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If you have a health care card you may get a more discounted rate also my love. It truly is worth looking into for your peace of mind.
Think of how you can not of how you can't - I do know that in the public system if you have refused their recommended treatment it can be harder - my support to you honey... :hug:
its a hard spot to be in :wall: we live of 550 a week for 3 children 2 adults and 300 a week rent. we do our best and god supply's our needs. :):
This is very interesting. Thanks Mel! So far no one has suggested any treatment for low papp-a.
I suppose I should talk to my OB before starting aspirin? I have a feeling it isn't usually recommended in pregnancy.....
It is just that I would love to start straight away. It would feel so good to actually be doing something rather than just waiting. :wall:
as the doc today said normal dose aspirin is not good in pregnancy but low dose can beneficial....they also use it to help prevent pre eclampsia in women who have a past history of it......low dose are those tablets they give to old farts to help prevent heart issues....lol...my mum and dad take low dose aspirin for that reason!
It sounds like it's a hard spot to be in darling woman - but look into it - make some enquiries and tell them you are on a health care card. I am sure that doors will open... :hug:
Holly - asprin is used regularly in high risk pregnancies - however I wouldn't recommend not consulting with your care provider first. I believe it is the regime of both asprin and heparin that is most effective. This is because they work a little differently. Talk to your doctor - wishing you luck... :hug:
It sounds like it's a hard spot to be in darling woman - but look into it - make some enquiries and tell them you are on a health care card. I am sure that doors will open... :hug:
Holly - asprin is used regularly in high risk pregnancies - however I wouldn't recommend not consulting with your care provider first. I believe it is the regime of both asprin and heparin that is most effective. This is because they work a little differently. Talk to your doctor - wishing you luck... :hug:
Hi there.
I have just been reading this thread with interest as I got a bit of a fright at my checkup today. When I had my Nuchal scan my results were as follows:
hcG : 0.773 Mom
PAPP-A : 0.271 MoM
Trisomy 21 Risk : 1:322
We decided not to have any further testing done and my doc and midwife seemed unconcerned by the PAPP-A results, but said we could do an extra scan in the third trimester. So I brushed it off and haven't given it much thought.....until today. I will be 31 weeks tomorrow and so far baby's growth appears to have been on track, but when I went in today my fundul height is exactly the same as it was at my last visit 3 weeks ago. So I have been in a state of shock and panicking a bit. I am booked in for an US on Wednesday, and until then I am driving myself crazy with all sorts of unknowns. I am also a public patient and have only seem GP's and midwives this pregnancy. We have also just moved towns to Bunbury and hence have started all over again with caregivers.
I just feel scared and helpless and don't know where to go from here, other than just waiting for the US on Wednesday.
thanks for your support flower child,
rose i wish you all the best thank you for sharing your journey with us also helps:)
All the best EveningRose, hopefully the baby is just in a funny position and is growing just fine. You are getting closer to the end now so fingers crossed its all good.
i had a phone call and i am booked in on the 14th oct for my scan and booked in to see a genetic councilor after that . Just thought ild let ya know. What questions should i ask?
Hi,
I have also been reading this thread with interest as my PAPP-A on the nuchal test was 0.24 MoM and the risk of Downs was 1:54 (amnio results were all clear). I'm now 37 weeks and all seems to be well, although I have been measuring small for dates all along. I have been having growth scans every 4 weeks for this reason but my OB was not at all concerned about the low PAPP-A. The last scan 3 weeks ago showed that the baby was on about 40th centile for estimated weight, which I was very happy about. Still have a really small bump though! I'm having another scan next week which will hopefully show that baby is still growing well, otherwise I might have to have an induction.
EveningRose, I was the same as you, stressing out because I was measuring way behind for fundal height, not gaining weight and the OB saying I was too small and would need US monitoring. The 2 week wait leading up to the last growth scan was horrible! Anyway it turned out there was nothing wrong so all that worry was for nothing. I hope your scan on Wednesday went well, and showed that your baby is fine.
Flowerchild, thanks for your comments about the association between low PAPP-A and placental function, I have been reading about this. I had a retroplacental haematoma and bled all through the first trimester, and wonder if this means that the development of the placenta was affected by this.
ripple thanks for your encouragement in hearing your story, my scan is on oct 14th and yeah im scared we havnt even told family. I also wanted to say to you all you are so brave to go get the extra tests done:clap: im so glad they have worked out in your favor:)
Hi there.
