So, they next day it was off for another scan. As with my previous pregnancy we decided to go for a Nuchal Scan to determine the risk of Downs Syndrome. This is something we are particularly concerned about as my Uncle had Downs and we know just what the implications are would want to be pre-warned about the chances of our child being affected. Last time we got tested we were living in Essex and working in London and so London seemed to be the obvious place to go when this test wasn't available locally on the
NHS. As I am not over 35 I did not qualify to have the test done on the NHS so again it was a case of paying to go privately.
Having shopped around we decided that the Fetal Medicine Centre in Harley Street, where we had the tests last pregnancy, was the place for us again. Scanning is big business these days with increasing numbers of providers offering services such as 4D scans. Although there was several places in our new region offering scans, it seemed to us that these were just profit making businesses. The Fetal Medicine Centre ploughs profits back into research via the Fetal Medicine Foundation. Data collected from blood tests, scans and patient pregnancy outcome forms goes towards ongoing research to identify markers for Downs in pregnancy. We felt that by going there we would still be paying the same amount for private scans but that future parents might benefit from our data.
Anyway off we went to Harley Street. The risk of Downs increases with maternal age and so before I even walked in the door I already had a higher base rate risk. Blood tests for certain chemicals and scanning for markers such as fetal blood flow, presence of the nasal bone, angle of the face and nuchal fold fluid combine to generate a risk figure. With Olivia the risk came out as 1 in 15000.
So after just few pages of Marie Claire in the waiting room I was called in for the blood tests. I'm not good with needles but it was soon over. Another few pages of magazine back in the waiting room and we were called in to the scanning room. We were very excited to see the baby again, particularly as the resolution of the nuchal scans is so much better than that of the bog standard NHS ones. Unfortunately getting that level of details involves some pretty accurate scanning. To get this accurate scanning to get the measurements she needed the sonographer got pretty hardcore on my stomach. I have worried in the past about the dangers of baby O_ wacking me in the tummy but turned out that I needed have worried as the sonographer was merrily applying what felt like her body weight behind the scanner, to the extent where at one point I pretty much yelped in pain. F_ later asked me to show him how hard it was but was soon squirming away from my fist applied to his gut in demonstration.
Anyway half an hour of staring misty eyed at our gorgeous baby made up for the discomfort. The sonographer was able to reassure us that all the things that should be there were there and all the things that shouldn't be weren't. Eventually she left us gazing as some photos from the session and went off to get the blood results. Combining all the scan and bloods data together she was able to confirm a 1 in 12,500 risk, a pleasing result.
Here is M2
The sonographer also took a punt on the sex of the baby but we're not telling so there...
Oh and the due date has been pushed forward to 28th October.
NHS. As I am not over 35 I did not qualify to have the test done on the NHS so again it was a case of paying to go privately.
Having shopped around we decided that the Fetal Medicine Centre in Harley Street, where we had the tests last pregnancy, was the place for us again. Scanning is big business these days with increasing numbers of providers offering services such as 4D scans. Although there was several places in our new region offering scans, it seemed to us that these were just profit making businesses. The Fetal Medicine Centre ploughs profits back into research via the Fetal Medicine Foundation. Data collected from blood tests, scans and patient pregnancy outcome forms goes towards ongoing research to identify markers for Downs in pregnancy. We felt that by going there we would still be paying the same amount for private scans but that future parents might benefit from our data.
Anyway off we went to Harley Street. The risk of Downs increases with maternal age and so before I even walked in the door I already had a higher base rate risk. Blood tests for certain chemicals and scanning for markers such as fetal blood flow, presence of the nasal bone, angle of the face and nuchal fold fluid combine to generate a risk figure. With Olivia the risk came out as 1 in 15000.
So after just few pages of Marie Claire in the waiting room I was called in for the blood tests. I'm not good with needles but it was soon over. Another few pages of magazine back in the waiting room and we were called in to the scanning room. We were very excited to see the baby again, particularly as the resolution of the nuchal scans is so much better than that of the bog standard NHS ones. Unfortunately getting that level of details involves some pretty accurate scanning. To get this accurate scanning to get the measurements she needed the sonographer got pretty hardcore on my stomach. I have worried in the past about the dangers of baby O_ wacking me in the tummy but turned out that I needed have worried as the sonographer was merrily applying what felt like her body weight behind the scanner, to the extent where at one point I pretty much yelped in pain. F_ later asked me to show him how hard it was but was soon squirming away from my fist applied to his gut in demonstration.
Anyway half an hour of staring misty eyed at our gorgeous baby made up for the discomfort. The sonographer was able to reassure us that all the things that should be there were there and all the things that shouldn't be weren't. Eventually she left us gazing as some photos from the session and went off to get the blood results. Combining all the scan and bloods data together she was able to confirm a 1 in 12,500 risk, a pleasing result.
Here is M2
The sonographer also took a punt on the sex of the baby but we're not telling so there...
Oh and the due date has been pushed forward to 28th October.
I had the similar issue with the NHS, they would not do a scan because i was not in the higher risk category. My partner and i got a private scan do on similar grounds as you. I feel the NHS should give the option for people to get nuchal scan if they would like to check.
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