I am currently pregnanct with baby #2, and I am nearly 10 weeks along. I have been feeling very tired and sick which isn't very fun (but it is reassuring to know bub is there).
Anyway, i had an appt with my GP the other day to get blood tests etc, and she asked me if I would like to get the screening test for Down syndrome (11 -13 weeks). I didn't get it for my DD, and I said I probably wouldn't for this one either. I had a friend who got a high risk result and her baby ended up being healthy. We wouldn't terminate the pregnancy either (unless it was something life threatening for the baby).
Now I keep thinking maybe I should get it done (mainly to reassure me that things are ok). Really not sure!!! I am 29 years old and will be 30 by the time the baby arrives. What do you ladies think about the test? How amy of you decided to get it and was your result accurate?
I had a miscarriage last year so I am feeling a little nervous about this pregnancy. So far everything is going well. I just have to try and stay positive and have faith that all will be ok.
Thanks for any advice!!!
Me 29
DH 28
DD Born 29 May 2007
Miscarriage August 08
I am probably going to get in trouble for this but I had it done just to get another look at bubs! I also wouldn't have terminated but I guess we could have been prepared if there were any problems but mainly it was just to see that bouncing little bean and man - they are so well developed by 12wks - amazing
I am 26, DH is 31 - I wouldn't of bothered getting the NT scan done but DH wanted it as he was deported to Afghanastan years ago and was worried as to the what he may have been exposed to. Anyways we got it done and we had a 1 in 3 chance of having a Down Syndrome baby. We had an Amnio and our baby did not have DS, however she did have a chromosome deletion. There are only 7 others babies listed as born with this deletion in the world and where given a list of things that may be wrong with her. We were told to abort and pretty much told she would be intellectually and physically disabled. Well she was born, not healthy but definatly not disabled and now you would not even realsie that she had problems at birth. She is perfect.
The NT scan just tells you what your risk 'may' be. An amnio or CVS is the only way of knowing for sure. I have know of 3 other people get a 1 in 3 chance of DS and their babies were 100% healthy, sometimes it scares you for nothing, then I also know a couple that came back 'no risk' 1 in 1000's and their baby boy was born with DS.
Hmm.... it is not my intention at all to scare you, actually the opposite. We went against there opinions and have a beautiful girl. I personally wouldn't bother getting one again as it will not change anything, we will birth our baby no matter what any tests say.
I think it is a very peronal thing and something that only you and your partner can decide.
Good Luck with your pregnancy and a happy and healthy baby
I am probably the worst person to answer this because I am so laid back about the whole deal. I hate the several dozen appointments, the tests, the poking, the prodding, the "we just wanna check this". Drives me COMPLETELY insane. In turn, I drive them completely insane by the majority of the time, opting for the least invasive option every time. They wanted to do weekly BT for my anti-e, but I didn't see the point because the titer had been the same for 3 months. Was happy to agree with weekly US's to check the blood flow though. Cripes, Who wouldnt be?? You don't often get the option of seeing your bub every week for 12 weeks before he is born!
I'd be of the same opinion for this variance. They can screen with US and if it had anything to worry about, then I would considder the blood test. But if it won't change your mind at all, then its not something worth stressing yourself about during the pregnancy. Conversely, if you are now going to stress over it, agree to the US screen to set your mind at ease. Whatever will cause you the least worry in the long run is the barometer I use.
I was told that if I was not prepared to do the further test if a hisk risk result came back then there was no point.
Then we are also of the mind set that IF there were abnormalities we would in fact terminate the pregnancy as our situation we just could not look after a child with special needs.
Its a very personal thing I think its great to get a look at bub and it is reassuring when the test comes back that all is good.
If your not concerned from a peace of mind perspective then don't other with it.
I had it done at 13 weeks but never got the results. The hospital that I was going to had a policy that they do an NT scan at 13 weeks and then the morpholgy scan at 19 weeks, but no other scans are done unless you paid for them yourself with no medicare rebate. I had it done purely for the fact that I was desperate to see my bub on the screen and make sure it had a healthy heartbeat. I didn't want to wait until 19 weeks to see my new bub
I would argue there is a point even if you wouldn't terminate, my situation was that the scan said we had a health baby but when combined with the blood test results our risk was increased. While the scan and blood test is primarily checking for markers for downs syndrome the results can also show other things. In my case it showed there was low protein a in the placenta.
Protein-a is a growth hormone and when the placenta is low it means the baby won't get as much growth hormone as usual ie resulting in a small baby. While only that is not an issue, what it also means is the placenta can stop functioning properly and the baby stops getting everthing it needs. In years gone by prior to the NT screening mothers still could get this problem but it was never detected and the result was still born babies. Thankfully due to us having the NT scan and blood test our OB knows of this issue and can closely monitor the babies growth so a decision can be made when the baby is better out than in. He has said he is hoping to get me to 34weeks.
So moral of the story is there are other benefits to these tests. While having low protein a is not common it is not uncommon my OB is currently treating 2 others with the same issue.
