Baby Scans
At Harley Street Dr, we provide a comprehensive range of pregnancy scans. All our scans are carried out by highly-skilled, experienced gynaecology and obstetrics consultants. Whether you’re interested in an early pregnancy scan, or you can’t wait to find out the sex of your baby, we can assure that your entire family will be in the best possible hands.
Baby scans at Harley Street Dr
Our pregnancy scans include:
- Early pregnancy: the early stages of pregnancy can be very worrying for expectant parents. At Harley Street Dr, we understand that early scans can help to ease anxiety and help you to feel calmer and more comfortable. We offer dating scans and scans that can put your mind at ease if you do have any worries about symptoms like spotting. It’s fairly common to experience bleeding and discomfort during the first trimester, and a reassurance scan early in the pregnancy can give you much-needed peace of mind. We offer a comprehensive care package for all patients, and our duty of care to you doesn’t just stop once the ultrasound scan is complete. If there are any problems or concerns, we’ll do everything we can to support and advise you.
- Nuchal Translucency Scan: this type of baby scan is usually performed between 11 weeks and 13 weeks and 6 days. It is designed to identify potential chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down’s Syndrome. The vast majority of tests come back clear, but it’s always good to carry out this test to ensure any issues are identified at an early stage. The test involves placing the ultrasound transducer onto the abdominal area for around 20 minutes. During the test, several important measurements will be taken, including the CRL (crown rump length) and the nuchal fluid translucency measurement. This is the area behind the neck, which is filled with fluid. The baby’s heart rate will also be monitored and your doctor will examine the anatomy of the foetus.
- Reassurance scan: this form of pregnancy scan is usually recommended after 14 weeks. It can seem like a long time between the first scan and the latter stages of pregnancy, and a reassurance scan can give you peace of mind that your pregnancy is progressing as anticipated and your baby is healthy. If you have any concerns, a reassurance scan could help to allay fears and enable you to enjoy the rest of your pregnancy. During the scan, the baby’s head, legs and abdomen will be measured, and we’ll also look at the position of the placenta and how the foetus is moving around.
- Anomaly scan: this is a detailed baby scan, which looks at the anatomy of the foetus from top to toe. The aim is to rule out any chromosomal abnormalities. The organs will be examined very closely and measurements will also be taken to check the growth of the foetus.
- Sexing scan: many expectant parents are keen to know the sex of their baby. The sexing scan usually takes place after 16 weeks, and it produces very accurate results.
- Harmony test: this type of test is known as an NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing), and it involves taking a sample of the mother’s blood. This scan can be used to confirm dates and to screen for genetic abnormalities. It may be recommended if you missed your nuchal translucency test, or the results of other tests have raised concerns.
Booking a pregnancy scan
If you’re looking to book a pregnancy scan in London, or you would like to learn more about our baby scans and the prenatal and antenatal services we offer, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.