How long does it take to do a NT test?

For pregnant women, whether the growth and development of the fetus is normal is a question that pregnant mothers are more concerned about. In order to understand whether the baby has any abnormalities, relevant examinations need to be carried out, such as B-ultrasound, Down syndrome screening and NT examination, which can help you understand the baby's condition. So, how long does it take to carry out an NT examination? How long does an NT examination take?

How long does it take to do a NT test?

The time required for the NT test is relatively short, generally only about ten minutes to complete the inspection. However, sometimes the baby in the pregnant woman's belly may not cooperate, and at this time it will take some time to give birth. The pregnant woman needs to cooperate with the test by changing her posture, which takes about thirty minutes to complete the test.

The NT test, also known as the nuchal translucency scanner, is used to check the thickness of the transparent layer of the fetal neck. If the thickness increases, the probability of fetal abnormalities will also increase. Many fetuses with thickened nuchal translucency were eventually found to have chromosomal abnormalities. Therefore, pregnant women must have a NT test, which can screen whether the fetus has any abnormalities in the sex chromosomes and is one of the most important items in prenatal examinations.

The best time for women to undergo nt examination during pregnancy is 11-13 weeks of pregnancy. If the examination is done too early, the baby is not fully developed and it is difficult to scan the nuchal translucency. If it exceeds 13 weeks, the test results will be inaccurate. Therefore, it is best for pregnant women to do NT examination in the 12th month of pregnancy.

NT inspection countermeasures

Once a pregnant woman is found to have a high NT value, it indicates that the fetus is very likely to suffer from Down syndrome or other physical defects. At this time, the best way is to do a confirmatory test such as a chorionic villus biopsy or amniocentesis to further confirm the condition. So, what are the countermeasures for NT inspection?

If the exact measurement value of the expectant mother's NT is 3.4mm, don't worry. First, this value is not necessarily increased; second, even if it is increased, NT is only a screening test, not a diagnostic test, so it is not a condition for terminating pregnancy. An accurate NT measurement of 3.4mm does not mean that there is a problem with the fetus. If there are conditions, you can do a minimally invasive DNA test or an invasive prenatal test to discuss whether there are chromosomal abnormalities.

The key groups who need to do a nuchal translucency scan include pregnant women who have taken bad medicines in the early pregnancy, pregnant women who are worried about the impact on the fetus, older mothers (over 35 years old), those who have given birth to malformed babies, experienced repeated miscarriages and other bad pregnancy histories, or those in the family who have given birth to children with chromosomal abnormalities or mental retardation. They should go to a gynecological hospital for accurate examination as soon as possible.