I agree that it is such a personal choice. We both agreed that we were going to have it done while we were still TTC. We also agreed that should we get a high-risk reading, we would have an amnio or CVS. Taking the decision then made it easier to go ahead a do what was a very emotional screening for both of us when the time came. I do not necessarily agree with the view that it is pointless unless you are willing to terminate. I would rather say that it is pointless unless you are willing to have an amnio or further examinations to clarify any doubts. Just my opinion
Our reasoning was that, whilst we may not have terminated (unless the baby had no chance of survival and / or would pose a very serious life risk to me), we felt that being informed of any potential challenges lying ahead would empower us and equip us to more readily handle a child with special needs and requirements. The last thing we wanted was to be in the awful position of not being properly prepared to support a child that had very specific emotional, physical or financial needs that we may have been unable to cater for had we not known in advance.
Further to this, we knew that at the scan we would be able to have them check a variety of other things. They checked the health and position of my cervix, the blood flow in and out of the umbilical cord, that bub had 4 properly-sized heart chambers, that the placenta was in the right spot and healthy etc.
Our risk for DS is extremely low, which we are so thankful for. The hour-long scan was very special for both DH and I. DH walked out saying that he would have to categorise that scan as one of the top 3 experiences of his life. It was for both of us - we were both in tears most of the way through. So whilst it could have been a sad experience for us, we were fortunate enough to have had a very special one.
Nothing has changed for us and we will definitely have NT scans (and amnios, if required) for all future pregnancies.
Firstbub, it is such a difficult decision to make and I hope that our feedback helps. Big x
We had the NT scan done and we were given a high risk result with the downs syndrome (1 in 141 chance). The scan was actually looking ok, but apparently it was mainly the blood results that brought us down. We were booked to have an CVS - but the day before I decided not to a I knew I couldn't terminate. There is other little indicators they can see at the 20week scan - and most were ok at our scans (we also had a 30week - just to be sure). Turned out we were NOT that 1 in 141 - we now have a healthy little boy.
In saying that, I would probably still do the scan again...cause there are a few other things they look for. My cousin had her scan done and it turned out that the baby was not ok and that it wouldn't survive - so they could terminate early (still hard I know, but could've been even harder if they'd found out those results further down the track).
I also loved the opportunity to see our little one.
Good luck making your decision...obviously it'll come down to what feels right for you.
Gosh Evie that is terrible that he said that!!
Honestly how can someone like that become a doctor....sure they are there for medical opinion but the reason *most* doctors become physicians is because they have compassion and want to help people!
If a doc had said that to me id slap them!
For me, i reckon it would be easier to continue a pregnancy with a baby with T18 than T21. Most babies with T18 have a lessened expected life span and i would be able to give it all my energy for its short life (whether this be in utero or after birth).
Having a baby with T21 is a different decision to make because you have to think long term.
In saying that, for now I don't think i will have NT scan because i don't want the info that it might give me. I'm not prepared to make a decision on continuing a pregnancy, and i don't want the negativity of a high risk result to follow me. (professional and lay people's attitude to a high risk result is negative, not the potential implications of the result)
Just my thoughts tonight
Last edited by HotI; March 18th, 2009 at 07:37 AM.
: adding para 3
I didn't have it done. I was only 20 and have no family history so quite low risk. I probably would have had it done but I didn't actually go to the doctor till I was 18 weeks so by then, it was obviously too late for it.
I had it done just so I could have a look at DD. I couldn't stand having to wait until 20 weeks to see my bub. I'd probably do the same again next time. Wouldn't get termination either.
I had the bloods and NT scan to measure the thickness of neck fold and both combined have come back with a risk 1 in 8,512.
I am a total stress head and worry non stop about anything, I also like to plan, so for me it was getting the results then we would decide what to do from there.
Obviously with a risk like that I felt alot better.
We had the NT scan done with both of our children - I actually didn't realise I had a choice until after we had it done with the 1st one! I went to an obstetrician and he does them routinely for all of his patients, regardless of age. I guess I could've refused if I wanted to, but I was really eager to see our bubs both times and at least make sure everything was going along as it should be as my first pregnancy resulted in an early miscarriage (so I was a little nervous both times!). At least if we'd seen bub, knew he/she had a heartbeat and was growing well, I could relax a little.
First bub risk was about 1:17,000 which was a great result (I was 26)
Second bub risk was about 1:4500 which again was a great result, however at our 19 week morphology scan a soft marker for down syndrome was picked up anyway. We were given the option of amnio but decided to just continue on and let whatever will be, be.......long story short he does not have down syndrome.
While I feel its good to be able to see our bubs on ultrasounds and I will always choose to have the NT scan, they can also cause a lot of worry and stress if any "high risk" factors are detected.
I had to get the NT scan done with DD2 as in my first ultrasound the fluid in the neck was 6mm more than it should have been indicating that she did have DS i did the scan and still results were looking like she had DS i refused the needle in the belly (sorry dont know what its call cant remember) because to me it wasnt a concern if she has DS or not we had been through too much and tried too hard for her she was/is my baby and no matter what the love would be there. My doctor wanted me to terminate saying at 21 i wouldnt be able to cope with a 3 year old and a DS baby but i ignore her "advice" and continued through the pregnancy. Through all scans the fluid was a concern and i was pretty much told your baby IS going to have DS but when she was born she didnt just got a fat neck like her daddy
How many of you opt to have NT scan?
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