A measurement done at transvaginal ultrasound of tissue in the neck of the fetus; if excessive, it implies a substantially increased risk that the fetus is affected by Down syndrome and Turner syndrome.
Fluid accumulation in the area of the fetal neck. Can indicate a chromosome disorder or other fetal abnormalities. | Back to previous page
The collection of fluid under the skin behind the neck of fetuses at 11-13+ weeks that can be measured by ultrasound. In fetuses with chromosomal abnormalities, cardiac defects and many genetic syndromes nuchal translucency is increased.
a technique for using ultrasound to measure fluid behind the neck of the foetus, usually at 10 to 14 weeks of pregnancy, which can contribute to a diagnosis of Down's syndrome.
An abnormal collection of fluid behind the fetal neck during the first trimester and visible via ultrasound. The presence of fluid can indicate a chromosomal disorder.
Late in the first trimester, an echolucent area can be identified at the back of the neck of normal fetuses. Normally thin, it has been observed that an unusually thick translucency is sometimes associated with such abnormalities as trisomy 21 and other fetal malformations.