Overview

An early-morphology obstetric ultrasound provides you with a routine,  safe and accurate investigation of key factors essential for a healthy pregnancy. Ultrasound uses harmless high frequency inaudible sound waves to obtain images. Ultrasound waves are not dangerous or irritating for you or your baby.

In the same appointment as the Early Morphology Ultrasound, our team at Synergy Randwick will collect a quick blood sample for your Harmony Non-Invasive Pre Natal Test (NIPT). This sample is used for the  screening of chromosomal conditions like Down Syndrome, and (optionally) DiGeorge, with results returned to your doctor in just 5-10 business days.

Preparing for you appointment

Please bring your referral (letter from your doctor) and your Medicare and/or Pension Health care card with you to your appointment. It is important to bring all previous results relating to the region being imaged.

Please be on time for your appointment to ensure there is sufficient time available to perform the procedure.

To ensure clear images of your ultrasound, you will be asked to attend with a full bladder. This is achieved by emptying your bladder 2 hours before your appointment and then immediately drinking 600ml of water. Do not empty your bladder again before the procedure. You may eat normally and take any necessary medication.

There are no special requirements to prepare for your Harmony NIPT Test.

Scanning

The ultrasound waves are transmitted and collected via a hand held probe which is moved over the abdomen. You will not feel any pain or discomfort.

Your Ultrasound procedure will take up to approximately 15-60 minutes.

The Harmony NIPT appointment involves collecting a simple blood sample from the mother. This sample is then screened for fragments of the baby’s DNA that naturally circulate in the mother’s bloodstream during her pregnancy.

Results

Early Morphology Ultrasound:

An ultrasound is an extremely accurate diagnostic tool. Very rarely, though, some abnormalities cannot be detected due to the position of the baby, gestational age (weeks) or other normal variations. Do not be alarmed if the trained sonographer or specialist recommends another scan or further tests. Your procedure will take approximately 15-60 minutes, after which you may have to wait while the images are prepared and reported. Your report will be sent electronically to your GP, with your images available to you via the SynRad Patient Portal App.

Harmony NIPT:

Once the results of your Harmony NIPT test are available (within 5-10 days post appointment) your referring doctor will receive a report to discuss with you. For a negative result (no aneuploidy detected), no further invasive testing is necessary and your pregnancy can continue to be monitored as normal. If the result is positive (aneuploidy detected) a genetic counselling team will contact you directly to provide guidance and support. Your referring doctor will also receive a copy of the results for further follow-up appointments.

For further information about results, what they mean, or the test in general, please visit: antenatal.clinicallabs.com.au/patient/harmony

We understand that some patients are anxious about having tests performed. If you do have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask our staff. Synergy Radiology strongly advises that you return to your referring doctor, in order for your doctor to discuss your radiology report with you.

FAQs