Pregnancy Ultrasound

At QUFW, we provide comprehensive ultrasound services designed to support you throughout your pregnancy journey. Here are some of the services we offer.

Early Pregnancy Ultrasound

Early pregnancy ultrasound scans (also known as dating or viability scans) help to confirm a pregnancy, determine an expected due date, detect multiple pregnancies, and identify other issues with a pregnancy. Learn more about our early pregnancy assessment here.

Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT)

NIPT is a non-invasive way of screening for major chromosomal anomalies. It involves a blood test which is analysed in the lab to detect fragments of circulating placental DNA. Using the assumption that placental and fetal DNA are the same (true in most, but not all cases), the NIPT can then analyse the DNA sample to look for abnormalities in the amount of chromosomal material. Learn more about NIPT here.

Combined First Trimester Screening or Nuchal Translucency (NT) Scan

Combined First Trimester Screening (CFTS) or Nuchal Translucency scans are generally conducted between the 12th and 14th week of a pregnancy. At QUFW, we prefer to complete these scans between 13 weeks and 13 weeks 6 days.

It’s amazing how much a week can make a difference when visualising the small anatomical structures of a fetus!

These scans measure the clear space in the tissue at the back of a baby’s neck, helping us evaluate the risk of specific chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome. A combined screening for Trisomy 21, 18 and 13 is performed when First Trimester Biochemistry factors of BhCG and PAPP-A are combined with the Nuchal Translucency measurement, Nasal Bone assessment and other factors to provide a risk assessment.

An early anatomy scan and preeclampsia screening is performed as a part of all CFTS examinations.

First Trimester Early Anatomy Scan

At the First Trimester early anatomy scan, we can often detect major structural anomalies which can impact on the management of your pregnancy. The first trimester early anatomy assessment is routinely performed during the CFTS or as its own examination if a NIPT has been performed previously.

As a NIPT has a higher sensitivity for detection of chromosomal abnormality, the Down syndrome screening risk assessment from the Nuchal Translucency assessment is generally not recommended to be provided if you have been given a low probable risk NIPT result.

Preeclampsia Screening

Early onset preeclampsia is an additional screening test that QUFW performs at the Nuchal Translucency/First Trimester Anatomy ultrasound. Hypertension or high blood pressure can develop into a serious medical condition for both the mother and the fetus that may require medication and closer monitoring. For more information about pre-eclampsia, see this fact sheet here.

Morphology Scan

The morphology or 20 week scan is performed to assess structure and development of the baby, the position of the placenta, the growth of the baby, the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the baby. Learn more about a morphology scan here.

Growth Scans

Growth scans are especially important for high-risk pregnancies or when concerns arise about your baby’s size, wellbeing, placental condition or position or follow up on any concerns detected in earlier ultrasounds or previous pregnancies. Growth scans are conducted at various stages of a pregnancy. Learn more about a growth scan here.

Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) and Amniocentesis

These are invasive tests where samples are taken from the placenta (CVS) or the amniotic fluid (amniocentesis) to detect certain genetic conditions. These procedures are guided by ultrasound. Learn more about invasive testing.

We are here for you

At QUFW, our team of women’s health doctors, sonographers and healthcare professionals is dedicated to delivering exceptional care in a relaxing and supportive environment. We welcome you to schedule your pregnancy ultrasound services with us, and become a part of the community of women who have trusted us with their prenatal care. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please get in touch with us today.

Appointment Enquiry

8 week fetus with heartbeat

3D image of an 8 week fetus

about QUFW

QUFW provides a comprehensive range of obstetrics services for singleton and multiple pregnancies, including screening, tertiary opinion and invasive testing. In addition, our gynaecology ultrasound examinations are equally expansive from routine to gynaecology procedures.

Beyond your scan, we believe in comprehensive care. Our team takes the time to discuss findings with you, answering your questions, addressing your concerns, and providing you with support and guidance. We value the trust placed in us and are committed to delivering ultrasound and other women’s health services to our community and beyond. We are QUFW. We are here for you.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are your opening hours?

Our Brisbane practice is open Monday – Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am-12:30pm.
Our Ipswich, Southport and Tugun practices are open between Monday – Friday 8am to 5pm.

Where can I park my car?

Spring Hill: Metered street parking on Little Edward and Boundary Streets (Please be aware of the clearway zone at certain times of the day).

Parking underneath the Leichhardt Court building (orange section) with entry via Hope Street. Online bookings are recommended through Wilson parking.

Southport: 4 hour metered parking is available on Short Street. Additional car parking available in the Gold Coast City Council Carey Carpark and Australia Fair Shopping Centre

Ipswich: Onsite Parking is available at the back of the Medical Centre. Metered on street Ipswich City council parking is also available.

Tugun: Onsite car parking is available in the John Flynn Hospital campus.

How much will my scan cost?

The cost of the ultrasound and consultation will be discussed at the time of making an appointment. We request that accounts be settled on the day after the consultation. We have EFTPOS and accept MasterCard, VISA and American Express. We are a private medical ultrasound service and we do not routinely bulk bill as this would not allow us to provide the best comprehensive service for our patients.

How long will the appointment take?

Our scans can range from approximately 30-60 minutes depending on the type of scan, but please allow up to 90 minutes. Occasionally there are unexpected delays. If a problem is detected in a routine ultrasound, it will be discussed with you at the time of your appointment. In this situation, further examination and reassessment may extend over a longer period depending on the complexity of this problem and individual patient needs. This process may lead to delay of the assessment of other women’s appointments.

We apologise for these delays which are unpredictable and we make every effort to avoid significant patient inconvenience. We ask that you demonstrate kindness to our staff if there is an unforeseen delay. We recommend that you ring our rooms in advance to check that we are not significantly delayed so you can plan your day and parking arrangements.

Can I bring another person to my appointment?

At QUFW, we allow two support people to attend your appointment. One of these support people may be a child. Sometimes pregnancy ultrasounds can be a long time for your little one’s attention span, so we request that the other support person is a supervising adult who may be able to attend to your child during the scan if necessary. If you are a surrogate patient, we are happy to discuss this with you when you make your appointment.

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