Thanks everyone for your support and ripple for your encouraging story. I'm sure the last stretch will go well, and even if Bub stops growing now, you're basically full term which is great.
After messing me around and changing my appointment time a few times (and all the emotional drama that went with that) I finally got my scan, and all appears to be well. Baby is actually measuring big for dates, and everything else looked good, so all that stress for nothing. I was chatting to a midwife and she said that althought PAPP-A is linked to small babies and some other complications it is only in a small percentage of pregnancies, and that fundal height is not accurate at measuring growth.
We'll see what doc says next week, but so far everything appears to be on track.
Good Luck for your scan Squidipa, and try and keep positive and believe that your baby is growing fine.
:redface: thanks sweet :):
Hi Bridee,
Just checking in to see how things are going with your Holly. My Holly is going pretty well, she has put on good weight and now weighs 4kg at 6 weeks so she has put on 1.3 kgs since she was born. She is so placid and is just gorgeous! Hope all is going well with your Holly. What has she been doing? How many weeks old is she now? Hope you are all doing well.
Emma
Hi Emma,
How funny you posted this I was just thinking of you. My Holly is doing really well. She is however, in a brace for hip dysplasia but DD1 also had hip dysplasia so it is no big deal for us. Holly's isn't as bad as DD1 so hoping she won't be in the brace for too long (hoping for only 6wks but if it is longer that's ok - far better now than when she is older).
Holly is putting on good weight - she's in the 25th% percentile. Sleeps over night anywhere from 6-10hrs but generally about 8.
Life can be challenging with 2 at times but DD1 just loves her sister so haven't had to deal with any jealously issues.
thanks rose,:
hi everyone had my scan and dr check up Its a boy, and the heart could not be properly checked due to bubs position so will be redone in 2 weeks and in 6 weeks another growth scan. This growth scan indicated that the head is small. but over all they said i am on 18-19 weeks so i guess thats good but i am concerned about the head.
dr said with my prolaps and the low pap a bed rest also she said that i could go anytime. My concentration is not good nor memory to re read. so can you if ya dont mind tell me whom with a low pappa delivered early and at what stage of pregnancy?
thanks
thought ild share my % centiles with ya
BPD 32nd%
OFD 6th%
HC 14%
TCD 23%
AC 48%
FL 49%
humerous lengh 26%
there were other measurements taken just not put into a percentile why is that? is these results good for 18 weeks 5 day?
I am a bit confused Squid. Did you say because you have a vaginal prolapse and low papp-A you have been put on bed rest?
Statistically low Papp-A puts you at higher risk of a growth delayed baby. The placenta doesn't last as long and early delivery can be rerquired. You will see though colloquially that isn't always the case (nor is it statistically!).
Really it's a matter of waiting and seeing. It will be great to get a good cardiac u/s done so they can rule out that issue.'
Have you been referrred to a specialist about your vaginal prolapse? There are things that can be done to help you through the pregnancy. If you haven't been referred ask to be. :hug:
Congratulations on another little boy... :cheer:
thanks for the congratulations:):
this would be my 3rd prolaps during pregnancy so im an old hen at it haha i have previously had a ventro suspension done and a support belt stablises my pelvis but does not lift the uterus and a pressesarie ring does not help as it basically pushes directly out of me. I will continue seeing a physio during this pregnancy. After seeing specialists in the past i know there is nothing at this stage that can help. I have never had a prolaps this bad this early on so thats why the drs at the hospital has said to rest as much as possible and only do what i have to do as it is already at a point where its casueing a lot of discomfort and its protruding out side my opening.
in 2 weeks we will re do the ehart so hopefully we get an all clear on that!
oops edit yes a low papp-a and yes prolaps
Hi,
I had my baby by elective caesarean at 39 weeks so she did not come early. She was small at birth but has grown teriffically on the outside.
All the best
Emma
From what I was told with low papp a if the growth is being restricted due to low papp a the head will be larger than the rest of the body because our bodies magically know that it is important for the brain to develop so the head has priority over the rest of the body.
I made it to 37weeks, this is when DD stopped growing. At one stage it looked like we would have to deliver at 32wks but then things improved so we could go longer.
thanks girls for your quick responce :)
Hi,
i have stumbled across this site also and am glad i did.
My results were
Nt: 1.4
Papp-a: 0.4
HCG: 1.6
we were quite concerned about these results but the OB assured us not to be too concerned and the only thing that may happen is we may have a baby with a low birth weight. But still these results were enough to get us worried, we have been stressed and reading these posts has helped.
