NT Scan

NT or Nuchal Translucency Scan is an ultrasound performed in the first trimester of pregnancy to know the risk of any congenital conditions like Down syndrome in the baby. This is an optional scan to mitigate any kind of risk for baby’s health. The scan helps the doctors to determine the amount of fluid behind the baby’s neck so that they can check for any genetic variant. If the test indicates any risk then the doctors may advise further tests and scans.

Who and when should get a NT Scan?

Any pregnant women between 11-13 weeks of pregnancy can get a NT Scan recommended by the gynecologist. As mentioned earlier this is not a mandatory scan for all pregnancies and may depend on each case. During this time of pregnancy the baby is between 45-84 millimeters from crown to torso so it makes it easier to determine any risk at this stage.

What do you find out in the scan?

The scan is performed to find out any abnormalities in the baby. The results are usually normal but something that may be discovered from the scan is:

• Size of the clear tissue.
• Too much clear space or fluid at the back of the neck may indicate Down syndrome.
• Patau Syndrome.
• Edwards Syndrome.

It is important to mention that these conditions are very rare in babies and this test can be skipped as it may cause anxiety and stress in women that may cause complications in the pregnancy.