Anomaly Scan And The Procedure

Maternity care is important for the mother and the baby in the womb. As a part of maternity care, doctors will want to ascertain if the child has any birth defect even before it is born. A detailed ultrasound sound scan called an anomaly scan is performed during the 18th to 21st week to check for physical abnormalities and other defects in the baby. The cost of anomaly scan in Chennai can vary based on the type of service offered by each scanning centre. The scan will take around 30 minutes and sometimes longer as the baby should be in an appropriate position to get a clear image. The procedure involves applying a gel on your abdomen and using a probe to scan the area. The probe is like a small torch which is moved around the abdomen to scan the pictures that will appear on the computer monitor.

Different Birth Defects Identified By An Anomaly Scan

The anomaly scan helps identify several birth defects which may otherwise be left undetected until the birth of the child. The scan can identify abnormal growth of skull, brain and bones. This is called anencephaly and babies with this issue will die soon after birth. The scan identifies conditions like Spina Bifida where the spinal cord is not developed completely and there are splits and gaps in them. Cleft lips when it happens over the face can be identified during the scan. It happens when the lips do not join correctly. The condition called diaphragmatic hernia occurs when the diaphragm is not fully formed. The diaphragm is a muscle that keeps the lungs and heart separate from bowel and other organs in the abdomen. It also helps us breathe. Issues like gastroschisis and exomphalos that affect the abdominal wall of the baby can be identified in the scan. The scan can identify cardiac abnormalities that require immediate medical attention soon after the birth of the child. Kidney development is assessed and conditions like bilateral renal agenesis can be identified where the babies die soon after birth. A lethal skeletal dysplasia is a condition that affects the shape and size of legs, arms and body. If the lungs and chest do not fully develop, the baby will not survive after birth. Chromosomal abnormalities like Edward’s syndrome and Patau's syndrome can also be identified by anomaly scan.

Important Points To Be Aware Of Before An Anomaly Scan

You do not have to drink water for a full bladder for the scan. The sonographer who dies the scan needs to focus on taking accurate measurements so it is advisable to take just one elderly member with you for the child. The thermal image of the scan copy will be provided for future reference. Sex determination of the baby is not done during the scan though it may be evident to the sonographer. There is 1 to 3% chance of this being wrong. 

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