amniocentesis - help?

[outdoorchick]

Hi everyone,

Looks like a great supportive forum in here. So, I thought I might ask your opinion. I am 39 and have been given a 1:455 result for Down's syndrome in the blood screening test. From the start I was really sure that I should have an amniocentesis due to my age, but now I am slightly less sure after this result (and so is my hubby)

But the screening test is obviously on a screening and only 60 per cent reliable. So, I don't know what to do. Got to make my mind up today!

Any thoughts appreciated.

17 weeks and 5 days pregnant with bump no.1!

 

[Mama 2 Be]

Oh god that's a tough one, me and Hubby spoke about that before our 13 week scan and decided that we couldn't have the blood test purely because we wouldn't want to risk it with the amniocentesis should the result come back high. I'm 30 so I believe my risk is a little lower so I can only go by my friend who was 35 when she had her 3rd and final child, all three of them were considered 'high risk' but she did not have the amniocentesis on any and all three are perfectly fine. It's only an example of what happened to my friend but its the only perspective I can give as we declined the test preferring to live in denile until baby is born .

BTW I have no idea what is considered 'high risk' and I'm certainly not implying that 1:455 is high.

 

[outdoorchick]

Thanks for that. Maybe a good decision to live in denial and cross your fingers and toes!!!

It's considered a low risk apparently, high risk starts from 1:250 upwards. But then the midwife added that at the time of birth my risk would be 1:118. So, it's all a bit of a numbers' game.

 

[Mama 2 Be]

Why does the risk change? I thought the risk they give you takes into acount your age etc so there would be no reason for it to change? Sorry i'm probably just being thick

 

[splashmonkey]

I think it's all a question of what you would do if the amnio was positive. If you'd keep the child anyway, whilst it would be good to be prepared, is it worth the risk of miscarriage just to know? TBH when it's still low risk I don't see why your age matters - my mum was 43 when she had me and was strongly advised to terminate as they said it was "almost certain" I'd have downs or be severely brain damaged in some way. That was 30 years ago and I still can't see anythign wrong! So age really is no indicator, that's why they have to do the screening tests now, becuase it's more complicated than that. So if yours came back low risk then that's that and your age shouldn't make any difference - a 20 year old could easily have the same result and woudl leave it at that. Sorry didn't mean to go on quite as much, obviously it's your decision but for what it's worth that's what I think!

 

[JayK2387]

Hey hun,

I am 21 and got a result of 1/270, we had a detailed scan to check for abnormalitys, she had cysts on her head so the consultant recommended we had the amnio.

We had it and it was the worst and most scary time of my whole life. I couldnt shake the thought that i was going to miscarry.

She was fine.

It was horrible and your result is good I would say dont do it xx

 

[Suzie and Faith]

The way I look at it is that there is a 1 in 100 chance of the amnio leading to miscarriage but only a 1 in 455 chance of baby having downs...

You also have to consider whether it would make any difference to your choice to have a baby.

I never had the blood tests because it wouldn't have mattered either way to me.


Also want to add that my SIL had a 1 in 250 chance, she declined the amnio and then what they did was give her an extra scan and have a close look then to see if there were any signs of the baby having downs which there aren't. So if you'd like to know but it wouldn't affect your decision then maybe just get them to look closely at the scans xxx

 

[glittergirl]

Hi

My results were 1/221 and i was 32 at the time.

These numbers just scare people so much, i was a wreck when i came in to find a letter referring me to a consultant for an amnio.

I declined the amnio (far too risky) and asked full a full in depth, detailed scan. They done this and said could find nothing to indicate any problems. I was more than happy to leave it at that and enjoy the remainder of my pregnancy.

I now have a very happy, healthy, beautiful 12 week old boy.

If i have another baby i will decline the blood test altogether.

xxxx

 

[JayK2387]

Also want to add that my SIL had a 1 in 250 chance, she declined the amnio and then what they did was give her an extra scan and have a close look then to see if there were any signs of the baby having downs which there aren't. So if you'd like to know but it wouldn't affect your decision then maybe just get them to look closely at the scans xxx

This is what they do where i live.

They will not offer the amnio until they have done the detailed scan to look for any abnormalities.

xx

 

[outdoorchick]

The way I look at it is that there is a 1 in 100 chance of the amnio leading to miscarriage but only a 1 in 455 chance of baby having downs...

