A detailed check of your baby’s growth and development. We follow the same national standard as the NHS 20-week scan (the NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme, FASP). Every scan is carried out by a lead sonographer working within a Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust in Northern Ireland. They work through every check on that list and record the required images.
What we check
- Growth: head, tummy and thigh bone measurements to see how your baby is growing
- Brain and head: head shape, brain structures and the back of the brain (cerebellum)
- Face: the lips and nose, to check for a cleft lip
- Heart: four detailed views of the heart chambers and its main blood vessels
- Spine: every section of the spine and the skin covering it
- Tummy: stomach, kidneys, bladder, diaphragm, the tummy wall and where the cord joins
- Arms and legs: all the long bones, plus both hands and both feet
- Placenta: where it’s lying in the womb
Conditions we screen for
- Brain and spine: anencephaly, where the skull and brain haven’t formed properly, and open spina bifida
- Tummy wall: gastroschisis and exomphalos, where the bowel develops outside the tummy
- Face: cleft lip
- Kidneys: both kidneys missing
- Chest: diaphragmatic hernia, a gap in the muscle between the chest and the tummy
- Bones: severe skeletal conditions
- Heart: serious heart problems
What about Down’s, Edwards’ and Patau’s syndromes?
These chromosomal conditions are much better detected with a NIPT blood test than with a scan. A scan may sometimes show physical signs linked to them, but it isn’t a reliable way to screen for them. NIPT can be done from 10 weeks, so ask us about it when you book.
What you get
- A 40-minute appointment with an HSC Trust lead sonographer
- A written report and images to take home
- A referral on to your GP if anything needs a closer look
Good to know
This is a screening scan, not a diagnosis. It can’t find every condition, and some show up better at different stages of pregnancy. If we spot anything, we’ll explain it clearly on the day and help you with the next steps.
Book today on 028 2558 2258.
Anomaly Scan
- 40-minute appointment
- HSC Trust lead sonographer
- Detailed growth and anatomy checks
- NHS 20-week scan standard (FASP)
- Written report and images to take home
- GP referral if needed
- Book by phone: 028 2558 2258
More Scans
