Pregnancy covers a period of nine months in total and is generally divided into three-month periods. The first three months of pregnancy are the period when the baby's organs are formed, the second three months are the period when organ development continues and growth occurs, and the last three months are the period when the baby's growth and weight gain are evident.
Ultrasonography allows imaging using sound waves. It is an examination. Because the examination of the baby (fetus) in the womb is done by ultrasonography. In fetal examination with ultrasonography; The number of babies (to detect multiple pregnancies, such as twin pregnancies), the presence of a heartbeat (proof of the baby's vitality), the adequacy of the baby's water supply, the location and structure of the baby's partner (placenta), as well as the baby's size (weight) and anatomy (organ development) are evaluated. Although fetal ultrasonography examination is performed in all three periods of pregnancy; Some specific examination evaluations are made during certain periods of pregnancy. To give an example: Fetal examination (popularly known as detailed or second-level ultrasound) performed in the second period of pregnancy (18-23 weeks). In this examination, all systems (organs) of the fetus are examined with ultrasonography. This examination of the fetus allows the detection of structural anomalies in the fetus at a rate of approximately 60-80%.
For the dual screening test in which chromosomal disorders are screened by ultrasonography performed in the first three months of pregnancy, the baby's height (head - rump distance) and nuchal thickness (nuchal thickness) are measured. nuchal translucency) measurement is performed routinely. It allows physicians trained in this field to use devices to make Doppler measurements (ductus venosus doppler and tricuspid valve doppler) that increase the accuracy of the dual test in the first three months of pregnancy (between 11-14 weeks).
Detecting anomalies at 11-14 weeks (when the fetus is 3 months old) instead of detecting them at 18-23 weeks (when the fetus is 5 months old) also allows for earlier medical intervention. In the first period of pregnancy (11-14 weeks), it is possible to evaluate the fetus's head, brain, neck, face, heart, rib cage, spine, abdomen (stomach, kidneys, bladder), abdominal wall (umbilical cord entry), arms and legs. tastes. In addition to these, it can be determined whether there are some abnormalities (such as choroid plexus cyst, cardiac hyperechoic focus, pelviectasis, hyperechoic bowel) that indicate chromosomal anomalies in the fetus (which increases the possibility of a chromosomal anomaly).
As a result; Detailed ultrasonography examination of the fetus can be performed between 11-14 weeks of pregnancy. For this reason, it seems rational to perform a detailed ultrasonographic examination of the fetus in addition to the nuchal translucency measurement required for the double screening test during the 11-14 weeks of pregnancy.
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