NT Scan Results

For those who don't know, a NT scan is a "Nuchal Translucency" scan.  It is a prenatal test done between 11 and 13 weeks and uses ultrasound to measure the clear space in the back of the babies neck.  It is often coupled with a blood test to assess the babies risk of Down's syndrome and other chromosomal anomolies.

We opted to only have the u/s portion done...because selfishly I wanted to see the babies again but also because the blood portion of this screening is really only applicable to singleton pregnancies.  Otherwise it just takes the risk...divides it in 2...and applies the same risk level to both babies.  So if one baby has a high chance of having downs and one has a low chance...when they average them together it could look like both babies are just fine...or have a higher than average risk for Downs.  What's the point??  It won't chance how we proceed with this pregnancy.  I know plenty of babies with downs or even spina bifida who have perfectly fufilling lives.

Anyways...on to the results....Everything looked fine.  Both babies measured "within normal range."  I wasn't terribly worried that they were going to find somethign wrong...but you never know.  So now they send these results off to a lab and they come up with the specific risk ratio.  This will be coupled with my age (25).  So our ratio should be pretty low!

Both babies meausred almost a WHOLE week ahead!!  Baby A measured 11 weeks, 5 days with a heartbeat of 156 (which surprised me) and Baby B measured 12 weeks even with a heartbeat of 172.  I didn't realize that the heartbeats could change that drastically or be so different between two babies, but the u/s tech assured me that this is completely normal.  My hope is that maybe now I can differentiate between the two of them with my home doppler.

I was a little disappointed during the scan because both babies were LAZY!!!  Must take after my husband.  Off to great start I guess!  All kidding aside, I guess they were sleeping.  The u/s tech shook my tummy, pressed on it repeatedly with the u/s wand...but these stinkers would move a little...then go right back to sleep.  So the scan too MUCH longer than it should have trying to get them in a position where she could take the spinal measurements.  We even got to see the nasal bones of both babies.

So here are the latest pics:

Here are both babies in one shot.  Baby B is laying facing us, and baby A is a laying long ways so you can only see the top of it's body.