When is the screening done?
For the entire period of gestation, ultrasound screening is carried out three times, while at 12 weeks of pregnancy it is done for the first time. This time is the most optimal. However, this study is permissible at 11, 13 weeks.
What is screening and how is it conducted?
Many pregnant women who are to be screened at week 12, are interested in the question of how it is done and whether it does not hurt. As already mentioned above, this procedure is a normal ultrasound, which is absolutely painless. Therefore, special psychological preparation for this procedure is not required.
Special attention is paid to the condition of the collar fold of the fetus when performing such a diagnosis . Normally, it accumulates fluid, which then, as the baby grows, decreases in volume. By the thickness of this fold, it is possible to judge the defects and disorders of the development of the baby.
A study of pregnant blood, which is also part of the screening at week 12, shows a risk of pathology, as indicated by abnormalities. So, for example, an increase in the level of beta-hCG in the blood can speak of the development of a chromosomal pathology such as trisomy 21 chromosomes, better known as Down syndrome. However, when diagnosing a doctor, the doctor never relies only on the results of the screening. As a rule, this is just a signal for further diagnosis.
Evaluation of results
Many women in the situation, even before they are screened at 12 weeks and are assigned to donate blood, are trying to find information on the rates of this study. Doing this is pointless, because the analysis of the results can only be performed by a doctor. This takes into account not only the data obtained during the screening, but also the characteristics of the development of the fetus at a certain time, and the state of the most pregnant. Only a comprehensive assessment and analysis of the results of the research allow us to establish the violation in time.