Approach to Screening for Aneuploidy in First Trimester

Abstract

First trimester ultrasound is done to confirm pregnancy and the location of the fetus, identify the number of gestations and their viability, and most importantly, to date the pregnancy as at this stage, it is less prone to biological variations. The natural extension of this approach is screening the fetuses for chromosomal abnormalities, and assessment for anomalies. Ultrasound guides invasive testing and helps in assessing cervical length. This article focuses on the first trimester screening protocols for assessing aneuploidies and for the early detection of fetal anomalies.