^{Originally published May 1, 2013 on BabyCenter.com.}

We’re now at week 13 of pregnancy number two, which means that we recently had to make the decision about whether or not we wanted an NT scan.

An NT scan, for those who are unaware, is a nuchal translucency screening, which can help predict chromosomal abnormalities in the child. The most common of these abnormalities is Down syndrome, which does not prevent a child from having a happy life. There are other rarer abnormalities that are potentially much worse, including some that can indicate your child will not survive through the first year. Thankfully, those situations are rare, and a positive result on an NT scan doesn’t mean that anything is definite.

This is not a procedure that is at all required. It’s purely up to expectant parents. We chose not to go through the testing for our first child because the NT scan wasn’t available to us. Back then (a whopping two years ago), all we had for an option was a chorionic villus sampling (CVS) test, which was a more invasive procedure that carries a slight risk to the baby. We opted not to go through with that because of the risk. In retrospect, it was also a good thing not to do the test at the time because I was a nervous wreck throughout the pregnancy and didn’t need one more thing to worry about had it come up positive.

Technology marches on, and thankfully the NT scan is now available to us. (I believe it was available only to those at high risk for chromosomal abnormalities before.) This time we chose to get the scan for a few reasons:

1)      It’s always good to be prepared. No matter what the result of the scan is, we’re going to keep the baby and care for it regardless of the situation. However, if there is an abnormality, now is a good time to find out about it because it means we have another six months to prepare ourselves. For example, while I have a general knowledge of what Down syndrome is, I could always stand to learn more, especially if I have to care for somebody who might have it. All I know right now is that somebody with Down syndrome can still live a happy life, but I would need to find out how to help facilitate that.

2)      We’re now over 30. Risks of abnormalities increase with age, and 30 is one of the thresholds in that regard. As risk goes up, our desire to be prepared does as well.

3)      Extra ultrasound pictures are always welcome. The NT scan is done via ultrasound, which means we got to see the baby again and bring some pictures home with us. Had this option not been available to us, we probably would have skipped the exam again.

4)      I’m much less stressed. As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, I’m much more relaxed this time around. That means that I’m less at risk of falling into one of my trademark hysterical depression spells if I get some bad news.

There are some cons to the test, depending on your situation.

1)      False positives are a possibility. The NT scan is not 100% accurate. The procedure involves measuring the nuchal fold at the base of the neck, with unusual thickness in the area indicating the possibility of an abnormality. Note the word “possibility.” There might be other reasons for unusual thickness. If a scan comes back positive, it doesn’t necessarily mean anything. From there, a more invasive test such as the CVS test will help you verify things.

2)      False negatives are also a possibility. Many people make the mistake of thinking that a medical scan that comes back negative means there are never any problems. All tests have a margin of error, and just because an NT scan comes back clear doesn’t mean there isn’t an abnormality. That’s not to say that you should expect something bad to be coming, but you should be aware that this is just the doctors making a very educated guess rather than proof positive one way or another.

3)      Not all insurance carriers will cover the test. Ours certainly does, and I think most will, but because the scan is not strictly necessary, you might have some issues if your insurance provider is stubborn. It’s best to check with your company so you don’t get slammed with an unexpected charge.

I personally would recommend an NT scan if your baby is in a high risk category. Beyond that, it’s really a matter of preference. We didn’t get one for the first one, did get one for the second one. The technician who spoke with us did get one for her first, but didn’t get one for her second. It exists mostly to provide you with some peace of mind or to allow you to prepare if there does appear to be an abnormality.

But, hey – extra ultrasound pictures certainly don’t hurt.

Featured Image: Nevit Dilmen, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and resized