Fetal Wellbeing Scan in London
This special 3rd trimester scan can be performed to exclude late pregnancy anomalies and check the baby’s growth and wellbeing. If technically feasible, a 3D/4D scan will be included.
Late Anomaly Scans and an examination of Fetal Wellbeing
During the wellbeing scan we perform a thorough examination of the fetus, placenta position, amniotic fluid, and the womb.
This scan is very similar to our 3rd trimester anomaly scan at 26-29 weeks, however beyond 30 weeks it is impossible to perform a complete check-up of fetal anatomy. The baby is big, and the scan is dependent on fetal position. Some babies will hide their faces, others will cover their heart with both arms. In any case we will put in the maximum possible effort to check your baby’s structures. Fetal position will not affect its wellbeing examination.
The full details of the fetal wellbeing scan include:
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Examination of the heart (quality of the scan depends on fetal position) with colour doppler flow imaging (looking at how the blood flows through the heart),
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An examination of the brain, kidneys, and other structures visible by this stage (which are dependent on fetal position),
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A fetal growth scan to estimate the baby’s weight,
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A fetal wellbeing examination (fetal movements, amniotic fluid, and fetal dopplers used to detect the fetal heartbeat),
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An examination of the placenta – to check for Placenta Previa.
More information than usual
According to a recent publication by two London-based hospitals, a quarter (24.8%) of all fetal anomalies are diagnosed in the third trimester (35-37 weeks). The study found that the main organs affected by late manifesting anomalies were the brain, the heart, and the kidneys.
The fetal brain develops throughout all stages of pregnancy and continues developing even after birth. Unfortunately, some severe brain anomalies can have delayed development or manifestation, thus not being picked up by some of the anomaly scans performed earlier in the pregnancy and even at the 3rd trimester anomaly scan at 26-29 weeks.
At our wellbeing scans, we are trying to exclude late developmental events affecting the fetal brain like progressive development of ventriculomegaly or unfortunate events of bleeding into the brain. We will perform maximal effort to confirm normal development of the brain, however, understandably ultrasound cannot exclude all cases of brain anomalies or disabilities.
