Yesterday i have completed successfully the anomaly scan which was performed.Dr. was able to see all details to her satisfaction! She was not able to see the cardiac part before on the last two days, hence wanted us to go for a repeat scan yesterday..i tried my best to show my heart details to her! What a big deal!
I have everything, all arteries, veins, valves, auricles, ventricles in position!
Every little detail is perfect and i am trying to pump blood with my heart only..otherwise how will you get such a hard heart beat of 150bpm? Silly you :)
The bottom of the story is that I have passed with distinction marks :)
But thees scans ..so painful they are..God.. momma feels the pain on her small bump!
I also do not like to be touched by that hard instrument and troubled that much every now and then!
I have a big question:
How many times when i am in the womb will i be disturbed by this scans?
I was searching the net for the information..and came to know about the following facts.
These are the minimum number of scans that every pregnant lady has to go through to check different data and development issues when inside the womb.
I have no chance to escape these many scans even if i want to :(
So here goes the full list:
- Viability scan
- NT scan
- Anomaly scan
- Cardiac scan
- Well being scan
Viability Scan:
This is an ultrasound examination that is usually carried out vaginally at 6-10 weeks of pregnancy.
The aims of this scan are to determine the number of fetuses present and whether the pregnancy is progressing normally inside the uterus.
This scan is useful for women who are experiencing pain or bleeding in the pregnancy and those who have had previous miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies.
The figure on the top right shows a normal pregnancy at 7 weeks of gestation. The figure on the bottom right shows the empty sac of an embryonic pregnancy at 7 weeks.
Nuchal Translucency scan:
This scan is carried out from 11 weeks to 13 weeks and six days. The scan is usually performed transabdominally but in a few cases it may be necessary to do the examination transvaginally.
Aims of the 11-13 weeks scan
- To date the pregnancy accurately. This is particularly relevant for women who cannot recall the date of their last period, have an irregular menstrual cycle, or who have conceived whilst breastfeeding or soon after stopping the pill. We measure the size of the fetus and from this we calculate the expected date of delivery.
- To assess the risks of Down's syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities.
Each woman will be given an estimate of her individual risk for this pregnancy. This is calculated by taking into account the age of the mother, measurement of two hormones in the mothers blood and the scan findings of nuchal translucency thickness, nasal bone, blood flow through the fetal heart and ductus venosus and fetal abnormalities. Parents will receive full counseling concerning the significance of these risks and the various options for further testing. - To diagnose multiple pregnancy. Approximately 2% of natural conceptions and 10% of assisted conceptions result in multiple pregnancy. Ultrasound scanning can determine if both babies are developing normally and if the babies share the same placenta which can lead to problems in the pregnancy. In such cases it would be advisable to monitor the pregnancy more closely.
- To diagnose certain major fetal abnormalities. Major abnormalities may be visible at this gestation but a 20 week anomaly scan is essential.
- To diagnose early pregnancy failure. Unfortunately, in 2% of women who attend for a nuchal scan it is found that the fetus has died, often several weeks before and without any warning. Couples will receive full counselling as to the possible causes of this problem and the options for subsequent measures that may be necessary.
Personalised risk for Down's syndrome
The vast majority of babies are normal. However all women, whatever their age, have a small risk of delivering a baby with a physical and/or mental handicap.
In some cases the handicap is due to chromosomal abnormality such as Down's syndrome.
The only way to know for sure whether or not the fetus has a chromosomal abnormality is by having an invasive test such as chorion villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis (amnio). However, these tests carry a risk of miscarriage of about 1%.
It is up to you and your partner to decide whether or not the risk of the fetus having a chromosomal abnormality is high enough to warrant having an invasive test. As a guideline, an invasive test is usually offered if the risk of Down's Syndrome is 1 in 300 or above.
The most accurate way of estimating the risk of the fetus having Down's Syndrome is carried out at 11-13 weeks and depends on the:
- Age of the mother
- Amount of fluid behind the neck of the fetus (nuchal translucency)
- Presence or absence of the fetal nasal bone
- Fetal heart rate
- Blood flow through the tricuspid valve of the fetal heart
- Blood flow through the ductus venosus in the fetal liver
- Presence or absence of any physical abnormalities
- Level of two hormones (free ß-hCG and PAPP-A) in the mother's blood
After the scan, on the basis of all the above factors, the estimated risk for Down's Syndrome will be discussed with you. Only you can then decide if you wish to have an invasive diagnostic test.
Irrespective of whether or not you decide to have an invasive test, it is recommended that you have a scan at 20 weeks to check for physical abnormalities.
Anomaly Scan:
This is a detailed scan at 20-22 weeks of pregnancy.
During the scan we examine each part of the fetal body, determine the position of the placenta, assess the amount of amniotic fluid, and measure fetal growth. Special attention is paid to the brain, face, spine, heart, stomach, bowel, kidneys and limbs.
In women at high risk for preterm delivery (multiple pregnancies, previous preterm birth, abnormalities of the uterus or previous cervical surgery) we also carry out a transvaginal scan to measure the length of the cervix.
Cardiac Scan:
A detailed examination of the fetal heart and connecting vessels is carried out usually at 20 weeks by a consultant cardiologist.
This scan is especially recommended for women with a family history of heart abnormalities, or where increased nuchal translucency had been found at the 12 week scan. It is also an important scan in assessing the risk for Down's syndrome because many of these babies have heart abnormalities.
Well being Scan:
This ultrasound scan is usually carried at about 32 weeks of pregnancy.
Some obstetricians advise that this scan is offered to all women. Others reserve such scans for those women who have had previous complications of pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia, growth restriction, diabetes, stillbirth, and for those women who develop a problem during the course of their current pregnancy.
This scan aims to determine the growth and health of the fetus by:
- Measurement of the size of the fetal head, abdomen and thigh bone and calculation of an estimate of fetal weight
- Examination of the movements of the fetus
- Evaluation of the placental position and appearance
- Measurement of the amount of amniotic fluid
- Assessment of blood flow to the placenta and fetus by colour Doppler ultrasound
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