Based on the results does anyone have any feedback? Are we worrying for nothing?
thanks
Hi alexsandra,
I know exactly how you are feeling. But I am pleased to tell you that you should stop worrying! I started this thread wanting to hear about the pregnancy outcome of people with low PAPP-A. My little girl was 2.78kg (6 pounds 3 ounces) when she was born (via elective caesarean at 39 weeks) and is now 4 months old and in the 75th percentile for size. I actually posted a thread today wondering if she was growing too fast - oh the things we worry about. She had no trouble after she was born and has gone from strength to strength. She is a happy and healthy baby, and touch wood she stays that way. Try to enjoy the rest of your pregnancy, a little baby doesn't mean they are unhealthy in any way.
Emma
and by the way, your low PAPP-A score isn't as low as mine was.
Hi Emma,
thanks so much for your reply, im glad to hear your little girl is doing great! it was just a shock to get the results, we were not expecting to hear anything like that.
The scan was perfectly fine but then they give you your blood work and it all changes and thats when you start thinking the worst. I almost wish i never had the combined blood test and just did the scan, the stress that has come with it is almost not worth it.
Im just glad to hear others in the same situation have done well which gives me hope that all will be well for me too.
Thanks again hope everything continues to go well for you and your little girl
Hi,
Bridee, just wondering how things are going with your Little Holly. I was just thinking today how bizarre it was that we both had low papp-a, SUA and called our gorgeous girls Holly!
My litlle Holly is going really well. She now weighs over 7kg! She is still a bit short though at 61cm and so there are some awesome fat rolls on her!
Just thought I'd see what your little Holly is up to. My Holly loves to sit up and play and coo, but still totally hates tummy time!
Keep in touch,
Emma
hi ladies,
i am so glad to find this thread. i have very much enjoyed hearing about everyone's experience with the low papp-a.
i am having quite the week here...very low papp-a blood test lead me to do an amniocentesis on tuesday. however, in addition to all that, i am having the complication of amniotic fluid leak from the amnio. i had a lot of fluid rush out on wednesday afternoon, and went into the OB office for a scan. still enough fluid and baby was ok, but put on bedrest. not much more has leaked out, no fever, so i am hopeful that that will heal.
i am still resting and anxiously awaiting my FISH results to rule out downs.
Hi Karen,
What a crappy week you've had! Is this your first baby? Fingers crossed for you that everything goes as planned.
Keep your hopes up, my low papp-a baby is healthy and happy (and quite fat now!) so hopefully it is just a number to you, as it was to us.
Emma
Hi Emma--yes this is my first at age 33.
Hi all -
Just thought I'd reiterate to those who stumble across this thread the importance of speaking with your care provider about the potential complications of a Low Papp-A score just so you can be prepared.
I too was told I had a low score at my 12 week scan and the only information that I was provided with was that it could be a marker for Downs. At my 20 week scan, conducted by the same Specialist, nothing out of the ordinary was mentioned nor was I told to be potentially concerned about anything.
My son arrived at 32+6, weighing 1.33 kg and I endured the first 2 1/2 hours of my 4 hour labour at home as I had no clue as to what was going since I was unaware of the possibility of my delivering early.
I am lucky, in many ways, that both of us came out of the process relatively okay, but it was through no help from any special precautions or monitoring throughout my pregnancy. Just a sheer miracle I think.
So my advice would be to be arm yourself with as much information as possible and ensure your care provider(s) take you seriously. And are aware of your score - as once it was determined that my son didn't have any discernible genetic abnormalities, the score was never mentioned again.
Not to freak anyone out, but I felt I had to say something in this thread as I would be devastated if anyone went through what I went through because someone in the medical community dropped the ball like they did with me.
S xo
BloominRoses: How scary! I was referred to a high-risk specialist due to the low papp-a, and he did cover all the other potential risks. Thank you for bringing it up!
Emma - so pleased to here your Holly is doing well. Mine is also doing very well. She's a very active girl, was a continuous roller (1 side of room to the other very quickly) but sitting is now taking preference over that or trying to get her sisters toys (DD1 not too impressed with this new skill). She also has 3 teeth which she has finally decided can be used for good not evil (ie biting me when feeding). I get her weighed next week but she is definitely over 7kg and seems to be long (all her pants are short but fit her around her waist).
Holly is another example of a small birth weight (2.4kg) doesn't mean a small baby in the long run. They all catch up.
