i didnt know the ultrascreen is that important

i posted a ? about your DH coming to your OB appts. and a lot of ladies posted that your DH comes escp to your Level II and ultrascreen.

I am scheduled for the ultrascreen at NSLIJ in 2 weeks and i know this is to check for down syndrome.

BUt do you find out at the spot?
I just thouhgt its going to look like a regular appt and then i go back to my Dr. for the results.

Can someone explain these 2 tests to me? Thanks

Re: i didnt know the ultrascreen is that important

They do the preliminary measurements and a blood test (I think that was the finger prick one...) And thats it.. you get an initial result.. and then at 16 weeks (i think that was the next appointment) you get a follow up test to confirm results..

Its not that important for your DH to be there if he can't be... it is really cool to see the baby actually looking like a baby.. and it moves.. its the first time my DH really felt like we were having a baby!! You get pictures though, so you can show him those later!!! Bring your mom or a sister or friend..its cool to have someone to share it with!

Re: i didnt know the ultrascreen is that important

Dh missed that appt, and he was so upset. It was the first sono that you see the baby moving, and it was so cute! It really made you feel like your pregnant. If DH can make it I suggest having him there. The pictures are just not the same.

Re: i didnt know the ultrascreen is that important

The ultrascreen is a combo of a sonogram and a blood test. This is probably the first time your baby will look like a real baby and will be moving around and stuff, so your DH might want to be there, but it's not necessary of course. They measure the skin on the back of the baby's neck (the nuchal fold). That measurment, in combination with the blood test gives you an approximation of your chances of the baby having Down's. You don't get results at the appt. It depends on your how fast your dr/lab works, sometimes its a couple of days, sometimes it's a week or more.

Either way, remember this test is just a screening. It is not an absolute diagnostic answer on whether your baby will actually have downs or not.

Have fun seeing the baby!!

Re: i didnt know the ultrascreen is that important

I just did this on Monday. It's the sono to measure the Nuchal Fold (back of the baby's neck) and a blood test. The sono is very exciting, just as the pp's have said. The baby looks more like a baby and it moves around. I was really glad that my dh could come to the appt. so he could see everything.

Re: i didnt know the ultrascreen is that important

im going to my regular OB for my 3rd appt on monday - I will be 11 weeks and then im going in 2 weeks for the ultrascreen when ill be 12 weeks -
so is it possible that i will see the baby on the 11th week?

Re: i didnt know the ultrascreen is that important

Re: i didnt know the ultrascreen is that important

for us - the u/s ultrasound was literally 2 minutes. I was not able to see the screen and Dave saw the baby jump when the U/S was first put on my belly...but nothing more.

Re: i didnt know the ultrascreen is that important

The Anatomy scan at 20 weeks is when my doctors office did a real close look at the baby and showed us everything and told us it looked great... and then allowed us to find out the sex... that one is the one where they take more time. the ultrascreening would have been, like Jess said, 2 minutes, but the baby wasnt cooperating enough to get the mesurements.. so we were a bit longer...

hope that helps!

Re: i didnt know the ultrascreen is that important

I'm going next week - My Dr's office only does them in the mornings, so I have to go to work late. DH said there's no way he's missing it, and he's going into work late too.