antinuclear Ab

Had my 26 week check last night & on my blood results (which weren't back last visit) the antinuclear Ab re****s (which is testing for lupus) it was 160 but there was no "normal range" for the midwife to go off. But she didn't know why it was singled out the way it was. All other re****s were normal. She said that if the ANA (antinuclear Ab) re****s were a concern something would have showed in the other results also. Plus my blood pressure would be high. But its perfect.
Now I have to stuff around & work out time off work to get to the appointment with the Ob who is only there on Tuesdays (the one & only day I work) from 9 till 12 (the only shift I work). Chances are I will stuff everyone around swapping shifts etc & the Ob will say yep thats all fine.
But does anyone know anything about ANA & what the normal range should be?

Try www.medicinenet.com.
Basically it is an indicator of autoimmune disease, and as long as the baby is developing normally - ANA babies as well as ACA babies tend to be on the smaller side - then all is OK.

Ok well I did find something. Anything less then or = too 1:40 is neg. 1:80 is boarderline. anything greater or = too 1:160 is positive.
I was 160. So what the hell does that mean?

Sorry Fiona, can't help you with this one... have you made a time with the Ob yet? Are you able to just chat to him over the phone?

GL

Hey Fiona,

I am ANA+, my levels have gotten up to 1:1280 at times. 1:160 isn't too bad, normal ranges can vary from lab to lab so have a chat to your doc but don't get too stressed about it. Many people can be ANA+ and not have it cause any problems.

All the best.

Thanks Angel.
So what did it mean for you while you were pg? I am not concerned as such I just want answers. The main being if this is something that should be monitored, why did it take till my 26week visit to be informed about it. I had the bloods done at 12 weeks!

I have an appointment on the 1/8 at 10.45am. Its a pain because I know the Ob is going to say all is fine but he wants to see me anyway. I bet he hasn't even looked at my file & is just goin goff what the midwife said. Easy for him to say yes make an appointment then to actually have at look at it now & see its not a prob. I know its best to get it checked its just such a pain because I have to take the day off work to go as he is only there on tuesdays between 9 & 12. Thats the only shift I am able to work during the week. So it really stuffs me & my work around alot. The midwife even said he will probably just order more bloods. So why can't he do that now & atleast ahve those results back by my appointment time, that way he will have something new to add to teh picture KWIM.
Oh well it will all work out I guess. The one good thing about having to take the day off is its Evans birthday that day.

Fiona, if I'd only had the ANA alone I don't think it would have meant a whole lot during any of my pregnancies. It's not something that I regularly have checked during PG, in fact I think the last time it was checked was at the start of my PG with Kynan. The thing with me is that I have a lot of other autoimmune issues which impact upon PG. Obviously your little girl has been developing fine and you haven't had any problems so that is the main thing. ANA levels aren't fixed and can go up and down a bit, perhaps it might just be a PG thing that's causing it to be a bit higher than normal?? I'm sure if there was something of concern there then your docs would have picked up on it earlier. HTH.

Ah ok. Well the thing with my results is the midwife clinic had to chase them up as tehy hadn't made they way from the lab to the midwife at my last visit. So I guess the labs are to blame really.

I am both ACA and ANA +ve, and they just watch the development of the baby closer.