Nuchal Translucency Test

brobertson13 · August 2016

I had my 12 week ultrasound today and the NT measurement was high. It was 3.3 mm or .33 cm, the US lady told me they like it to be under 3. I chose to have some blood work done but they can't give me my chances until they take my blood again at 16 weeks. Has anyone had to go through this. I never did with my first child.

jem89 · August 2016

I opted out of this test every time but I am so sorry that you have this stress!! My thoughts are with you and I have faith that all is well!

brobertson13 · August 2016

Yes definitely added worries, but it won't affect how much we will love this baby regardless if he or she has a disability or not.

wintersong · August 2016

I'm sorry I don't have any perspective on the numbers to add, but the uncertainty is certainly the worst.

I'll be thinking about you!

peony2418 · August 2016

I didn't have the NT, they just skipped to the NIPT because I'm older so I don't know anything about the numbers, but I'll be thinking about you. Hopefully the next 4 weeks fly by for you until your next blood test, without additional stress and uncertainty.

dubcompanion · August 2016

I am having my 12-week NT scan done on Thursday, and I am anxious about the results. We will keep and love our baby regardless of disabilities as well, but it's natural to want them to be born healthy and with little complications as possible. We are doing the scan since it rules out defects that will not be noticeable later on in the pregnancy and gets the ball rolling if there is anything we need to prepare for ahead of time. Nonetheless, I keep wondering if ignorant bliss is also a good thing...

I hope your blood work will show low-risk results! It's important to remember that an NT measurement is just that, a measurement, and has no bearing on a diagnosis. But I don't blame you at all for worrying, because I would feel the exact same way. Hugs to you as you wait to find out.

CanadianintheSouth · August 2016

Sorry you are dealing with the extra stress! I was going to write what @dubcompanion said above, it is not a diagnosis!

Bok Bagok · August 2016

There's like a love hate relationship with all these tests. It's great when everything comes back perfectly normal, but when anything comes up outside of the "normal" range red flags are thrown and we get to worry, most of the time (it seems) unnecessarily. I'm not a medical professional but .3 doesn't sound like it's much over what's normal. It was my understanding that the NT measurements are just one soft marker to indicated a higher chance something might be different. Wasn't one of the other soft markers also checking for a nasal bone? I know there are other soft markers they look for on that US, did they not go over all of those also? What did the doctor say? So sorry you have all this extra stuff to worry about, as if being pregnant isn't stressful enough

And just like the others have said this is not at all a diagnosis.

RunBooRun · August 2016

Try not to worry too much (I can imagine that's really tough to do though!). These tests have a really high false positive rate. Hoping you get great results in your follow up testing.

MrsNap_515 · August 2016

I have mine tonight....sometimes it can even be the angle, maybe baby wasn't in a great position, etc, did they ask you to come back in for a repeat? usually they do that if they have concerns, etc. Hoping your blood work eases your mind! good luck!

ihateusernames* · August 2016

I went through this with my last last one. I remember my measurements were really high actually.
One of the nurses told me that when looking for Down syndrome, the process is very flawed. Example: most babies with Down syndrome are short, but not all short babies have Down syndrome... So you see how easy it is to have false flags.

anyway, my son was born without Down syndrome but i rejected further testing and spent the time reading some books on raising children with DS. It was very helpful and reassuring.

chrlyr · August 2016

I've read that the rate of false "positives" for the NT scan is actually rather high. I'm doing it anyway, but trying not to get too worked up about it.

KellyT22 · August 2016

My doctor basically doesn't even do this test anymore because the chances for a false positive are too high. She does MaterniT genetic testing now which is a very accurate blood draw.

dubcompanion · August 2016

I'm seriously considering calling my OB and requesting just a standard u/s to check on baby and that's that at the 12-week check up. I'm not sure if I would handle an uncertain prognosis well and having to wait weeks for either blood test results or for the anatomy scan.

Spartanrd4 · August 2016

@dubcompanion My blood test that went with the NT took about 5 days to come back...it's very accurate, that's why they recommend to do it along with the scan. My NT measurement was normal though so I wasn't too concerned. Its up to you, talk to your OB and see what they say.

dubcompanion · August 2016

@Spartanrd4 I'm texting DH back and forth. After some discussion, he understands that if it's better emotionally for me to not do the test, then that's what's better for both for us. I'm actually not sure if we do a blood test as part of the screening, but if so, that means having to wait for more results.

I'm just now starting to have a bump, and it's the first time I've become excited about this pregnancy. I'm really worried that excitement will be torn from me if we get a thick NT measurement; even if it's ultimately nothing, that's wasted time worrying when I should just be happy and getting our announcement ready.

