amnio advice

[Hexham]

Hi there,
I'm new to the site and live in Eltham. I've just had the NT result and blood test back which has given me an age-related high risk score of Down's (1 in 147) (I'm 40 yrs old). I think I want to book an amnio, and am wondering whether anyone else has had one and could recommend a clinic.
We did our ultrasound with a Dr Chow (COGUS, Doncaster) and could go back there.
Also, does it hurt? Will I inevitably cramp?
Any advice much welcome

Hex

[BellyBelly]

Hex,

Just going to move your post to the General Pregnancy Discussion forum as you should get a better response there. There is an article on amniocentesis on the main site, www.bellybelly.biz. It requires a separate registration but it is free like the forums.

From what I understand, your age risk ratio seems quite good for 40. The other real factor to consider would be the actual test result ratio - what was the ratio based on the NT scan?

[Angel]

Hi Hex,

I don't really know anything about having an amnio but I just wanted to welcome you to BellyBelly and wish you lots of luck with everything.

[dinky]

Hi Hex

I totally understand how anxious you must be. I have just had my NT scan and blood test results and I have a 1 in 79 risk of downs but a 1 in 28600 for multiple defects. I am only 35. Can I ask what your NT measurement was?

It is a huge decision but I am waiting to see my OB on Monday and discuss the results with him. The thing with an amnio is that I hate needles, and having had multiple m/c's am not willing to do anything risky with this one.

Have you spoken to your OB about it? He should be able to tell you what place has the lesser risk with amnio's.

Good Luck

[Hexham]

Ho,
Thanks for the welcome and responses. My NT result was 1 in 316 and I was fairly shocked to see my risk increase to 1 in 147 after the blood tests come through. On the ultrasound, the dr saw a nassal bone and the neck thickness was 1.5 - all quite good I thought, but then I guess my bloods must have been quite bad to bring the final risk figure down??? I don't know how these things are calculated

Hex

[Astrolady]

Hi Hex

One of the girls Lukesmum just recently had an amnio done. So she would be able to tell you mor about it. I will send her a message and ask her to tell you what she went through if she doesn't mind.

Love :hbeat:

[Hexham]

Thanks so much for these responses - good to know others have come thru it. I'm nervous too cause this will be my last baby given my age. I'd really appreciate Lukesmom responding if she has time

Hex

[Hexham]

thanks Lukesmum - useful info. I think I need to know one way or another so will go fwd with the amnio, even tho I'm scared.
Thanks again
Hex

[Gigi]

got my nuchal scan results back today (Monday) - i have a 1 in 6 chance. (i am 38)

having the amnio on Wednesday at 10am.

I am petrified.

why are the other people's results in the 100's? Am i just one of the unlucky ones?

[ShootingStar]

Hi Gigi,

Sorry i dont have any answers for you, i didnt test for down syndrome.. i figured what ever happens is whats meant to be and the way god intended my baby to be.
On a positive note, 1 in 6 chance is also 5 in 6 chance of your baby being perfectly fine.
I will say a prayer for you and wish you the best of luck.

All the best

xx

[Gigi]

TEST (this thread doesn't show up in my subscription list so i am posting again to test this).

[Kazba]

Hello Hex,

My DH and I had already decided that we would go ahead with an amnio regardless of the NT score (which was 1 in 1240 ). I am 40 years old. I had the amnio almost 2 weeks ago, i live in Perth, and it wasn't painful. It was a little scary however. Hardest part is having to lay still for about 2 minutes while they draw the fluid. Then good thing is you get to see baby on ultrasound again. I only had mild cramping afterwards which was gone by the morning. no other side affects. we get the results in 2 days. For our peace of mind, we are glad we went ahead. keeping our fingers crossed for a good outcome.

Kazba

[Kazba]

PS Hex,

Correction, my age ratio was 1:60and my Nt ratio was 1:1240

[~Flossie~]

I had a CVS done after my NT result came back as 1:12.. i was 26 at the time.. Was more uncomfortable than painful and your are so emotional and nervous so that makes things harder..

Our FISH test results came back fine.. we now have a wonderful healthy 2 year old!

Good Luck

[Lolly]

Hex

Hi, Hi have recently given birth to a beautiful little boy about 5 months ago after quite a few hiccups. One of those hiccups was the same as yours. I had my NT scan and it came back pretty much normal (I was 27 at the time of the scan). They told me there was a risk of about 1:4700 or something so we felt pretty good. I then received the dreaded phone call a day later telling me that my blood work had come back with a high risk and they recommended the Amnio.

I was completely petrified but can honestly say that the worst part about the whole procedure was the waiting the few weeks so I could have the test from the time I found out and the weekend after. I unfortunately had the test done on a Friday and although I paid the extra to get it back ASAP they didn’t provide results over the weekend which is the longest time in my life. I can tell you I was practically sitting on my phone that Monday morning.

