What is Morphology Scan?

So, what is a morphology scan?

In simple words, a morphology scan is an antenatal test to know about a baby’s body organs and size. Normally, women do this test when they are 18 to 20 weeks pregnant. However, because this process consists of ultrasound, many people get confused between these two. 

Your doctor will always recommend you to have this test, but whether you want to do this test or not is upto you. Many people call this scan a fetal anomaly scan also. The reason to call by this name is that your doctor will be able to know if there is any congenital disability that your child is facing. 

Do you know how much a morphology scan takes? 

Normally, the test or scan is done when you are 18 to 22 weeks pregnant, but the best time for the scan is the 20-week mark. This is the reason that people call it a 20 week morphology scan. So, when you go for the test, it will take an average of 45 minutes, but sometimes the test can take upto an hour.

What Can A Morphology Scan Tell?

A morphology scan consists of an ultrasound scan. And it can examine so many different areas around and in your baby. The test could tell only one or two things in the early morphology scan. But now, there are many things that the scan can tell. So here is a list that you can check.

• Spine
• Head and Brain
• Abdominal Wall
• Stomach
• Heart
• Kidney and Bladder
• Hands, Feet, Arms, and Legs
• Umbilical Cord
• Placenta 
• Amniotic Fluid

The doctor who performs the scan can also tell an estimation of a baby’s age. The test can also tell about the baby’s heart rate and rhythm. Suppose a couple is expecting twins. Then this scan will also tell them that the uterus is holding twins. Also, you will get to know where the placenta is lying. And if you would like to know about the sex of the baby, then the scan is also able to tell the sex of the baby. 

As I have already said, the morphology test is done when a woman is 18 to 22 weeks into the pregnancy. The aim of the scan is to measure the baby’s development. By this time, a baby’s structures and organs have formed, and with the help of ultrasound, you can see these clearly. And during the test, the gender of the baby can also be seen. 

The aim of the morphology test is to make sure that an unborn baby is safe and there is no defect. In addition, the test will give you information about your unborn child. An ultrasound test can ensure a baby’s development, but when it comes to structural abnormality, only a morphology or morph scan can tell that. 

The person who is doing a morphology scan takes measurements of a baby’s age, organs, and size. The test also tells the baby’s heart rate and rhythm. So, if you want to take care of your unborn child, how the placenta is lying or how many babies the uterus is holding, then a morphology scan is needed.

So, when you are deciding whether to do the test or not, you need to make sure of the purpose of the test. Once you feel okay about the test, then it will be easy to get the results. Also, before doing the test, you need to make sure to consult with your partner. And in other circumstances, your family or friends. Because you don’t know what the results will be.

Read Also: Your Pregnancy Symptoms Week By Week: Guide For The Parents

What Won’t The Morphology Scan Tell?

So far, you already get to know what things you will be able to know from a morphology scan. But, there are a couple of things that you won’t be able to know. First of all, a morphology scan will not tell you about genetic problems that the baby might have. A genetic problem can be down syndrome. 

There are many people who are concerned about their baby’s genetic conditions. In addition, there might be a genetic problem that you or your couple’s ancestors faced. So, for those, you can consult your doctor for diagnostic tests or screening for any of those conditions. Some examples of diagnosing genetic tests are amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling.

Morphology Scan: Important Things To Know

Here are some important things that you must know.

• Normally, a sonographer or ultrasound technician can perform this scan.
• There are clinics that recommend drinking 3-4 glasses of water before the scan. Other clinics tell you not to empty your bladder. 
• Some people ask whether the test is harmful to the baby or not. So, the scan is completely harmless to the baby. 
• You will get the results on the same day.
• There is an important question how much does a morphology scan cost? So, normally a morphology scan costs around $500 to $700. 
• And lastly, this is a normal test, so you don’t need to worry about anything. 

Final Words

So, I hope you know all the important information about a morphology scan. But there are a couple of things that you should also know. 

• In 200 pregnancies, there are one or fewer cases of fetal structural abnormalities. 
• When a woman’s pregnancy is in 18 to 22 weeks, that is the earliest time to look for any structural abnormalities. 
• There are times when abnormalities show after 25 or 30 weeks.
• The morphology scan is able to pick up a maximum of 70% of abnormalities.
• There is a huge difference between an ultrasound and a morphology scan. A normal morphology scan can not assure that there are no abnormalities. So next time you search ultrasound pregnancy near me, make sure what is the purpose of the scan.
• There are some women who think that the scan will harm their baby, but don’t worry, it is just a hoax. 

If you have more queries, feel free to ask in the comment section below.

Thank You.

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