I do however, reiterate BlooinRoses post about taking the results seriously. While my OB did take the results seriously I was monitored very closely but if I wasn't who knows what would have happened because towards the end they did think she had stopped growing.
hi everyone
bloominroses: thanks for the advice. i am now in my 20th week and have just had my scan. all looked good on the scan (baby size was spot on) and as you said no mention of my initial score.
i may keep this in mind and bring it up with the OB in my next appointments just so it isnt 'forgotten' about.
At your 20 week scan was everything fine? it is a bit concerning that they didnt mention the low results i got at the 12 week scan.
thanks for the advice i will def remember to keep it in mind.
My papp-a was low and risk of downs was 'high risk' for my age group but low risk overall, i hope i have a good outcome like some of you and all goes well.
thanks again for the advice
Hi all,
I've just been reading this thread and wish how I had have come across all this information when I was pregnant with my little girl two years ago. I had a very similar experience to many of you, but only learnt about the real effects of low PAPP-A until it was thrown upon us. We were told at our 12/13 wk nuchal that I had very low PAPP-A, and we were given an overview of the potential complications of having low PAPP-A by the sonographer and specialist. My OB downplayed the low PAPP-A reading when we brought it up with him after the 12/13 wk scan, saying there was only an association and not a causal link between low PAPP-A and growth restriction etc etc. At our 12/13 wk scan, our little girl was measuring exactly to dates, so no alarm bells were ringing at the time. My sister also had similar low PAPP-A in both her pregnancies, and she carried both her girls to past full-term and very healthy weights. At our 19/20 wk scan, we found our little girl had started to slow in growth, but only by a week. It was then again the sonographer/specialist pointed out in their report of the links and risks with low PAPP-A, and its association with growth restriction etc. The sonographer/specialist recommended in their report that I have a growth scan done at 28-30 wks. I had to ask my OB whether he thought it necessary to go for this scan, and again he 'seemed to' downplay the seriousness of it all, recommending we go ahead with a later growth scan to provide us with reassurance. At 28&1/2 wks, I had my first growth scan and it was identified our little girl's growth had slowed down significantly, with her head and limbs ranging from 1-3 weeks behind and her abdominal circumference 3+ wks behind - she was under the 3rd percentile. My amniotic fluid was low and the blood flow through the cord was restricted. I was having regular uterine tightenings around that time too. I was told to give up work overnight, as it was likely I would be delivering our little girl before 32 weeks. I gave up work, was placed on home bed rest, was told to drink gallons of water, and to wait until a further growth scan a week later. The following growth scan showed an improvement in the cord flow, amniotic fluid, and improvement in bub's growth, so I continued in that fashion (having fortnightly growth scans and dopplers) until I reached 37 wks. At 37&1/2 wks our little girl's growth slowed down again, so they decided to arrange for a caeser. I was caesered at 38+4wks, with our little girl being born at 45cm and 2520g. She was placed in special care due to difficulty breathing and having low blood glucose. She was supplementally fed until my milk came in (because of her low blood glucose) and I took her home 4 days after her birth. She is now 17 months old, and weighs 8.84kg (still on 3rd percentile). She has had times of great catch-up growth along the way (getting past the 10th percentile), but then has plateaued again down on the 3rd percentile. She had terrible reflux (which we have only just weaned her off her reflux meds), and has been unable to tolerate cow's milk/dairy after numerous attempts of trying to introduce it into her diet. But other than her being a petite little thing, she is an energizer bunny - full of life, happy and reaching all other milestones. My OB was/is still unconvinced that our little girl had "growth restriction" secondary to low PAPP-A, or whether she was just always going to be a "small baby". However, he has acknowledged that we are at risk of having another growth restricted baby.
We are 12 wks pregnant and a week away from having our nuchal scan. I know a lot more about low PAPP-A now and feel 'ok' about going into the scan even with the history we've got. I am on low dose Aspirin due to my history of early miscarriage (3), and to help improve the blood flow to the placenta. I was interested to read in a recent post about the newest research on PAPP-A and the role of clexane, and will raise this with my OB if my PAPP-A is low this time around. I really hope that for you who are going through the experience of having low PAPP-A for the first time, that you seek out as much information as you can about it. Sometimes having too much information is not a good thing, but the opposite is also true. We were 'aware' of the links but kept on being reassured by well-meaning people "to stop worrying because it will all be ok"; however I don't think burying your head in the sand is the answer either. It did turn out ok for us in the end, but if I didn't have the ability to 'drop everything' by giving up work literally overnight, I don't think the outcome would have been the same.
