The Babybond Nuchal Translucency (NT) scan is recommended to all pregnant women. It is currently the most accurate means to assess the risk of a particular pregnancy being affected by Down’s Syndrome. The scan is performed between 11 weeks and 13 weeks and 6 days of gestation and involves both an ultrasound scan as well as a blood test.
The scan involves a measurement of the baby to accurately ascertain the gestational age. The baby’s well being and its environment will be examined to eliminate any potential abnormalities and a further measurement of a fluid filled space situated at the back of the babies neck (nuchal fold) is taken by a Fetal Medicine Foundation accredited Sonographer.
The blood sample is collected during or before your visit and sent to Babybond’s own central laboratory for analysis.
The nuchal fold measurement, along with the blood results and other information collected during the appointment are entered into a computer program to determine your individual risk factor. Although the result is not a definitive result, it does allow you to make an informed choice for your family as to how you manage your pregnancy. It is also important to note that a high 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.
Babybond NT Scan & Bloods Analysis
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.
| Scan | price | accuracy |
|---|
| All scans include full report and supporting images |
| NT with bloods + Nasal bone | £160 | 90% – 95% accurate |
| NT Twins with bloods | £185 | |
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 19-20weeks and 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 is Fetal Medicine Accredited and has gone through the appropriate training. This applies to all Sonographers, Midwives and Consultants. This can be checked on line at www.fetalmedicine.com
There is a separate training program for Nasal Bone assessment and again all Practitioners using this marker 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 healthcarer know this as soon as possible.
Babybond offers the highest accuracy service; 11-13 weeks and 6 days Nuchal Translucency scan combined with a blood test.
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 Healthcare provider fully informed with regards to your results so that your healthcare management is seamless for everyone involved in looking after you and your family.
If you have already had your dates confirmed at a scan before the optimum time for an NT, then we can book you in at the most appropriate time. 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. Many private providers will charge for a dating scan.
A full explanation of your options will be given to you by the Medical Practitioner 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.
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 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.
We have one of only 6 OSCAR (One Stop Clinic for the Assessment of Risk) Clinics in the UK based at our Shropshire clinic. The laboratory is also the first fully ISO 9001 accredited service.
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 24 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. It means we can keep the cost of running the tests as low as possible which means we can make it affordable to many more people so everyone can benefit from these services if they choose to.
