What can I expect to see in an Early Viability scan?

This will be dependent on how many weeks pregnant you are. The fetal pole starts to have heart pulsation which can be seen flickering at six weeks. We recommend the Transvaginal scan (internal scan) to achieve a clearer view if the abdominal scan (tummy) is unclear. This procedure is not painful and does not harm the baby or increase the risk of miscarriage. At this stage it not always possible to see the baby through the tummy due to various factors such as the fetal pole itself being very small, a retroverted uterus (tilted uterus), poorly filled bladder, fibroid, overlying bowel gas and maternal habitus.

The fetal pole has a head and body at 8 weeks and can be seen more clearly. Therefore we will be able see Trans abdominally (tummy) in most cases. Again the factors mentioned above may sometimes affect whether a clear view of heart pulsation can be seen, therefore the Sonographer would recommend an internal scan to obtain a clearer view.

If for any reason the Sonographer is unable to get the images she needs from an abdominal (tummy) scan she will offer you the option to have an internal (vaginal) scan during your appointment. You can decline if you do not want an internal scan. Report will be provided based on what is seen through tummy.

The early viability scan is not meant to replace any of your usual NHS scans. Your scan here will be specifically for the purpose of confirming the viability of your pregnancy and determining your dates. The Sonographer will not be making any investigation into the detailed health or development of your baby. If, however, anything of concern is noticed during your scan we will let you know, and provide you with a full explanation and report. We will advise you to contact your midwife or GP for further checks if necessary.

What can I expect to see in a Mini Wellbeing scan?

This scan can be undertaken from 10 weeks. We will be able to determine the gender in almost all cases from 16 weeks, however our Sonographer is unable to see or is unsure in rare cases. We will also measure your baby and provide you with a report on your baby’s progress. We can never quote 100% accuracy even if we obtain an obvious view of the gender. We can also show you the 3D view of your baby if he or she is in a good position. We will be able to hide the gender if you do not wish to know.

Please note that our 15 Minute Mini Wellbeing Scan is not meant to replace any of your usual NHS scans. If anything of concern is noticed during your scan we will let you know, and will advise you to contact your midwife or GP for further checks if necessary.

What can I expect to see in 2D/3D/4D Wellbeing Scan?

Please note this is NOT an Anomaly scan and therefore you should still attend your 20 week Anomaly Scan at your usual hospital.  At Baby Moments, as with all Healthcare Providers, we have a Duty of Care to inform you of any issue we may identify during your appointment, with your pregnancy or your baby if it concerns us.  If this happens we will provide you with a full report and will offer you guidance on how to proceed including advising you to arrange to see your GP or midwife for further support and referral to Fetal Medicine Unit will be made.

Our Sonographer will start your scan in 2D to get orientated to see how your baby is lying and before changing into 3D/4D views after relevant checks are being made. We generally recommend having a 4D scan between 26 – 32 weeks. You will be able to capture some great views of your baby yawning, sucking their thumb/toe, opening their eyes, smiling and even frowning! We also measure your baby and provide you with a medical report on their progress.

What if you see a problem?

All of our Sonographers are fully qualified and therefore if they spot any abnormalities they will write a report for you, along with the supporting images to pass on to your healthcare provider (GP / Midwife) for further care. Our Sonographers will be happy to speak to your healthcare provider if they wish to discuss the findings. Our scans do not replace your routine 12 weeks Down’s Screening / Dating 1^st trimester scan and 20 weeks Anomaly scan, therefore please attend these at your chosen hospital.

Do you offer rescans if you are not able to get good images of my baby?

We do not offer free re-scan.

Do you offer scans for Twin and Multiple pregnancies?

Due to the time available we are unable to offer a 15-minute appointment slot. If you are expecting twins please let us know and we will tailor our scan to suit you.

What screening services do you offer?

Baby Moments offers Non-invasive-prenatal-testing (NIPT) and Group Streptococcus B (GBS) screening services at our clinic.

NIPT Screening –

You may have heard of NIPT, which identifies Downs Syndrome and two other genetic disorders.  It is called non-invasive as the screening is simply a blood test carried out on the mother, and therefore carries absolutely no risk to the pregnancy. This can be carried out at any time after 10 weeks of pregnancy, with results on average within 3 – 5 working days.

IONA and Harmony screening  are a lot more accurate than the traditional combined screening you are offered on the NHS. IONA and Harmony  screening can also identify the gender of the baby at this early stage of pregnancy with 100% accuracy, if enough fetal fraction (DNA within your blood sample) is detected.

All of the NIPT screening we offer can be repeated free of charge if the result you receive is inconclusive ( **not for Gender results**).

Group Strep B Screening –

GBS Screening is not routinely offered in the NHS. Most GBS infections can be prevented by giving antibiotics intravenously (through a vein) at the onset of labour to all women that carry GBS. UK guidelines recommend mums should be offered these antibiotics in labour if GBS has been detected during the current pregnancy, if a previous baby had GBS infection or if she has a fever in labour. Other risk factors include labour starting or waters breaking before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy and waters breaking more than 18 hours before birth.

Intravenous antibiotics in labour are highly effective at preventing GBS infection in new born babies, reducing the risk for a baby born to a woman carrying GBS from around 1 in 300 to less than 1 in 6000.

Two swabs (lower vaginal and rectal) will need to be taken from you, ideally in the last five weeks of pregnancy, to best predict GBS carriage around the time of delivery. The swabs will be taken by you in privacy, within our clinic.

The results of the test take between 3-5 days to be returned. This will be sent to you via a text message to show if the test is positive or negative. In the result of a positive test, you will need to let you GP/Midwife know as soon as possible. It is also advised to present this information as soon as you go into labour, so the antibiotics can be arranged for you. For more info, please visit our screening page https://www.scan4d.co.uk/screening/