Minister Hermans ends 13-week prenatal ultrasound program

Minister Hermans confirmed that the experimental 13-week ultrasound, which has been available since 2021 as part of a scientific study, will be terminated. The test was intended to give parents more time to prepare for a child with special needs or consider termination, but its accuracy proved variable, leading to both false alarms and missed anomalies. The Health Council had earlier recommended that the echo not become a standard service, citing an unfavorable balance of benefits and harms.

While the council suggested additional research to improve the protocol, Hermans chose to end the program rather than restart the study. She indicated that a comprehensive review of the entire prenatal screening pathway may be launched in the future, and she could seek new advice if scientific developments warrant it.