Mid pregnancy scan (fetal anomaly scan)

The purpose of the mid pregnancy scan (fetal anomaly scan) is to check your baby’s health and development. It’s offered between 18 and 21 weeks of pregnancy.

What the scan can show

Some, but not all, major health problems affecting your baby’s development can be diagnosed. This includes problems affecting:

• the brain
• bowel
• spine
• kidneys
• heart
• limbs

Sometimes minor irregular features of your baby’s body are picked up. These usually mean nothing at all, but sometimes a pattern can be seen which might suggest an underlying problem.

Can the scan find all the problems?

Sometimes problems can be missed if the view is restricted. This could be for a number of reasons, such as:

• your baby’s position or age
• the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding your baby
• your own bodyweight
• scar tissue left by an abdominal operation, such as a previous Caesarean section

Health problems can also be missed if they:

• Develop after 22 weeks
• do not affect your baby’s physical appearance; for example a chromosomal abnormality

Although the sonographer and doctors can usually be confident in the findings, no screening test will detect all cases. This means that in a small number of cases, babies are born with health problems that haven’t been picked up through the scan.

What happens if they find or suspect a problem?

The sonographer:

• may ask for a second opinion from another sonographer or doctor
• will tell you what the concerns are, but the exact nature or extent of the problem might not be clear at this stage

Can anything be done before the birth?

Finding out about a health problem before birth can help parents to prepare themselves and plan treatment after their baby is born. If your baby has a problem that needs an operation soon after birth (such as a problem with the heart), we can arrange for you to deliver your baby in a hospital where this can be done within the first few hours. Very few problems can be operated on before the birth.

Will I need another scan?

You might need another scan if:

• you take some types of medication
• you’ve a long-term medical condition
• the sonographer isn’t able to see everything clearly

If your baby appears to be healthy on the mid-pregnancy scan, you won’t need another scan during this pregnancy.

Boy or girl?

It is not hospital policy to routinely determine the sex of the baby. However, if you want to know the sex of the baby you will be given the option of finding out if it is easy to see. The accuracy of telling the sex of the baby cannot be guaranteed. You will need to have decided before your scan if you wish to know the baby’s sex and tell the sonographer before the scan begins. The gender of your baby will be told to you verbally, the Sonographer cannot write it down. You will not be able to have a repeat scan just to find out the sex of the baby, even if we were unable to determine this at your scan.

On the day of your scan

You are welcome to bring one person with you to your scan but please do not bring young children Neither you or the sonographer (person who performs the scan) will be able to supervise a child whilst the scan is being done.

• We request you attend for this scan with a full bladder
• We suggest you wear loose fitting clothes so your abdomen can be easily exposed
• Please remove any belly piercings as they can damage the ultrasound equipment
• Plan your journey so you arrive 15 minutes early for your appointment. Parking can sometimes be tricky
• Staff present during the scan will be introduced to you and their role explained
• NHS Lanarkshire is a teaching hospital so trainees may be present for some appointments. If you do not wish to have them in the room, please let the sonographer know and the trainee will be asked to step outside
• The scan should take around 30 minutes.
• In the interest of confidentiality, we kindly ask you to switch off your phone when entering the scan room

Useful contacts

• UHW Scan Department: 01698 366427/366340
• Airdrie Scan Reception: 01698 703032
• Airdrie Day Bed Unit: 01698 703033
• Hairmyres Day assessment: 01355 584503

  Information used from Ready Steady Baby – Scottish Government NHS Scotland 2019
  https://www.nhsinform.scot/ready-steady-baby

 

If you need this information in another language or format, please e-mail:

Translation.Services@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk