Some women who are pregnant for the first time may feel dizzy during various examinations and may not be familiar with the content of the examination items. Some pregnant women are required to take NT, so what is the main purpose of taking NT for examination?
Pregnant women take NT mainly to check the thickness of the fetal neck skin and infer the probability of the fetus having Down syndrome. Fetuses with Down syndrome may have subcutaneous fluid accumulation, resulting in thicker skin on the neck compared to healthy fetuses. If the thickness of the fetal neck skin exceeds the standard value, it indicates a higher probability of Down syndrome.
Pregnant women's examination of NT is actually to check the probability of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus. Down syndrome is one of the diseases characterized by chromosomal abnormalities. When the fetus has chromosomal abnormalities, there may also be other structural abnormalities. The thicker the NT examined, the higher the probability of fetal chromosomal abnormalities. In addition, studies have found that thickening of the fetal nuchal translucency is also related to congenital heart disease.
As NT is a type of ultrasound examination, pregnant women do not need to have blood drawn for testing, nor do they need to empty their stomach or hold their urine before the examination. Pregnant women should have a normal diet. It is generally recommended that pregnant women go for a check-up between the 11th and 14th week of pregnancy, as the results are more reliable. However, since pregnant women need to make an appointment in advance for NT, it is recommended that women consider scheduling a hospital appointment near the 11th week of pregnancy.
