Nuchal Blood Test Result - Confused, scared and feeling alone.

I never thought too much about the nuchal scan & blood tests, to me it was just a chance to see our little bub on the ultrasound. The ultrasound went fine, nasal bone, fingers, spine... Everything showed up well and fine, including the neck measurements. But my whole world came crashing down when at the drs appointment for my blood results as I was put into a "high risk pregnancy" category due to my blood results 1:140. My Dr told me not to stress?!?! Impossible. If the results came back low doesn't that indicate a problem regardless?

A week on and I'm still stunned. I don't understand how this could have happened... I'm 27, no health problems nor are there on either side of the family. I took folate weeks before we started to TTC... I thought I did everything right. We have a healthy and intelligent 4 year old. We tried for 3 years for this baby finally succeeding through Ivf and the thought of something being wrong is crippling me. I've been avoiding friends and family, I find myself not Wanting to discuss the pregnancy or even think about it, as awful as it sounds. I feel so guilty and lost.

So... I've been booked in (without anyone calling to discuss my options) for an amnio at King Edward Hospital. We have to wait a month for the proceedure and another two weeks for the results. I don't know how I'm going to manage.

Has anyone been through this? Does anyone know what actually causes the low results?

Please excuse my poor spelling and grammar, I'm on my phone... I can hardly see what I'm typing through the tears.

X

big hugs, ive read heaps on these deciding whether to do it, and found lots of stories of people with worse odd with nothing wrong, and heaps better odds with issues, so i really would try not to stress it is not a definate, and i doubt they can make you have an amnio as it does come with some risks but if you want to know 100% it will tell you

all the best

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ive read heaps on these deciding whether to do it, and found lots of stories of people with worse odd with nothing wrong...

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:hello: That's me. 1 in 10 chance of normal baby with DD. She's fine.

Bear in mind that it is just a risk indicator. It is not definite. The amnio will help. We had a CVS, which is similar. We paid extra for something called a FISH test, we got results within 48 hours. For the peace of mind it was worth the extra $$.

All the best. Please let me know if you think there's anything I can help you with.

try not to stress hun, ive been where you are, i was 26, my scan was perfect, but bloods were bad i had 1/82 chance of downs.
The best thing is that the scan was good and all indicators were good as in nasal bone, nt measurement, only being from your bloods is a good thing, and thats why your dr is telling you not to stress.
There is lots to consider here, and it is a very personal choice, and for individual reasons. For us we wanted to be prepared so went ahead with the amnio.
You do not have to go ahead with an amnio, it is your choice, no one should have booked you in without your consent and you can cancel it if you are not comfortable with having it. It does carry a risk of miscarriage around 1/200, and for me it was a painful procedure, and when i left i had contractions for hours after (nothing too bad but at 15weeks stressfull none the less).
However it will tell you what you want to know, if you want to know. It is quick and simple.
My advice is to go with someone who does them all the time, the more experience the better, and ask for the fish results, which means for a fee ($175 back in 2009) you can get results for the main concerns within 48hrs, often sooner, i got mine in about 20hrs. Then the full results, for all conditions that are tested for come back to you 2-3 weeks later.


I was cleared for downs, then told the bloods could also mean a heart defect, which was cleared at 20weeks, and placenta issues which i had to wait till 32weeks to get the all clear for.
They get it wrong far too often.

Goodluck, just remember if you dont feel comfortable, this procedure is not mandatory.

Oh gosh hun how stressful this must be :(. I am sorry that you are "high risk". Remember though that 1 in 40 is only 2.5%... that is a 97.5% chance of everything being fine, which is great odds!

I can't believe they booked you in for an amnio without asking O.o wow!

Thinking of you xoxo

OH Nae hunny :hug: I'm sure that everything is fine with your bubba and the result doesn't mean that there is a problem :hug: I like Maruschke's stats too :)

Don't be afraid to come in here for support if you feel you cant get it IRL OK?

Crumbs! So sorry, it's 1:140 not 1:40.... Typo :-(

Thanx for your replies so far ladies, just reading your posts is comforting beyond words, I appreciate it so much ...why didn't I do this a week ago?

Thank you thank you x what would I do without bellybelly?

I good family friend was in a similar situation, it was her 3rd child, she was only 27 and came back with a high risk after the nuechal fold test. (Sorry I don't know which bit put her in the high category) Anyway she and her husband mad the decision not to have the amnio and she went through the pregnancy not knowing. (Very strong of her I don't think I could have done that) long story short she had a beautiful healthy little boy who was perfect in everyway.

I too think that they shouldn't have booked you an amnio without discussing it with you first.

I'm sure everything is fine too.

Oh Renee, that's even better! I know you feel down about it, but 1 in 140 is a 99.29% chance of a healthy baby. I'm sorry they have stressed you out about this *hugs*. You aren't alone in this journey.

I know it is so scary, I have been where you are, they didnt even bother doing the bloods as high nuchal fluid was picked up at 9 weeks so not even the proper scan. We chose the CVS testing as could be done earlier than the amnio as the wait was excruiating. We also paid more to get the FISH (quick results). I was low risk as was only 25, no family history etc etc. Can you see a geneticist and/or genetic counsellor? We saw one who was very good at explaining and talking through all of our fears etc.

Best wishes xxx

Forgot to add, after such a stressful pregnancy and lots of ultrasounds and tests, our DD was born healthy and happy!

