Practical information explained

NIPT

If you decide to have the NIPT (Non-Invasive Prenatal Test) done, this is the procedure: 

• First, schedule a dating ultrasound with us. Afterwards, tell our assistant that you would like to have the NIPT. She will provide you with the laboratory form.
• Book an appointment online at one of the OLVG laboratories. Please make sure you are at least 10+0 weeks pregnant on the day of the blood draw.
• Bring these 5 items to the OLVG:
  • Your ID
  • Printed NIPT laboratory form
  • At the laboratory, hand in the printed lab form. You can have the standard blood test done at the same time. The referral for this test was sent to you by email via a Zorgmail message on the day of your intake.
  • Bring something to eat for after the blood draw.
• Sometimes we also check your fasting glucose level. In that case, please do not eat or drink anything (except water) after 9:00 PM the night before. (We will let you know during your first appointment if this applies to you.)
• It takes about 2 weeks for the results to arrive at our practice. As soon as we receive them, we’ll send them to you by email (please also check your spam folder!).
  If the results require further explanation, we will always call you (our calls appear as anonymous numbers).
• Feeling anxious about needles? A few tips:
  • Tell the nurse beforehand that you’re nervous.
  • Counting or doing mental math during the blood draw can help distract your mind.
  • Listen to calming music with earbuds.
  • Make sure you’ve eaten something (unless you need to be fasting for the glucose test).
• The above is a summary; you can find full information about the NIPT here.

13-week ultrasound

Scheduling your appointment:

• The 13-week ultrasound is always performed at a specialized Ultrasound Centre.
• Sign the consent form and hand it in to our assistant (keep a copy for yourself). We will then send your referral to the ultrasound centre.
• Two days after submitting your consent form, you can call the Ultrasound Centre to schedule your appointment.
• The ultrasound is performed between 12+3 and 14+3 weeks of pregnancy.
• The above is additional information; full details can be found about the 13-week ultrasound here.

20-week ultrasound

Scheduling your appointment:

• The 20-week ultrasound is also performed at a specialized Ultrasound Centre.
• You do not need to submit a consent form.
• You can contact the Ultrasound Centre directly to make an appointment.
• The ultrasound is performed between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy.
• The above is a supplement to the full information about the The above is a supplement to the full information about the 20-week ultrasound.

Important information

• During the 13- and 20-week ultrasounds:
  • The sonographer must explain everything that is visible. It’s not possible to have a “partial” ultrasound.
  • Please do not bring children to these ultrasounds. They are long and require the sonographer’s full concentration. Children are welcome at the ultrasounds done at our own Witsenkade location.
  • Do not schedule another appointment immediately after your ultrasound, as the scan may take longer if the baby isn’t in the right position.
  • In most cases, all organs can be clearly assessed during the 20-week ultrasound. However, if the baby’s position makes it difficult, you may be asked to return for a follow-up appointment a few days later.
  • The sonographer cannot detect every abnormality during the 13- and 20-week ultrasounds. This means that even with a normal result, your baby may still have an undetected condition.
  • If there is an indication of an abnormality, you’ll be offered follow-up testing within five days at a Centre for Prenatal Diagnostics in an academic hospital. For this reason, it’s best not to schedule your ultrasound just before going on holiday.
  • Sometimes a sonomarker (or “soft marker”) is seen during the ultrasound. A sonomarker is an ultrasound finding that is generally not significant on its own. Examples include a choroid plexus cyst (a small fluid-filled cyst in the baby’s brain) or an echogenic focus in the heart (a small bright spot). A single, isolated sonomarker does not require further testing. Other (combinations of) sonomarkers may lead to referral for an additional ultrasound at a Centre for Prenatal Diagnostics, or a repeat scan later in pregnancy. Understandably, hearing that “something was seen” can cause anxiety, even when it’s harmless — as described in Mariska’s blog, where a sonomarker was found during the 20-week ultrasound.