At your first meeting with your midwife, you will be asked to give some blood. This is to check such things as your blood group, if you require iron and whether you are HIV positive. If you have any indicators that you may have a chance of developing gestational diabetes, you will have a blood test taken to screen for this too. This will be discussed in greater detail with you by your midwife.
You will be offered screening in your pregnancy for Down's syndrome, Edwards syndrome and Patau syndrome. This is optional. You do not have to have this done if you choose not to. It is important that you have all the information that you require, before making a decision about having screening carried out.
You can discuss the implications of screening with your midwife or you can contact the specialist midwife on 01382 425621.
You will be offered first trimester screening which can be done between 11+5 and 13+5 weeks of pregnancy, which involves taking a measurement from the back of your baby’s neck on scan – called the Nuchal Translucency (NT). It does not hurt the baby to get this measurement. You will also be asked for a blood sample from your arm. It takes approximately two weeks to get the result back. Your result will be available on the Badgernet App. If you are in the lower chance group you will not be routinely offered any further testing.
If you fall into the higher chance group, then you will be contacted by the specialist midwife, by telephone and offered further testing. The options will be discussed with you at this time.
If you decide not to have screening, you will have a dating scan which measures your baby and confirms the due date. The NT will not be measured. If you are more that 13+5 weeks pregnant when you have your first scan or the sonographer is unable to measure the NT, you will be offered second trimester screening which can be done between 14+2 and 19+5 weeks of pregnancy. You will only be screened for Down’s syndrome on this pathway. This will be a blood sample from your arm; no scan will be involved at this time. It takes approximately two weeks to get the result back. The procedure after your result is available is the same as above. Both of these screening pathways can be carried out if you are having one baby or twins.
A detailed ultrasound scan, sometimes called the mid-pregnancy or 20-week scan, is offered when you are between 18 and 21 weeks pregnant. The scan checks for major structural abnormalities in your baby, although it does have its limitations, therefore sometimes some abnormalities are not detected on scan.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
1926 - 2022
1926 - 2022