Also want to add that my SIL had a 1 in 250 chance, she declined the amnio and then what they did was give her an extra scan and have a close look then to see if there were any signs of the baby having downs which there aren't. So if you'd like to know but it wouldn't affect your decision then maybe just get them to look closely at the scans xxx

I understand that, what worries me, though, is that this screening test is only 60 per cent reliable. So, it might actually not tell you anything.

I was not offered that in my hospital, I don't know where you are, but that didn't seem to be an option in my local hospital.

Oh, what's with all these worries....

 

[Cheeky*]

Hi there,

I decided before my AFP blood test that if it came back high risk I would go with an amnio and if it came back low risk I wouldn't. I suppose it's a really personal choice, would the outcome of an amnio affect your decision to carry on with the pregnancy? I was considered in a high risk category because of a family history of downs. My blood test came back low risk (I didn't even ask for the exact calculations) and I'm leaving it at that.

I'm not sure it's much help, but try not to worry, x

 

[Frog99]

I'm 27 so not in a 'high concern' age bracket but I opted for none of the screening tests as even if I found out the baby had Downs, personally I wouldn't choose to terminate.

Plus I knew I'd never risk an amnio so I'd be left with a 1:whatever chance and just worry about it constantly throughout the pregnancy.

I prefer living in complete denile and waiting to see what life throws at me! If my baby has any problems then so be it and I'll research it at the time I need to.

 

[outdoorchick]

Hi there,

I decided before my AFP blood test that if it came back high risk I would go with an amnio and if it came back low risk I wouldn't. I suppose it's a really personal choice, would the outcome of an amnio affect your decision to carry on with the pregnancy? I was considered in a high risk category because of a family history of downs. My blood test came back low risk (I didn't even ask for the exact calculations) and I'm leaving it at that.

I'm not sure it's much help, but try not to worry, x

Hi there,


I am not sure I would have the strength to carry on with the pregnancy if the baby would have Down's syndrome or a similar condition. I think life is hard enough as it is for a child without having a condition like this added to it. Having said that, I know I would love any child equally once it's there.

I'll try not to worry, but I can't help it...!

 

[KikoDinoGirl]

In some areas you can have the nuclear test which is a combination of the blood test and at looking at different markers on an ultrasound scan (i.e. nose, and back of the neck etc) this gives a more accurate % chance of knowing whether or not baby has down's syndrome whilst still being a prediction rather than accurate.

Now the test you have had already indicates that you are more likely to not have a baby with Down's Syndrome, the amniocentesis does have implicated risks with it. You have to factor whether or not a) you would change how the pregnancy progresses if your baby does have down's syndrome b) whether or not being informed of whether or not your child has down's syndrome allows you to plan for the future c) whether or not you can emotional deal with the potential risk.

Additionally, if baby did have Down's syndrome or other congenital abnormality there are lots of support you can recieve. Raising a baby is hard, as is one with any other issue, but I dunno I just think those issues can come later on as well.

 

[Chrissi87]

i had the ammio test done with my first pregnancy as i was told i was at high risk.. i was 19.
never again it hurts so much and there was nothing wrong wioth my son.. he is now 2 next month.
with this one i declined blood tests all together excwpt the blood group one and the last one at 28 weeks.

 

[noodle1]

I was given a 1:5 risk with Tom, he turned out just fine

Didn't bother this time as it caused too much worry

 

[outdoorchick]

Thanks everyone for your words of wisdom and experiences. We have decided to go for an amnio after much soul searching.
Fingers crossed that all goes well. It will be next week sometime, I'll let you know.

 

[splashmonkey]

Fair enough hon, well done on making a tricky decision and hope it goes well x

 

[Becc]

Thanks everyone for your words of wisdom and experiences. We have decided to go for an amnio after much soul searching.
Fingers crossed that all goes well. It will be next week sometime, I'll let you know.

Good luck

 

[fairyM]

If its a high risk dont they ring you within like 4 days or something? and if your low risk they just send you a letter in the post within 2 weeks?
thats what the nurse told me.
So i think unless you get a phone call, i think you should not worry. Im trying not too. I had my blood tests on mon and keeping my fingers crossed.
But i think if a result did come back high risk, i wouldnt have an amnio cos i would never forgive myself if i miscarried and there turned out to be nothing wrong.Plus i would be petrified of the needle being jabbed in me. I would just demand a more in depth detailed scan. Hope this helps.x