Increased Nuchal Fold (NF)

Increased Nuchal Fold (NF) at 20 weeks

What is the problem?

During your ultrasound examination today we found that your baby has an increased nuchal fold. All babies have a small pad of tissue at the back of the neck; this is called the nuchal fold (NF).

The nuchal fold normally measures less than 6mm at 20 weeks.

What does this mean?

It can be a normal variation or associated with extra fluid in the skin (oedema) which may be due to an infection or a chromosomal condition such as Downs’s syndrome (Trisomy 21). .

What happens next?

You will be offered the opportunity to discuss these findings with a fetal medicine midwife.

A blood test can be arranged to exclude infection as the cause. You may wish to know for certain whether your baby has a chromosomal problem and this would involve an invasive test such as an amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. This test carries a small risk of miscarriage (occurs in about 1 in 100) and, therefore, for some couples this decision can be very difficult.

You will also be offered a scan in fetal medicine department with a fetal medicine consultant to discuss this further.

For further details contact the fetal medicine midwives on 01223 216185 or 01223 245151.

Useful information

• Antenatal results and choices (ARC) (opens in a new tab)
• Population screening programmes: detailed information (opens in a new tab)