Just got a information brochure on amniocentesis (published by the gov of WA) they give a 1:100 chance of miscarriage. So I have a higher chance of having a miscarriage from the proceedure than having a baby with DS. That's a frightening statistic but from everything I've been reading on the Internet, including the stories I have been reading on bellybelly the risk everyone else has been given is 1:200? Very confused.

are you sure that wasn't the risk for CVS? The risks are usually stated as 1/100 for CVS and 1/200 for amnio.

I thought the risk depended on the skill of the person doing the amnio?

i agree with Hoti, everything ive read says 1/200, but also as maruschke says it also depends on the skill of the person performing it.
If you get someone who hasnt done many i would say the risk would be much higher, whereas someone like the lady i seen who does 7-10 procedures a week for the last 15 years or so i would believe to have a lower risk.
Unless WA gov have chosen to give a different statistic

Yep. What they all said!

Renee - you are completely within your rights to ask for a referral to a private specialist clinic for your amnio. Investigate the individual stats of the people performing the tests. KEMH's people in their specialists positions do tend to be very well qualified so you might find that whoever you are scheduled to see is one of the best available anyway.

The State Govt brochure gives the 1:100 figure yet the King Edward Memorial Hospitals website, who sent the brochure gives a 1:200 risk. King Edward is a specialist maternity, neonatal and gynaecological hospital....I would imagine they would be well practiced in the proceedure. We have decided to go through with the amnio so we are both thinking positive.
Bring on the 30th March so we can get this nightmare over with. Oh and we are going to opt for the fish results, I'd empty our savings account just to find out sooner than 2weeks!

Oh honey! I hope the next few weeks go quickly for you - we are with younall the way x

Hi everyone,

I had the amnio on the 30th and it was absolutely awful. It wasnt painful at all but it was very intense, all those weeks of waiting led up to that moment and I felt literally paralised with fear during the proceedure. When the Ob pulled the needle out white stuff (I was looking at the ultrasound image) started flowing into the sac. I could see the ob looked.....a little too interested in that image but she continued on as normal. It was only when I asked "what's that what stuff" she said...."I think it's blood". I think.....ahh so comforting no? It turns out "she thinks" she nicked a vein on the way in and as she pulled the needle out blood flowed into the sac. So before this happened she agreed I could book in my 20 week ultrasound at my local hospital but after she asked I come back to her. Apparently because the baby will now be swallowing the amnio fluid combined with my blood the bladder & bowel will appear bright on the ultrasound. To someone who doesnt know what happened at the amnio it will look like a condition called Echogenic bowel. She didnt mention if this was harmful to the baby, which I'm sure she would have if it indeed was.

We got our fish results back 4 days later and we have been cleared for (Trisomy 13,18 & 21 DS). What a huge relief! We will be getting our full amnio results this Friday. I just want to get these full results and the 20 week scan done (in just over a week) to feel completely safe.

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Hi everyone,

I had the amnio on the 30th and it was absolutely awful. It wasnt painful at all but it was very intense, all those weeks of waiting led up to that moment and I felt literally paralised with fear during the proceedure. When the Ob pulled the needle out white stuff (I was looking at the ultrasound image) started flowing into the sac. I could see the ob looked.....a little too interested in that image but she continued on as normal. It was only when I asked "what's that what stuff" she said...."I think it's blood". I think.....ahh so comforting no? It turns out "she thinks" she nicked a vein on the way in and as she pulled the needle out blood flowed into the sac. So before this happened she agreed I could book in my 20 week ultrasound at my local hospital but after she asked I come back to her. Apparently because the baby will now be swallowing the amnio fluid combined with my blood the bladder & bowel will appear bright on the ultrasound. To someone who doesnt know what happened at the amnio it will look like a condition called Echogenic bowel. She didnt mention if this was harmful to the baby, which I'm sure she would have if it indeed was.

We got our fish results back 4 days later and we have been cleared for (Trisomy 13,18 & 21 DS). What a huge relief! We will be getting our full amnio results this Friday. I just want to get these full results and the 20 week scan done (in just over a week) to feel completely safe.

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Sooooo glad you got the all clear!

Oh that is such a huge relief Renee! :hug: I'm sure the full report and 20wk scan will show nothing bad either.

I just found this thread and am so pleased you got a great result. You have been through a really stressful time with waiting and the procedure itself, so be kind to yourself. I am sure the 20 week scan will be fine. Congrats on your little healthy boy! xx

Congratulations Reneenay!
I had Cvs last week and I understand the stress and trauma of waiting and not knowing. The 12 week scan and bloods are really are just screening. But omg such a terrifying process to go thru!
We got the all clear for trisomy 13, 18 and 21 and also learnt the gender. Our risk went down with the bloods for downs and up to 1/29 for trisomy 18.
Are they doing the full chromosomal testing too? We have a week or so to wait for the full test. Let me know how you go.

Just read your thread now. We had bloods come back as 1/24 and I decided not to do the amnio. The 16 week ultrasound came back with good nasal bone and soft markers, but a bright white bowel (as bright as bone). Which indicated either down's, cystic or the baby had swallowed blood when I'd had a bleed in first trimester. We did blood testing and saw a genetic counsellor and managed to rule out Cystic. The 20 week scan was pretty good and the bowel wasn't as bright white. I've had the 34 week growth scan and the placenta and blood flow is fine and they're not so concerned about the echogenic bowel. I'm pretty sure it was just the blood that the baby ingested and that's where it sits in the bowel. It doesn't do any harm, but does come up bright white on the scan.
Good luck for the rest of your results and the20 week scan.

thats great to hear, goodluck with everything hun