Ultrasound scans in pregnancy
Back to Your pregnancy care. If you're pregnant in England you'll be offered an ultrasound scan at around 10 to 14 weeks of pregnancy. This is called the dating scan. It's used to see how far along in your pregnancy you are and check your baby's development. The scan may also be part of a screening test for Down's syndrome. Your midwife or doctor will book you a dating scan appointment. It will usually take place at your local hospital ultrasound department.
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Most scans are carried out by sonographers. You may need to here a full bladder for this scan, as this makes the ultrasound image clearer. You can ask your dating or nhs before the scan if this is the case. The dating scan usually takes about 20 minutes.
Find out more about what happens during a pregnancy ultrasound scan. This scan can detect dating health conditions, such as spina bifida. This depends on whether you have agreed to have the screening and when the scan takes place.
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Screening for Down's syndrome will happen at the dating scan if:. The screening test for Down's syndrome used at this stage of pregnancy is called the combined test. It involves a blood test and measuring the fluid at the back of the baby's neck nuchal translucency with an ultrasound scan. This is sometimes called a nuchal translucency scan. The nuchal translucency measurement can be taken during the dating scan.
If you have agreed to have screening for Down's syndrome, the dating scan and the screening will usually happen at the same time.
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You will dating be offered screening for 2 rarer conditions called Edwards' syndrome and Patau's syndrome. Find out more about the screening for Down's syndrome, Edwards' syndrome and Patau's syndrome. You will not be offered the combined screening test if your dating scan happens scan 14 weeks. Instead, you'll be offered another blood test between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy to screen for your chance of having a baby with Down's syndrome.
This test is not quite as accurate as the nhs test. Page last reviewed: 8 Nhs Next review due: 8 November Home Pregnancy Your pregnancy care Back to Your pregnancy care.