What is prenatal test nt

It is very important to have regular check-ups during pregnancy. Most pregnant women are aware of this and pay special attention to what tests to do each time and what the purpose of these tests is. Some pregnant women know that they will have to do a prenatal check-up, but they don’t know what kind of test it is. So, what does the prenatal check-up NT check for pregnant women? Today I will give you a detailed introduction.

What does the NT check for pregnant women?

nt, the nuchal translucency. Many people are not clear about what the NT test is. In fact, the NT test, also known as the nuchal translucency scanner, is a method of accurately measuring the location of the thickest echo-free transparent layer of the subcutaneous tissue in the fetus's neck through B-ultrasound. The measurement results are used to assess whether the fetus is likely to suffer from Down syndrome. If the NT test result exceeds the index value range, it is recommended that the pregnant woman conduct subsequent fetal abnormality screening to further determine the risk of fetal abnormalities so that countermeasures can be taken as soon as possible.

The NT test is usually performed between 11 and 14 weeks of pregnancy. Some pregnant women want to do NT check before 11 weeks. In fact, it is technically difficult to do NT check before 11 weeks, because the fetus is still very small and generally cannot be found. After 14 weeks, the water stored in the fetus's subcutaneous tissue may be absorbed by the developing lymphatic system, making it impossible to obtain accurate test data. The NT test needs to be done in a regular tertiary hospital or a large gynecological hospital, and the price is generally around 100-400 yuan.

In China, doctors generally recommend that key Down syndrome patients undergo a nuchal translucency scan, such as pregnant women over 35 years old, pregnant women who have previously given birth to a baby with Down syndrome, or pregnant women with a family history of giving birth to a baby with Down syndrome. Although the nuchal translucency scanner cannot accurately determine whether the fetus is sick, it can help pregnant women decide whether further diagnostic tests are needed. The nuchal translucency scanner is a way to assess whether the fetus is likely to have Down syndrome and is a screening method. NT tests are different from confirmatory tests such as chorionic villus aspiration biopsy or amniocentesis. They can provide a clear diagnosis, but NT tests can only indicate risks.

What are the uses of NT for pregnant women

There are many items for fetal malformation screening throughout pregnancy, and NT is a small fetal malformation screening in the early pregnancy. The thicker the fetal nuchal translucency, the greater the probability of fetal abnormalities. If the initial NT is abnormal, further examination will be required to determine whether the fetus has malformations. There is an optimal time for every test during pregnancy. If you miss it, the accuracy of the test results will be affected. The best time for NT testing is 11 weeks of pregnancy, 13 weeks and 6 days. The arm-head diameter should not be less than 45mm and not more than 84mm. Why do we need to do NT at this time? Because before 11 weeks, the fetus is still small and it is difficult to accurately detect whether there are any abnormalities in the fetus. If it exceeds 14 weeks, there is too much fluid, which is likely to be absorbed by the developing lymphatic system of the fetus.

As we mentioned before, NT is to check the thickness of the fetal nuchal translucency to distinguish early chromosomal diseases and other abnormalities in the baby's development. Generally, after the NT test is successful, the doctor will also recommend Down syndrome screening. Down syndrome screening is mainly to check the probability of the fetus suffering from Down syndrome. The detection method is to extract venous blood from the pregnant woman. If the Down syndrome screening test shows a high risk, further testing is required. Of course, even if the result is low risk, it does not necessarily mean that the fetus is completely fine, it just means that the chance of having Down syndrome is relatively low.