All pregnant women can go for a 13-week ultrasound from September

A 13-week ultrasound will be available to all pregnant women in the Netherlands from September this year, RTL Nieuws reported. The 13-week ultrasound allows for several serious abnormalities to be detected earlier in pregnancy.

"It's great that we can offer this ultrasound to every pregnant woman who wants it," experts said. The decision to make the ultrasound offered as standard practice for all expectant mothers was made based on the advice of the Health Council.

"We can detect early abnormalities sooner with this 13-week ultrasound, such as an open skull or brain abnormalities," said professor of obstetrics Katia Bilardo.

When it comes to terminating a pregnancy, a few weeks can make an important difference. Research revealed that the earlier a pregnancy is terminated, the less severe the psychological ramifications can be, according to Bilardo.

"By checking for serious abnormalities in the baby as early as 13 weeks, the future parents have more time to decide how to deal with this. There is also more time for additional research," she stressed.