Babybond Nuchal Translucency Screening Service: 11 to 13 weeks and 6 days
Combined private ultrasound NT scan (sometimes called nuchal scan) involves an ultrasound scan as well as blood tests.
We take your blood sample either during or before your visit and send it to our own FMF accredited laboratory for analysis. When you book online, we will contact you to arrange the most convenient way for you to have this done.
Your ultrasound scan involves a measurement to accurately ascertain your baby’s gestational age. Your baby’s well being and its environment will also be examined to eliminate any potential abnormalities and a specific measurement taken of the fluid filled space situated at the back of the baby’s neck (the nuchal fold).
Your blood test results, nuchal fold measurement and other information collected during your appointment are then used to determine your individual risk factor. Although this result is not a definitive result, it allows you to make informed choices in managing your pregnancy. Note that an “increased-risk” screening result does not indicate with certainty that there is an abnormality and that most women with these results will still have normal healthy babies.
We recommend that you present your screening results to your usual healthcare professional whose contact details we take at the time of booking. Our NT scans are performed by Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) accredited Sonographers.
Babybond NT Scan & Bloods Analysis, 90%-95% accurate.
Purpose of the service: risk assessment for Down’s Syndrome between 11 – 13 weeks and 6 days gestation, no sexing. Includes full report and supporting images and 4DFREEVIEW™: £169 (Includes £30 deposit)
What Screening tests are available to me?
Depending on where you live various types of screening tests will be offered, making it a bit confusing. Up until recently the most common one is a blood test offered around 15 to 16 weeks, known as the Double, Triple or Quadruple test. This test screened for Downs as well as Spina Bifida. It offers a 60%–65% detection rate of picking up pregnancies with potential problems. The National Screening Committee have now moved towards recommending Spina bifida screening be done by detailed anatomy scanning at 19-20 weeks and that Downs screening be done during the first Trimester.
Some Hospitals are offering First Trimester bloods tests in isolation of any scan. This test has an approximate 60%–65% detection rate.
Other Hospitals offer a Nuchal Translucency scan performed during a dating scan. This is when they measure the fluid at the back of the baby’s neck. The more prominent the fluid space is, the greater the risk can be of the baby either having a potential genetical problem or a fetal heart problem. This test is more accurate than the blood tests taken in isolation, with an 80% potential detection rate if performed by a fully trained fetal medicine accredited (FMF) Sonographer.
Some hospitals offer the gold standard recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Screening Committee. They recommend that all pregnant ladies, irrespective of their age, should be offered an 11-13 weeks and 6 days Nuchal Translucency scan, coupled with a blood test. This test results in a 90–95% detection rate of pregnancies that may be at an increased risk of carrying a genetical problem such as Downs Syndrome. This accuracy is only achieved if the Practitioner performing the scan and the Laboratory performing the blood analysis are Fetal Medicine Accredited and has gone through the appropriate training. This applies to all Sonographers, Midwives and Consultant Obstetricians. This can be checked on line at www.fetalmedicine.com
There are separate training programs for advanced screening expertise such as Nasal Bone and Doppler assessment. All Practitioners using these markers as part of determining the probability of your pregnancy being at risk need to be accredited by the FMF.
Due to the different ways of gaining information about your baby and the difference in accuracy of the tests, it is important to ask your Midwife or GP as to what is available at what stage of pregnancy in your area. This way you and your family can make an informed choice as to what level of screening you would like and with what accuracy you feel comfortable with.
It is also important to remember that you do not have to have any screening performed if you do not wish to. It is important that you let your health care professional know this as soon as possible.
Which test does Babybond Offer?
Babybond offers the highest accuracy service; 11-13 weeks and 6 days Nuchal Translucency scan combined with a blood test.
Can I come to Babybond to have my test done if my local NHS does not supply the test I am looking for?
Yes. We do recommend that you let your Midwife of GP know your intentions, but you can make an appointment by phone or online at any of our locations. With your permission, we will keep your health care provider fully informed with regards to your results so that your health care management is seamless for everyone involved in looking after you and your family.
What happens if my dates are wrong and I am too early to have the NT scan?
If you have already had your dates confirmed at an earlier scan, then we can book you in at the most appropriate time for your NT scan. If, however, you are unsure of your dates and a dating scan will not be performed in time, we will book you in at the stage we feel is most likely to be correct for you. If we find that you are too early we will book you in for another appointment at a latter date at NO extra charge.
What happens if my dates are wrong and I am too late to have the NT scan?
A full explanation of your options will be given to you by the health care professional performing the scan. That way you can feel comfortable with alternative pathways, so you can still choose to gather information about the health and wellbeing of your baby. One alternative that may be offered to you is a 14 week Anomaly Scan, subject to the following fees: 14 weeks anomaly scan: £110
Why should I come to Babybond?
This is an important question and should be asked of any private provider of medical services as the accuracy of the service you receive is only as good as the people providing it.
We are internally and externally audited on a regular basis to ensure maintenance of a high quality service at all times. Babybond is the first clinical diagnostic ultrasound provider to be awarded ISO 9001 accreditation.
At Babybond we have a highly trained team at every one of our locations. Not just the Advanced Practitioners in Medical Diagnostic Ultrasound performing the scans but our reception staff, our Midwives and right through to our Laboratory team and our Fetal Medicine Consultants. ALL of our Sonographers are state registered and everyone performing Nuchal Translucency scans have the additional qualification required to offer these services, that being Fetal Medicine Accredited.
These safety nets allow the full accuracy of the tests to be achieved at every one of our locations.
Having Our Own Laboratory, what does this mean?
We have one of a very few OSCAR (One Stop Clinic for the Assessment of Risk) Clinics in the UK at our Bridgnorth, Shropshire clinic. The laboratory is also the first fully ISO 9001 accredited service and is one of a handful of laboratories in the UK to have been awarded Fetal Medicine Accreditation for the service it provides.
This allows us to be able to generate a very fast turn around time for your results at this location (within 1 to 1.5 hours). All our other UK Locations can still receive results on the same day as your scan or within 48 hours providing a blood sample is taken prior to your scan appointment. You are not left anxious for long and peace of mind is given as quickly as possible.
Having our own laboratory means we are able to keep control of the quality of the combined service rather than sending our blood samples out to an independent laboratory and also minimise the time Babybond clients wait for their results.