Again, I have gained a lot from reading through your posts and thank you for being willing to share your experiences with others. I found it difficult finding information on the web on low PAPP-A when I was going through it two years ago, so your thread will be filling a need in this area. I will let you all know how my nuchal goes next week. I would be interested to hear if anybody has experienced more than one pregnancy with low PAPP-A.
Kaib
At my 20 week scan, the only things that were mentioned was that the Dr/Ultrasound Specialist noticed a teeny white dot on DS' heart and that he was measuring small. She then went on to emphasise though that she wouldn't have mentioned either of these issues in a normal situation but because I was so concerned about the possibility of a genetic abnormality after my Low Papp-A score, she thought it best to tell me since the little dot could have been another marker although the chances were slight.:
No mention of my Low Papp-A score or the fact that my baby was measuring small BECAUSE of that. Instead I ended up with a lot of blood loss during my 4 hour labour/birth experience and a son who had to remain in SCN for 6 weeks until he reached 2kgs and could suck feed on his own.
Sorry if I sound a bit bitter/harsh etc... I just found out the link between Low Papp-A and DS' premature birth and low birthweight after 2 other BB members who are much more knowledgeable than me with all of this stuff, explained what my birth report actually meant. There was some really scary, not-so-pleasant stuff on there that could all be traced back to the low score which I won't get into in this thread as it may be disturbing to some so again: Please just ensure that you are comfortable that you are receiving the best preventative care possible throughout your pregnancy and that your care providers take any of your concerns seriously.
S xo
bloominroses: thanks for the reply. My OB was the one who mentioned the chance that i will have a low birth weight baby, but again he didnt seem to be concerned about this, it wasnt until i looked this up on BB that i found more people with the same thing all saying that their little ones were born smaller than average.
i am now, after reading the threads, going to ask my OB for a growth scan (as he hasnt mentioned this is something that will be done) and hopefully he takes my concerns seriously and not brush them off. He has been a great OB so far and i have no doubt he will be ok with me going for the scan.
I would rather be prepared and ready for anything that may happen if i have the knowledge up front.
kaib: thank you for your post im sorry to hear about your difficult pregnancy but happy to hear that your little one is doing fine. Your post has encouraged me to get a growth scan done to make sure my little one is growing on track. I just wish Ob's and midwifes were more proactive about things like this and not brush them off.
i will post back to let everyone know how i go with the growth scan
thanks again to all who have posted on this thread
Thank you all, especially Bridee and StellasMum.
I am now 30 weeks and 4 days pregnant. My papp-a level was 0.30 at the 12th week. In the detailed ultrasonography at the 20th week, I was told that my little girl also had SUA. At that time, her growth was OK though I concerned about her AC which was 1 week behind. At the 24th scan, the AC was almost 2 weeks behind, but FL was 2 weeks ahead and HC is in accordance with the gestational age. At the 28th week, AC fell 2 weeks and 4 days behind, that's why my OB asked me to come every two weeks for US and every week for NST. But, still FL was 2 weeks ahead. At the 30th week, AC fell 3 weeks and 1 days behind! But FL is still 2 weeks ahead and HC is in accordance with the gestational age. My OB says that, the growth is still in acceptable ranges.
Bridee, my little girl is also in breech position as her brother who is 4,5 years old now. It seems that I will have a c-sect, too.
I hope that my little daughter and all our children will be OK.
Cheers
Ozlem
Hi all,
I am looking for Bridee, I used to be under the name 'Stella's Mum', but I can't remember my password etc, so here I am as Emma01!
Just wanting to see how your little Holly is going? I hope it has all been smooth sailing for you!
Just an update on my Holly's progress, she is now 2 years old.
She is so cute and clever, I am just loving her to bits. Besides that, we found out a few months ago that Holly has congenital scoliosis caused by a misshapen vertebrae in her lower spine. Lots of other investigations were done because heart and kidneys can also have probelms because they are all format the same time, but luckily for her they are both ok. She will likely have surgery to correct the scoliosis as she gets older, but for now, it is not causing her any problems. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure all was good at your end. I am on the congenital scoliosis support group and it turns out that a lot of the children with congenital scoliosis also had a single umbilical artery, which was something I was not aware of in our pregnancy.
Anyway, i hope all is well, just thought i'd touch base with you all again. Other than that, Holly is a smart, healthy and adorable little girl and we have been very blessed.
Emma