The next few paragraph I will explain exactly what happened to me on that day. If you feel that you don’t want to know that and would rather find out for yourself then don’t read on but I was desperate for someone to tell me what I could expect rather than reading gory stories on the internet.

My scan took place at Nepean hospital in Penrith NSW. I attended the Perenatal clinic in the morning with my partner and mum. I was taken into a room where a lovely doctor sat me down and explained the procedure and of course all of the risks. When you hear the risks it is a little freaky. She then asked me if after listening to her I still wished to proceed with the procedure. I nervously said yes and the preparation began. She started of by doing a detailed ultrasound to determine the position of the baby and placenta so she could work our where to insert the needle to extract the amniotic fluid. After that a nurse came into the room with a tray with medical instruments on it. They both put gowns and masks on and then prepared the needle and the container things that contain the fluid that get sent off to the lab along with painting iodine all over my tummy. The needle was about 25cm long but is very very thin. About the thickness of an acupuncture needle. I wouldn’t say that the procedure hurt but it was a little uncomfortable. I would liken it to the feeling you have when they take your blood from your arm. All up the procedure it self only took about 5 min which isn’t to bad.

I was nervous about having it without anesthetic because I thought it would really hurt. My partner however is in the medical industry and told me that you don’t really have any pain sensations in your body organs and that I would only feel the needle penetrating the skin like you do when they take blood. I’m sure there is more to it than that but me not being from a medical background that is the simplest way I can explain it. He said that the needle for anesthetic is much thicker and that they would probably put in more than one needle to numb the area which would be more painful than the procedure it self.

In most parts he was right. I did feel the needle penetrate my skin and then I also felt similar pain again with pressure once the needle was in for a split second. I’m not sure if that was when the needle went through the uterus wall or through my placenta which was in the way (having to go through the placenta does not make it more risky).

I can honestly say that the experience was no where near as traumatic as I thought it would be and if I have to go through this experience again I would without any fear of the procedure itself.

I hope this info has helped to put your mind at ease. I took my mum and my partner for moral support which was great. I had only mild cramping that day and felt fine the next day apart from the usual morning sickness.

Best of luck,

Lolly

[taz]

Hi Girls

I hope all of you who have had your amnios done have had a good outcome, it must be a worrying time.

I just wanted to ask one thing, but as usual will be long winded (sorry). My risk by age is 1-90 (i am 38) i had the NT done and my risk was then 1-483, this was the only figure i was given, i wasn't given the measurement or the individual risk figures and absolutely no mention of the risk of other abnormalities, now i've read this and am all concerned that i've not been given all the info i should have had, does anyone have any words of wisdom for me? What all should i have been told?

This is my 4th baby, NT's were unheard of with the first 2 and with the 3rd one i had it done in the UK when they were very new and nobody knew much about it, at that point i was just given 1 figure too but it was like 1 in 36000 (i was 35).

Before i had this NT done my GP said he wouldn't recommend it and i should just go straight for an amnio because of my age, i told him to forget it as i would rather have a risk assessment done first to avoid unnessesary risk to my baby, he then sent me for my scan and bloods on the same day at 12 weeks, now the more i read the more i think i've been given less info than i should have, mind you i'm 17 weeks now so too late to worry about it.

Taz

[Gigi]

hi Taz,

i don't know your timeframe
(from being told you need the amnio to actually having it)
but can you ask your midwife or obstretrician to de-mystify it for you?

I didn't have that chance as it happened all so quick for me.

I was a 1 in 6 risk and am a similar age to you.
The risk of miscarriage just for having the test is 1 in 200
On the day i had the amnio, i was so concerned about the test results, i couldn't really concentrate on the stats being told to me by the specialist, so if you can take someone along with you, who can be more removed and "take in" the stats for you, that might help.

My only advice is regarding having the test itself, which i'm sure you've already read in my previous posts. I think you are after the cold hard scientific bit which is not my thing, so i reckon, ask the medicos rather than getting yourself twisted up in knots. Knowing is better than not knowing i think.

Best of luck to you, having that test done seemed to be SUCH a long two weeks to wait out. In hinesight, now i think the medicos like to do those tests in our age group "just in case", but it is such an emotional time when it is YOUR baby's future put in limbo.

Good luck Taz - it;s true, keeping busy and being around supportive people really does get you thru this fortnight of waiting (after you've had the test).

BE VERY SPECIFIC about HOW you will get your results back. Exactly WHO will tell you and when. I rang back on the day i was told to speak to the doctor who did the test and reassured me he would tell me ASAP, to be told, "oh Dr. X is on annual leave!"