What does a 12-week scan tell you?

The 12-week dating scan will be the first routine scan that you will be offered in the UK.

It’s sometimes called a booking scan or dating scan.  It can be very exciting and quite a few people use this scan as a landmark time to share their news!

The dating scan will tell you;

• When you baby will be due
• How many babies you are carrying.
• Check for heartbeat, check the limbs, head shape and cord are developing normally.
• The measurement at the back of the baby’s neck called the Nuchal Translucency measurement.

 You may have already had a private early pregnancy scan or if you have had fertility treatment or  a have history of miscarriage some people will be able to obtain some of this information earlier than the routine dating scan. Even if you have had an early scan it is still important to attended the dating scan as it forms an important part of your routine antenatal care.

If you choose to have the Nuchal translucency part of the scan (some people choose not to), it will normally be completed between 11 and 14 weeks as this is the best time for this measurement to be taken. The Nuchal translucency measurement forms a part of the combined test which is the measurement of the Nuchal translucency in millimetres, combined with a blood test that will measure the amount of particular substances within the maternal blood sample. The test also takes into consideration your age and other information to give you a calculation of the risk of your baby having of Down’s syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome and Patau’s syndrome.