I just wanted to update everyone and let you know that I had my 2nd ultrasound today. In case I didn't mention this before, they do a new test called the Nuchal Translucency Scan along with blood work. This is where they measure the amount of fluid in the baby's neck to see if there is a risk of Trisomy 13, 18, or 21. They used to do this at the "big" 20 week ultrasound, but over the last several years, they have found that there are more false positives when this test is done at that point in pregnancy. In the last year, a panel of doctors and researchers (ACOG) determined that this test is most accurate when done between 11-13 weeks along with measuring the amount of beta-HCG and PAPP-A in the blood. The two tests together help to reduce the false positive rate, which then reduces the number of amnios or CVS tests.
Since this research came out, most insurance companies are now allowing this additional ultrasound along with blood work in lieu of the Triple Screen/Quad Screen that used to be done at 16-17 weeks.
So, I had my blood work and ultrasound today. The baby's heart rate was 163bpm. He/She is a stubborn baby and would not move into position for the tech to get her measurements done. She was able to get the crown-rump measurement, which shows that the baby is on target with my due date. And she was able to determine that the gestational sac, etc., is all looking good. But she was just not able to get the one measurement she really needed of the Nuchal Fold. So, I have to go back on Friday. Hopefully the baby will cooperate. :) I did get some pictures of the little one. For those of you who are wondering, it's still too early to tell if it's a boy or a girl. We'll probably do that in early August.
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