for ease. I think if you go to Kings you can wait for 2-5 hours to be seen. Okay if second preg, not okay if you are taking a toddler with you!!
HTH and good luck with your pregnancy!

I had to pay £140 for mine (blood test included) and the consultant said that only about 10% of women get them for free although I think there are moves to get them offered routinely on the NHS - not sure how long it will take for this to take effect - not for some time probably.

I'm shocked to read about the variations, especially within a small area of East London.

I had free nuchal fold scans at Homerton Hospital in Hackney, with pregnancies at age 35 and 39.

Thanks all. Hhave emailed my MP, will let you know if get an interesting reply

I live on the isle of wight and here it is general antenatal care to have this scan done. Just before i fell pg with my 3rd baby they done a years test on it and decided to keep it running. Its mad that not all areas do this and if you want it done then you have to pay loads for it. I was told by the mw that some people have come over here from the mainland to pay for it to be done.

I live in Brighton and the p[osition is the same as for Pooka - the Health Authority has a deal with the Harris Birthright Centre so I have had my last 3 nuchal fold scans there for free (over 35 I think is the criteria). The quality of service/information is phenomenal there - totally different from local scans. They also have ongoing research into other stuff eg nasal bone measurements which I found fascinating and worth the wait! I did of course have to pay train fares for myself and dh and childcare for my other children so it wasn't completely 'free'!

Don't know what my health authority does, but as I would have only routinely had a 20 week scan (no dating scan here) I doubt they woul offer nuchal scan.

I'm in North Herts by the way

I'm in Newcastle for my second pregancy, and it was done routinely at 12 weeks a couple of days ago. Thats quite new though - a friend had a baby here last year and they only did the 20 week scan. My last was in durham four years ago and I had the two scans, but no dating scan.

Thanks again people. Still no reply from my MP so emailed her again today with a link to this thread.

I had the Nuchal done for my son due to complications with previous pregnancies.
Kypros did mine-what a lovely man! I saw him 3 times after that for cardiac tests and growth test and saw him each time.
When my son was born I sent him a letter of thanks and a piccie, he wrote back to me which surprised me loads!
My GP referred me to him as i was such a nervous wreck and need reasurrance.

KIQFTM, I have found that many mp's do not respond to (or even receive, by all accounts) their emails. I would highly recommend using snail mail or going to her surgery and seeing her personally.

Redwood - sorry so long, but forgot about this thread. I live in Bromley - so Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust I think. But the local maternity hospital is the Princess Anne University Hospital, which I think has a tie-in (somehow) with Kings. I would have thought that at 38 and in London, you should be able to get a referral to Kings or other research centre. After all - they need plenty of scans in order to develop their thesis about nose bones (length) being another factor as well as the nuchal fold in assessing liklihood of downs without invasive testing. Good luck, reading the responses here I'm aware of how lucky I am.

I live in Haringey where they don't do nuchals/don't have the equipment, but requested one via my GP (who didn't know what I was talking about!)as I had concerns re invasive investigations . GP was happy to refer me to UCH where they have a fetal medicine centre (i was luckily able to have my babe there too).

I live in Brighton and had the choice of either having the triple test at the local hospital or traveling to London to have the Nuchal Fold. We just London as you get the results the same day instead of having to wait to have bloods done etc. Was given a report on all sorts of things. All in all have to say I found the service great!