Trisomy Oz Prenatal Support
Detection
Ultrasound markers and what they might mean
For most families, the initial signs that something is wrong are detected during a routine ultrasound or foetal anomaly scan at around the sixteen- to twenty-week mark. These signs are commonly referred to as 'markers'. Simply defined, ultrasound markers are deviations from the normal anatomy seen on an ultrasound scan. In isolation, they are often of no significance and can appear in perfectly healthy babies. Occasionally, and more particularly if multiple markers are found, their presence may indicate an underlying chromosomal abnormality or the presence of a similarly serious syndrome.
Having detected multiple markers, your ultrasound operator will most likely seek a second opinion, contact your obstetrician, and schedule a more detailed scan. Further diagnostic testing in the form of amniocentesis may also be offered to you at this point.
The period of uncertainty following initial detection is extremely painful and traumatic, but it is important to remember that, while prenatal ultrasound can detect specific anomalies, it CANNOT provide a definitive diagnosis of your baby's condition. Nor is it possible at this stage in your pregnancy to predict how some internal organs will develop. Problems that initially appear to be significant may become increasingly less so, or disappear completely as your baby continues to grow.
For these reasons, no decisions about your baby's future should be based on the results of initial ultrasound findings alone.
