If changes are identified, then this might lead to improved care and better outcomes for babies.Scans in late pregnancy can help assess the condition of babies with known complications, or identify problems that are otherwise not apparent.Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether to have a scan later on in pregnancy (after 24 weeks): What about scans in late pregnancy (after 24 weeks)?Īlthough not usually offered on the NHS if your pregnancy is without complications, you might decide to have or be offered a scan in late pregnancy. Support for parents with premature or poorly babies.Support for parents of a baby who has Down's syndrome.
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If the news is potentially destressing and parents wish to discuss it further, a medical professional should be available. Despite this, where abnormalities are found, it might be difficult to say why this has happened and make a firm diagnosis as a result. What support is offered in case of problems?Īll sonographers are trained to discuss any abnormalities or concerns resulting from the scans. It is likely you will be invited to discuss your options with your midwife and/or a consultant (NHS, 2017). Where the sonographer suspects problems, they may ask a second opinion from a colleague and another test might be offered (NHS, 2017). If there are no abnormalities or concerns, the sonographer can let you know the results straight after the scan (NHS, 2018b). Some parents appreciate being forewarned but you might also consider that this knowledge could impact your experience of pregnancy. This may result in or lead to further decisions that could be difficult and emotional. Of the 800,000 women in the UK who become pregnant each year, around 40,000 will be told there is a chance that their baby has a serious foetal anomaly (ARC, 2019). Depending on results, you might be offered further tests such as amniocentesis (RCOG, 2010 NHS, 2018b). This will enable them to make an informed choice about whether or not to have the scan to identify foetal anomalies. Like with the dating scan, you don’t have to have an anomaly scan.Ī healthcare professional should provide information to pregnant women about the purpose and implications of the anomaly scan. Do I have to have the scan? What might I need to consider? Otherwise, they might book a repeat scan if they're not able to gather enough detail from the pictures (NICE, 2008 NHS, 2017). If this happens, the sonographer might ask you to come back after a short break. This would be for the same reasons as with your dating scan, see here for more details on why (NHS, 2017). What can make the scanning process more complicated?Īs with the dating scan, it might be that the sonographer cannot get a clear picture of your baby. For example, Edward’s syndrome is usually detected during first trimester antenatal screening but is often more obvious at the 18 to 20 week scan (Healthtalk, 2017).
Some conditions are harder to pick up at the dating scan but might be more apparent at the anomaly scan. This test creates a four-chamber view of your baby’s heart (NICE, 2008 NHS, 2018c). In this case, you might have a foetal echocardiogram (sometimes called a cardiac echo). Other conditions will be more difficult to diagnose, like heart defects.
About nine out of 10 of the babies diagnosed with a particular condition have spina bifida.
They are also looking for signs of 11 specific conditions, some of which are more obvious than others, such as spina bifida. They’ll also check if their brain, heart, lungs and other internal organs are developing as they would expect. The sonographer will use this scan to examine the baby's size and position.
What does the anomaly (20 week) scan check for? This scan is routinely offered at this stage to check for abnormalities or anomalies in the baby (NICE, 2008 NHS, 2018c).įor more on why you’ll have a scan and what they’re used for, see our article on What happens at your 12-week scan. This can be called an anomaly scan or mid-pregnancy scan. The second scan many pregnant women have is between 18 and 21 weeks. Not least because they might be able to find out their baby’s sex (as long it is your hospital’s policy to let you know if you wish) (NHS, 2017). It can be amazing to see how your baby is growing and developing, and many parents eagerly look forward to this scan. The process of your 20-week scan will be much the same as the scan you had at 12 weeks.
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