(Sorry @brobertson13 I don't mean to hijack your thread or make you even more worried.)

To bring this post back to OP, I found this article that explains in the quotes: "The baby with an NT of 2.9mm is also within the limit of normal range. Nine out of 10 babies with a measurement between 2.5mm and 3.5mm will be completely fine." It's not a medical journal, mind you, but the stats are nonetheless reassuring and can prompt further research to help quell some of the anxiety. FWIW, their stats help me

https://www.babycentre.co.uk/a544491/nuchal-translucency-nt-scan#ixzz4IqYMN8Q9

peony2418 · August 2016

@dubcompanion whatever choice you make for you and your family is the right choice. Good luck with your decision on to test or not to test.

afbaby0715 · August 2016

Does anyone have info about the NT test with multiples. I am scheduled for back to back NT scans on Thursday morning, but I read that the blood test results with multiples have an extremely high rate of false positives. Does anyone have personal experience?

anonellis · August 2016

@afbaby0715 i heard that too, but not from my doctor's office which didn't mention it. I did the Maternit21 test and NT scans with twins. Both came back normal/low risk. They found a potential abnormality on the ultrasound for one of them while they were doing the NT scan, but it had nothing to do with the measurements they were taking, it was unrelated.

I did notice most of the literature I was given from the doctor's office pushed Panorama, but they did Maternit21 for me, which seemed like it tested for fewer things. Maybe because it's more accurate with multiples? But I really do not know.

anonellis · August 2016

To the OP, I'm sorry you are going through this. It sounds like there is a very good chance it's absolutely nothing, but having to wait so long to be sure must be so hard.

wintersong · August 2016

afbaby0715 said:

Does anyone have info about the NT test with multiples. I am scheduled for back to back NT scans on Thursday morning, but I read that the blood test results with multiples have an extremely high rate of false positives. Does anyone have personal experience?

My doctors office does not recommend the blood test that checks for trisomy after 10 weeks (forget it's name) with multiples. It does say the nt scan and nasal bone scan is equally accurate for singles and multiples.

ihateusernames* · August 2016

My baby's measurements were 6mm. I went and looked it up. That is ridiculously high. But no Down syndrome.

I started telling some of my older mommy friends with multiple children about this when it was happening, and most of them experienced something similar with at least one of their children.

This is sounds kinda dark but it's because the doctors don't want to get sued if you have a baby with Down syndrome and they didn't warn you in time to abort.

Apparently this has happened on more than one occasion.

dubcompanion · August 2016

@ihateusernames* I don't think it's dark. It's important to remember that clinics and hospitals are still businesses. As a patient, I recognize that they can simultaneously be caring professionals and people who don't want to get sued!

laurennowa · August 2016

My doctor does the nt scan and the blood tests at 12 weeks and again at 16 automatically. I have always thought, in general, that ultrasounds weren't very accurate when it comes to measurements. There is too much human error in the mix. The techs are trained, sure, but they are clicking on one spot and then clicking on a subsequent spot and the distance between those points is your measurement. Sometimes they double check, sometimes not. Last pregnancy, DD measured really small at the anatomy scan and two weeks later when I had another scan she bounced back. It could have been that I was eating more, but it also could have been that the measurement was better. Try not to worry OP!!

gracie4400 · August 2016

I'm sorry to hear that @brobertson13, I can only imagine how stressful that must be. You are in my thoughts, stay positive!

MrsNap_515 · August 2016

My mfm did my NT last night, as well as the genetic/dna panels, I had to have different labs done as well due to advanced maternal age, and very happy to hear my insurance company covers it, otherwise we weren't going to do it

CoconutKisses21 · August 2016

The NT is a screening test, not a diagnostic test, so try not to worry. These first trimester screening tests take into account maternal age, any family history of genetic abnormalities, your NT measurement and blood levels (hCG, Papp-A) when figuring out a risk assessment for the trisomies. The doctor I met with today said 60% of babies with Down's syndrome will have a thicker NT measurement (>3mm), and a lot of normal babies will measure thicker too! I hope everything turns out okay for baby

Burrberrymum · August 2016

I decided to get this test done and my midwife assured me that the risk of false positives are pretty high. Higher than the test they would do at 15 weeks instead. (Can't remember what she called it). Are you being sent for a second scan?

I don't have experience myself but one of my coworkers had higher than normal results and took a ton of classes to prepare herself and baby was born perfectly healthy. My midwife said you have to take it with a grain of salt, easier said of course.

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