Eleven weeks is an exciting time in your pregnancy, and for many women, it is the first chance to see their baby. Between Week 11 to Week 13, you may choose to book your nuchal translucency scan to check how your baby is developing. Having a scan may be very exciting, but it is also part of a screening procedure that checks your baby’s risk of chromosomal abnormalities. As a screening test, the nuchal translucency scan cannot diagnose abnormal conditions. Even if the result comes back as high risk, your baby may still have normal chromosomes.

Artist Holly Priddis

This ultrasound incorrectly diagnoses 5% of babies with Down syndrome even though they have normal chromosomes.

During the nuchal translucency scan, the sonographer measures the size of the tissue (nuchal fold) at the back of your baby’s neck.  At the same time, the scan offers an opportunity to:

• check for twins (or triplets!)
• monitor the baby’s heartbeat
• check the location of the placenta
• detect other early issues

The sonographer enters the nuchal fold measurement, the mother’s age, blood test results, and the baby’s nasal bone size into a computer. The result provides a number that determines if your baby is high risk or low risk of these chromosomal abnormalities.

How your baby is growing when 11 Weeks Pregnant?

The fetus is now about 4.5cm and weighs about 10gm, and their little heart is completely formed and already pumping away. The brain and nervous system have also almost finished developing. Your baby is also starting to move as nerves and muscles start working together. However, it is still too early for you to feel these movements.

What You May Feel

It’s natural to feel a mix of excitement and nervousness at this stage of pregnancy. You are almost 12 weeks, which significantly lowers the risk of miscarriage. Many people choose to share the news with friends and family around this time, but of course, there is no reason you can’t do this earlier if you prefer. However, you do need to consider if your pregnancy doesn’t go to plan?

Tips when you are 11 Weeks Pregnant

Before going ahead with any pregnancy tests, weigh up your options to make an informed choice. Consider what you might do regarding the nuchal translucency scan if you find out your baby is at high risk for an abnormality. You receive counselling and referral for further testing if a high-risk result does occur. If you are at an increased risk due to your age or family history, your midwife or doctor may discuss additional testing options with you.

Page published 31st January 2022.