In England, women having routine antenatal care on the NHS are usually scanned twice using ultrasound. The first scan, at 12 weeks, aims to accurately date the pregnancy and can also be used, alongside blood tests, to check for conditions such as Down’s syndrome. The second, at about 20 weeks, is known as the anomaly scan and will check the baby’s anatomy and growth, as well as the position of the placenta. It can flag up heart problems, defects in the formation of the skull or spina bifida, as well as issues with other organs. Today experts have recommended a third scan at 36 weeks, saying it could prevent 15,000 undiagnosed breech presentations, more than 4,000 emergency c-sections, and between seven and eight baby deaths…

Source: The Times April 17, 2019 11:15 UTC