Is it too early to do a fetal anomaly screening at 21 weeks?

The four-dimensional color ultrasound scanner is currently the most advanced color ultrasound equipment in the world. The result: real-time moving images of your unborn baby, or other internal organs of the human body. The sex of the fetus can be determined through four-dimensional color ultrasound, but it is strictly prohibited in my country to determine the sex of the fetus. So, is it too early to do four-dimensional ultrasound at 21 weeks? Is it too early to do major fetal anomaly screening at 21 weeks?

Is it too early to do a fetal anomaly screening at 21 weeks?

Major fetal malformation screening B-ultrasound, also known as systematic B-ultrasound, is an important examination for screening fetal malformations during pregnancy. Major fetal malformation screening B-ultrasound is generally recommended to be done around 24 weeks of pregnancy. It is often chosen within this time range because the size of the fetus is relatively suitable, each organ has been fully developed, and each structure of the fetus can be observed more clearly, which is conducive to detecting fetal abnormalities. It is a bit early to do fetal malformation screening at 21 weeks, mainly because during this time period, some fetal structures have not fully developed, which may lead to unclear observation.

Is it too early to do 4D scan at 21 weeks?

The four-dimensional color ultrasound shows its application in various fields including abdomen, obstetrics and gynecology, neonatology and pediatrics. The result: real-time moving images of your unborn baby, or other internal organs of the human body.

Compared with other ultrasonic diagnosis processes, it can observe the dynamic movement of internal organs of the human body in real time. Clinicians and anesthesiologists can test and detect a wide range of abnormalities, from vascular malformations to genetic syndromes. Four-dimensional color ultrasound can observe the growth and development of the fetus in the uterine cavity in an all-round and multi-dimensional manner, and can provide accurate scientific evidence for the early diagnosis of congenital epidermal malformations and congenital heart diseases of the fetus.

The best time to do four-dimensional color ultrasound varies from person to person, and the results obtained will be different if the requirements for doing four-dimensional color ultrasound are different.

It is not too early to do a four-dimensional scan at 21 weeks. It is possible to do a color Doppler ultrasound at this time. The time for major fetal abnormality screening is 20 weeks to 26 weeks. Generally speaking, pregnancy can be divided into three stages: early pregnancy (January-March), mid-pregnancy (April-June), and late pregnancy (July-September). The actual effects of the four-dimensional color ultrasound taken in these three stages are also different.

The best time to do four-dimensional color ultrasound is 5-7 months (20-28 weeks) of pregnancy, because the fetus's body and important internal organs have all grown and developed during this period, and the amniotic fluid of pregnant women is more suitable for fetal malformation screening. However, due to individual differences among pregnant women, please contact your doctor for your specific time and set the time according to the doctor's instructions.

To take a full-body picture of the fetus: You can choose to do a four-dimensional color ultrasound in the early stages of pregnancy. At this time, the fetus is still small, and the baby's whole body can be photographed through the instrument. It is worth reminding that it is not recommended to do a four-dimensional color ultrasound in January and February, and there are objections to doing the four-dimensional during this pregnancy.

To check for external defects of the fetus: you can choose to do a four-dimensional color ultrasound in the middle or late pregnancy. At this time, the baby's body has developed to a certain extent, and it is impossible to take a whole picture of the baby, but you can observe the shape of a certain part of the baby.