anyone have more information on Nuchal scans

[dizzy36]

I am 39 and have had a previous Downs pregnancy. I am currently 5 weeks pg and have an appointment to have a Nuchal scan mid December. I have been told it can be 95% accurate but am now wondering if it is based on fact or assumptions as it takes age into account.

Due to my age and history I already know I am a high risk so is there any point of having the Nuchal scan if they are going to tell me the same thing. I thought if the scan at 11 weeks and blood test showed no signs of downs then that would be it.

My GP has told me that the Nuchal scan is as accurate as the Barts. Is she right.

Anyone had one or know more information about it.

Nuchal scans aren't 100% accurate, they give you a 1/N risk, anything from 1/10000 or something to 1/5. If your risk is high, you may choose to have a CVS or amnio to get a clear answer.

The quality of the scans varies from place to place - if I got a bad Nuchal result from an NHS scan, I'd go to the Fetal Medicine Centre to get a more reliable Nuchal result before considering CVS or amnio.

Nuchal scans are based on measurements, so there is always a % error.

the most accurate non-invasive test is the integrated test which combines the nuchal fold and blood tests at around 12 weeks and 16 weeks - so you do have to wait until 16 weeks for a result.

not sure how widely available it is - and no doubt you'd have to pay for it - but i had one when i was pregnant with dd 3 years ago. i had it at the fetal medicene centre at queen charlottes.

I had a combined Nuchal scan (called a Primark) at my local hospital, which involved a nuchal fold scan and sening two samples of blood away to the Leeds screening service (Genome )The Nuchal scan was done at 12 weeks along with bloods and the result came back after 4 days. The scan was free (because I live in Wales) but the blood tests cost about £80. They also screened for Edwards syndrome and fragile x

They take into account your age dizzy - so it would say "based on your age, your risk would be 1/X, however taking into account your test results your risk is 1/Y."

thank you for your comments

stepfordwife. I have been told that the scan must be done between 11 - 13wks 6 days. it is a nuchal plus blood test. Is this the same as the one you had?

Am thinking of moving my appointment until the 13 wk stage as 11 weeks seems too early espcecially as they go by 1st day of last period rather than when actually conceived (when ttc as long as I have, know conceived around day 13 of cycle)

Better to not have the appt at 13 weeks, because if you want to have a second-opinion scan (at another scan centre, for example), better not to be nearly out of time when you have the first scan.

sounds like the same one, dizzy. you have to have 2 blood tests, right?

Hi dizzy, I had the combined scan and bloods at the fetal medicine centre in London, age 39, for my second pg. I went right at the beginning of the time period to get it done (ie, 11 weeks) as I was off on a pre-booked holiday. They said that if it was too early to do it, they wouldn't charge me. It was fine, I had the scan and the bloods, and got the results there and then. As the others have said, it is only a statistic or likelihood, not a diagnostic, but if you get it done as early as possible, then you can choose whether to have a cvs (which I think you can have done earlier than an amnio). I agree with Notquitecockney re: getting it done as early as you can.
Where do you live? I would recommend the FMC, so professional and reassuring.

I agree with stepfordwife - the state of the art test is the integrated test. My obstetrician did step 1 at 12 weeks and step 2 at 15 weeks. The bloods were sent via the next day delivery service, and the results available the following day at stage 2.
See here for information about the test. Good luck.