Hi Vienna,
I am sorry for the scare you are going through, but as you can see you're not alone! I agree with what the others have said - they usually only check the nuchal measurement between 11 and 13 weeks because that is the best time to check for DS.

I was given a nuchal measurement of 2.7 and some of my blood tests indicated a high risk for DS, so I was told there was a 1:15 chance which I was really scared of as I'm 30 and thought that wasn't very old! I initially wasn't going to go through with the amnio or CVS as I didn't want to risk a miscarriage (I've had 2 already). But after talking with the genetic counsellor, I thought I would go ahead with it because he said he hadn't heard of any incidents of miscarriage due to infection after an amnio at the hospital he worked at. I think the thing with the risk is that about one in two hundred women will miscarry in the second trimester, and the risk is the same for women who do or don't have an amnio. Anyway, I went through with it even though I was terrified as I really didn't want to spend the rest of my pregnancy not knowing, I wanted to prepare so that I could give this bub the best chance if it were to be born with DS. I was phoned and told that the baby doesn't have DS, such a relief! You will most likely be given the same answer, especially as there are no other markers and your 12 week scan was fine.

So the needle part really isn't bad, I thought it would be way worse! It's kind of like a blood test, it pinches as it goes through your skin, and then hurts a little as it goes through the uterus. Then you might feel like you have sore abs for the next day, just like you've done too many sit-ups. Nothing unbearable and not period-like or anything like that which is good. I would recommend you take the day and the following day off work just to take it easy as you don't want to over-do it.

Good luck! I will be thinking of you... Let us know how you get on.
Cobie
xoxo