Nuchal Translucency test is a prenatal test that can help your health care practitioner find out your baby’s risk of having Down syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities and inherited heart problems.
This test is non-invasive. It is done to measure the clear translucent space by using an ultrasound at the back of the baby’s neck. Babies with inherited abnormalities tend to gain fluid at the back of their neck causing this clear space to become much larger than the average proportions during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Anticipated period to perform this test is when the woman is between 11 and 14weeks pregnant. During this period, the base of the baby’s neck is still transparent and the deadline to do this test is the day you turn 13 weeks and 6 days pregnant. The NT screening is offered along with measurement for presence or absence of nasal bone and blood test which is called the first-trimester combined screening.
NT is not provided to give diagnosis, but it can evaluate your baby’s risks for certain problems. NT can help you decide whether you want to continue with other tests like chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis. These two procedures will give you an evaluation of your baby’s health.
Nuchal Translucency costs
NT is widely available and every pregnant woman should perform it in her third trimester. The costs of this test vary from your health insurance. If you are not covered by your insurance price you have to pay for NT is approximately $170. However you should ask your health insurance company about NT screen test and other procedures, because if you are not covered and you have positive results from the NT test the prices for amniocentesis or CVS are much higher.
What to do if the health insurance won’t cover your NT screen test costs and all your future health tests?
There are some insurance companies who won’t cover the NT screen for some reason. One reason they won’t cover you is because they do not have the billing code. You should know that if you paid for a NT screen, just call up the place where they do the test and they should be able to give you the billing code. Once you have it, you can call your insurance company and give them the code to cover your expenses.
Another reason they won’t cover are the different policies you have signed. Before choosing this screen test you should call your health care company and ask if they can cover all your future health expenses including the this test. If not, you should change the health care policy you have already signed for.
Nuchal Translucency Test’s advantages
The first trimester of your pregnancy is the right time to learn about your baby’s risk for inherited chromosomal abnormalities excluding the risk of miscarriage from an invasive test such as the CVS. With the NT screening test you can eliminate all that invasive procedures and be rest assured about your baby’s health. If the risk is low the results will offer some reassurance, but a higher risk will make you consider about the CVS opportunity. Whether you choose CVS or amniocentesis you will know if your baby has a problem during your first trimester of pregnancy. The CVS test has to be done between 11 and 13 weeks. In order not to miss the CVS test, it is best to keep your options open and complete the NT screen test sooner rather than later.
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