Why is it important to take the first trimester scan?
Pregnancy is an exciting journey for most women. But it comes with a handful of challenges and hurdles. Although taking a pregnancy test is the first step to confirming pregnancy, you still need to take an ultrasound to confirm your pregnancy and also check if the baby is healthy.
Why is the first trimester scan important?
For most women, the gynecologist or the OBGYN prescribes 2 ultrasound scans in the first trimester of pregnancy.
The first scan is typically taken around 7 to 10 weeks, which is also called the viability scan, and the second scan, which is usually performed around 11 to 12 weeks, is called the NT scan.
Both of these scans are crucial, and it is very important to not miss out on any of the prenatal scans and appointments.
Viability scan
- Baby’s position: This is to ensure that the baby is present inside the uterus and not outside the uterus.
- Viability: This is to ensure that the baby is viable and healthy, which is usually carried out between 6 and 10 weeks of pregnancy.
- EDD: Calculating the EDD, estimated due date, which is the approximate date of the baby’s birth.
- Bleeding: With the viability scan, the healthcare experts can rule out the cause for spotting or bleeding, if any.
- Number of babies: To calculate the number of embryos present.
- Gestational age: Gestational age is the approximate age of the fetus. It is calculated by measuring the baby in the first ultrasound.
NT Scan
Another first trimester scan that healthcare experts prescribe is the NT scan, which is typically performed around 11 to 14 weeks of pregnancy. It is a set of blood tests and ultrasound.
The NT Scan ultrasound scan that checks if the baby has any chance of having chromosomal abnormalities, including Down syndrome, trisomy 13, Edward’s syndrome, and heart defects.
An NT scan is used to measure the fluid that is present in the baby’s back neck. All babies have some gap in the back of their neck, but if the measurement exceeds 3.5 mm, then the baby has higher chances of having chromosomal abnormalities.
But if the measurement value is less than 3.5 mm, the baby is usually said to be normal.
The blood test that is performed is called a double marker test, which checks for two hormones, HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) and PAPP-A (pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A).
The blood test is performed around the same day as the NT Scan for more accuracy in the results.
If the baby has over 3.5 mm of nuchal transparency, and if the double marker test turns out abnormal, the gynecologist prescribes further testing such as CVS and NIPT.
Conclusion
The first trimester ultrasound viability scan and NT scan are crucial in ensuring the health and well-being of the fetus.
The scans check for the baby’s viability, gestational age, average delivery date, heartbeat, and also check for chances of any chromosomal abnormality.
It is advised to not miss out on any prenatal scans and appointments.
For consultations and appointments with the best gynecologist in Chennai, Dr. Deepthi Jammi, contact Jammi Scans at 73387 71733.
