What are your reasons for early scans and NIPTs?

[Mamma36474]

I've recently joined the February due date thread and I was surprised at how many mums to be are getting early scans. I've never considered one. Is it for reassurance or do you have other risk factors?

I'm a mum of a primary school child with complex SEN needs. I'm an older mum, 45+ so I am a bit anxious about it all going well. I was just wondering if I should be considered an early scan and NIPTs too.

How much to they tend to go for? We already spend a fortune on therapy for DC.

I would expect NIPT to include the ultrasound. Maybe not but worth double checking!

My first pregnancy was a missed miscarriage at 12wks. It had stopped growing at 8wks, my body just didn’t catch on. I had an early scan on the second which picked up a second missed miscarriage and was able to deal with it quickly. Third the EPU booked me in of an early scan, sadly after seeing a heartbeat the first time, next scan also showed a miscarriage. Now I get scans at 6w and every 2wks until the 12w scan.

I hate the thought of feeling pregnant and carrying around cells that have stopped growing, my body doesn’t seem to want to get rid of them naturally. It’s really helped having early scans so I can deal with things quickly and less painfully.

Yes an ultrasound is included with the NIPT, but I was thinking of an early scan at 7-8 weeks as well.

Ah ok, so you can choose to get NIPT privately at 10 weeks and find out the results within the week.

Whereas with the NHS you get a 12w scan, wait for the results, and may be offered NIPT for free but have to wait until 16w or thereabouts for the results.

Yes, you can have NIPT privately from about 10 weeks. It was also a nice time for private reassurance scan in my case. I wouldn't do earlier. It's really easy to be even a week out so the scan place I went to (very good rep) won't even book you in before 9 weeks as they often find reassurance scans before then are often anything but. 9 weeks onwards you're pretty much guaranteed to see something even if a week out.

If you waited for NHS the 12 week scan could be as late as 13 weeks, could take a few days or even couple weeks to get result, then have the NIPT, wait for those results, book the termination should you wish and have it. Generally, a longer wait is good as they do tend to turn around high risk results quicker, but it does of course extend the limbo. They will only give you a free NHS NIPT if risk 1 in 150 or higher, but age is a factor so you'll be almost guaranteed it.