Due to the vast technological and medical advancements in today’s world, pregnant women can now avail hundreds of pregnancy scans at different stages, each of which comes with different purposes. The procedure begins with early pregnancy scans, which confirm the baby’s presence, growth according to the gestation period, heartbeat, and other structures. Also, you get to know whether you will have single or multiple babies.
Also, early pregnancy scans in Watford predict congenital disabilities and chromosomal anomalies. Screening tests are commonly performed during your first and second trimesters, and difficulties are handled accordingly. They simply offer a list of possible health and pregnancy conditions but do not confirm whether the unborn child has a particular condition. So, if you have a high-risk pregnancy, you must avail of follow-up diagnostic tests with your private gynaecology clinic in London.
First Trimester Screening
You receive your first ultrasound between the eighth and fourteenth weeks of pregnancy to estimate the baby’s due delivery date. They check for the baby’s position and development, the presence of multiple babies, and possible abnormalities. Doctors perform a blood test at the tenth week, along with a scan at twelve weeks.
- Non Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT)
One might have children with physiological differences, which is why first trimester screenings also determine the possibility of the baby being diagnosed with Trisomy 13, 18, and 21. Early scans in Watford also consider fetal differences, maternal age, protein levels in the mother’s blood, and nuchal translucency. Scan results, blood tests, and maternal age is then calculated to determine the chance of Patau’s, Edward’s, or Down’s Syndrome.
- Gender Screening Tests
Though sex selection and gender determination are illegal in some countries, it is common for parents in London to know their baby’s gender before they are born. Though they are usually offered at the twentieth week of pregnancy, you can request one in your fourteenth week as well. Unfortunately, however, gender scans are never a hundred percent accurate.
- Panorama
The Panorama blood tests and scans are performed in the ninth week of pregnancy, and you get the results within ten days. These tests for fetal sex, Turner Syndrome, Klinefelter Syndrome, Down’s Syndrome, Patau’s Syndrome, XYY Syndrome, Triple X Syndrome, Edwards Syndrome, XXYY Syndrome, Prader-Willi Syndrome, Tiploidy, 1p36 deletion, Cri-du-chat, and 22q11.2 deletion.
- Harmony
The Harmony blood tests and scans are performed at the tenth week of pregnancy, and you get the results by five days. Such tests screen for fetal sex, Patau’s Syndrome, Edwards Syndrome, Down’s Syndrome, Klinefelter Syndrome, Turner Syndrome, XYY Syndrome, XXYY Syndrome, Triple X Syndrome, and more. Pregnancy scans are also done on IVF donor egg children and twins.
Mid Pregnancy Scan
The anomaly or mid-pregnancy scan is performed between the eighteenth and twentieth weeks of pregnancy, which checks for developmental and structural differences in the baby. You are screened for hepatitis B, syphilis, and HIV as well.
Third Trimester Scan
These are recommended by the gynecologists or midwives if you have run previous tests, such as for existing medical conditions or pregnancy complications. Should you have a smooth pregnancy, you do not have another scan before twenty weeks of pregnancy. These include a growth scan to check the baby’s development, placenta activity, and a doppler scan to check the baby’s heartbeat and evaluate its position.
Though these are mandatory pregnancy scans, you can ask for additional scans as well. For example, two-dimensional ultrasound scans produce outlined and flat images to check for issues in the baby’s internal organs. In addition, they aid the sonographer in determining its growth, development, size, and heartbeat.
A three-dimensional scan is performed between the twenty-sixth and thirtieth week of pregnancy, which shows the baby’s height, width, and depth. As they show their external bodies, you can decipher their facial features too. Four-dimensional scams capture highlights and shadows, thus creating a clearer image of the baby’s face and movements.
Fetal echocardiography is performed if the baby is suspected of having a congenital heart defect, as it shows its heart’s shape, structure, and size. Transvaginal ultrasound scans examine the internal structures, where a device is slowly inserted into the vagina. Ultrasound scans are low-risk and safe and are typical for both medical and non-medical purposes. Appointments are given according to your pregnancy, initial tests, and scans.
It is always recommended to go for early pregnancy scans for a smooth and happy pregnancy. If you are looking for an early pregnancy scan in London, contact us at Well Women Clinic.
