English 
Nederlands 
Brochures
- Folder De NIPT, 13 wekenecho en 20 wekenecho
- Information in English about the screenings and tests during and shortly after the pregnancy.
- Hamilelik sırasında ve kısa bir süre sonra yapılan tetkikler hakkında Türkçe bilgi
- معلومات باللغة الإنجليزية حول الفحوصات والاختبارات أثناء الحمل وبعده بفترة قصيرة.
- Informacje w języku angielskim na temat badań przesiewowych i badań w trakcie ciąży i tuż po niej.
- Інформація українською мовою про обстеження під час та невдовзі після вагітності
Links
Below you will find useful links (in Dutch) for more information about prenatal screening:
NIPT
You can choose to have the NIPT (Non-Invasive Prenatal Test) if you would like to know during pregnancy whether your child may have a chromosomal abnormality. This screening test can be performed from 10 weeks of pregnancy and detects chromosomal abnormalities through a blood test from the mother.When you are pregnant, a small amount of DNA (genetic material) from the placenta is also present in the mother’s blood. In most cases, this DNA is the same as the baby’s.
During your first visit, your midwife or gynaecologist will ask whether you would like more information about the NIPT. You will receive detailed information about the test and the conditions it can detect. The choice of whether or not to take the NIPT is entirely yours (and your partner’s). Consider the following questions when making your decision:
- How much do you want to know about your child during pregnancy?
- If you find out that your child has a chromosomal variation, what would you do?
Taking the NIPT
The test can be performed from 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Results
Results will be received within 10 (working) days
Requesting the NIPT
A request form is required for the NIPT. This can be obtained from us after 10 weeks of pregnancy (usually after the dating scan).
Additional findings
Previously, you could choose whether or not to receive additional findings from the NIPT. As of 1 April 2025, this option is no longer available. This change has been made to make the test simpler and more standardised for all pregnant individuals and their partners.
Sex Chromosomes
The laboratory does not analyse sex chromosomes. Therefore, you will not receive information about the baby’s sex from this test.
ETSEO / 13-week scan
ETSEO stands for First Trimester Structural Ultrasound Examination. This scan is also known as the ‘13-week scan’ and is part of the IMITAS study, a national scientific research project in the Netherlands.From 1 September 2021, pregnant individuals in the Netherlands are offered a 13-week scan. The scan can be performed between 12+3 and 14+3 weeks of pregnancy.
IMITAS
The aim of the IMITAS study is to determine whether the benefits of the 13-week scan outweigh its disadvantages. The study examines: How many pregnant individuals choose to have the 13-week scan. Their experiences, as well as those of healthcare professionals. At the end of the study in 2024, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport will decide whether the 13-week scan will become a permanent part of prenatal care in the Netherlands.
Counselling with your midwife is required before participating. You must give written consent for your data to be used anonymously in the study.
Sex determination
In some cases, the ultrasound technician may see the baby’s sex. However, they are not allowed to share this information with you. This is to ensure that the study results remain unbiased—participants should choose the 13-week scan based on the medical information provided during counselling, rather than to determine the baby’s sex.
Detecting structural abnormalities
Sometimes, the scan may show a structural abnormality that could be linked to a chromosomal condition. Not all serious chromosomal conditions present with visible abnormalities at the TTSEO / 20-week scan. If an abnormality is detected or suspected, further investigation is required. This involves a GUO II examination at a prenatal diagnostic centre in a hospital. Your midwife will arrange a referral if needed.
If an abnormality is detected or suspected, further investigation is required. This involves a GUO II examination at a prenatal diagnostic centre in a hospital. Your midwife will arrange a referral if needed.
Abdominally or transvaginally
The scan can be performed abdominally or transvaginally, depending on: the position of the uterus, the baby’s position and the thickness of the abdominal wall.
Wij willen jullie vragen geen (kleine) kinderen mee te nemen naar het onderzoek. Uit ervaring weten wij dat kinderen het vaak niet interessant genoeg vinden om stil te blijven zitten. Dit onderbreekt de concentratie die nodig is voor ons om het hele onderzoek te doen en jullie aandacht te behouden voor de uitleg.
TTSEO / 20-week scan
During your first visit, your midwife or gynaecologist will ask whether you want more information about the 20-week scan. In a detailed information , you will receive information about the test, and you can decide whether or not to have it.
- How much do you want to know about your child during pregnancy?
- If your child is found to have a physical condition, what would you do?
The scan can be performed between 18+0 and 21+0 weeks of pregnancy. Preferably, it is done in the 20th week (between 19+0 and 19+6 weeks).
Screening 20 weeks
The 20-week scan and the 13-week ultrasound are quite similar. In both examinations, a sonographer uses ultrasound equipment to check whether the baby has any physical abnormalities. A physical abnormality means that a part of the baby’s body looks different from what is considered normal. Examples of physical abnormalities include spina bifida, anencephaly, hydrocephalus, heart defects, a diaphragmatic hernia, a gastroschisis, kidney abnormalities, or bone abnormalities. Some structures are more developed or easier to assess around 20 weeks.
The 20-week scan is a medical examination for detecting physical abnormalities in the baby. It is your choice whether or not to undergo this examination.
Abnormal findings
In 95 out of 100 pregnancies, the sonographer does not detect any abnormalities. Further examination is then not necessary. In approximately 5 out of 100 pregnant women, the sonographer sees something that could be an abnormality. It is not always clear whether it is indeed an abnormality, how serious it is, or what it means for your baby.
If an abnormality is detected or suspected, further examination is required to gain more clarity. This is a GUO II examination, which takes place in a hospital with a prenatal diagnostic centre. One of our midwives will ensure that you are referred for any necessary follow-up examinations.