new 1st trimester prenatal test???

[Babywhite]

At my yearly today, I was discussing with my OB that we are thinking about having another baby. I will be 34 (hopefully) when I conceive and probably 35 when he/she is born. My OB said that there is a new test done in the first trimester that deals with detecting down syndrome, etc. (My DD is 18 months old, she said that it came out after she was born.) I meant to ask the specific name of the test, so I could research it, but I forgot. Anyone know the name and/or anything about it?

TIA for your help!

R.W.

[BaileyBea]

I think your Dr is talking about the Nuchal Lucency. Your sonographer will do this around 12 weeks. It is an Ultrasound in which they measure the Clear Zone behind the baby's neck. If the lucency measures less than 3 mm then you have a 90-95% reduction in chromosomal disorders such as Down's Syndrome.

I had my Nuchal last week and it was non-invasive and easy. Now it is the last ultrasound you will probably take with that wand penis tool thingy. ;-) Ha Ha!

The Nuchal test has been around a while, so maybe this is different than what your Dr. is talking about. If it's something different let us know.

[Tondi G]

Nuchal translucency test or Nuchal fold test

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/prenatalhealth/118.html

HTH's you!

~Tondi
Mommy to Mason 7/8/01 and Aidan 5/4/05

[HannaAddict]

It is probably the "first trimester screen" a quicker result with slightly more uncertainty than a true full "integrated screen." The first trimester screen combines a blood test with ultrasound of the nuchal fold, as other posters have described. It doesn't actually diagnose anything, but gives you an idea if you are at risk for Downs or other abnormalities, so you can decide to do CVS or amnio or nothing. The full integrated screen is the first trimester blood test, nuchal fold ultrasound and then a second trimester blood test. The upside is a lower rate of false positives (where it looks like there could be a problem, but there aren't) but the downside is it takes until the second trimester to get the full result. The nuchal fold testing has been done in the UK, Canada and Australia for years before being offered routinely in the USA.

HTH
Kimberly