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What Causes High Nuchal Fold Thickness In Pregnancy?

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Posted on Mon, 21 Jul 2014
Question: Hello,
Please see findings from my 12 week ultrasound. Doctor has advised me to undergo abortion. I am looking for hope to see if waiting for few weeks can help and baby can be saved . Whether it helps or not, does it pose any risk to mother on waiting till 14th or 16th week?
Thanks,
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bhagyashree.B (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
detailed answer below

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing.
Sorry about your condition.
The fetus is abnormal as the nuchal fold thickness(NFT) is high.
Increase in NFT is commonly seen in babies with downs syndrome.
This syndrome is associated with mental retardation in babies.
So you have been advised abortion.
If you continue then after few weeks the baby will grow but it will be abnormal.
Please understand that even after few weeks if the NFT becomes normal that dosent mean your baby is ok.
Besides abortion now is safe than later. Please consider what we have discussed and also discuss with your doctor regarding the same.
Thanks
Dr Bhagyashree


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bhagyashree.B (8 minutes later)
Is it possible that since thickness is all over the skin, it is also increasing the NT reading.
What do you say about the reverse diastolic flow.

Can edema subside?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bhagyashree.B (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
detailed answer below

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX

The reversed flow in ductus venosus means that there is resistance to blood flowing in the fetal heart.
This can be due to an abnormality in the baby heart. Now not all heart anomalies in baby are dangerous. some babies have minor defects which resolve later. in this case there is definitely severe obstruction to flow in baby heart which indicates complex heart disease.
Such baby will not survive to 9 months, even if it did then at birth it will have severe difficulty as it as to breathe and maintain the heart beat on its own .
such babies usually die early after birth. that is the reason now we do NFT scan for early pregnancies to decrease the mortality in new borns and terminate such pregnancies earlier in pregnancy.

Now the edema all over the body means that already the heart is in failure. this baby may or may not have the downs syndrome hat I mentioned earlier .
I am sorry for your loss.
please consider doing a fetal karyotype after the abortion as it will give final diagnosis to help planning for future pregnancies.
please feel free to call back if you have any queries.
Also you will need to take folic acid to prevent same in future.
Regards.
Dr Bhagyashree

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Bhagyashree.B

OBGYN

Practicing since :2000

Answered : 788 Questions

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What Causes High Nuchal Fold Thickness In Pregnancy?

Brief Answer: detailed answer below Detailed Answer: Dear XXXXXXX Thanks for writing. Sorry about your condition. The fetus is abnormal as the nuchal fold thickness(NFT) is high. Increase in NFT is commonly seen in babies with downs syndrome. This syndrome is associated with mental retardation in babies. So you have been advised abortion. If you continue then after few weeks the baby will grow but it will be abnormal. Please understand that even after few weeks if the NFT becomes normal that dosent mean your baby is ok. Besides abortion now is safe than later. Please consider what we have discussed and also discuss with your doctor regarding the same. Thanks Dr Bhagyashree