Anybody having/had NT screening?!

[Sparkols]

Hi ladies,

Wondering if any of you could give me some advice about having tests for downs syndrome etc?!

My midwife explained about the various options & I was hoping some of you might have been in a similar position?...

Basically, I'm 34 at the moment but I'll be 35 by the time baby is due (Jan 06) - so far, all seems to be fine & both hubby & I are generally fit & healthy with no medical problems in our families. (Got 12 week scan booked for 20th July) However, everything I read says that your risk of having a downs syndrome baby increases at age 35 & I'm a total worrier about everything!!

My local health authority offers the 12-13 wk NT scan but it costs £120 & is apparently 80% accurate. However, you automatically get the 16 wk blood test which does the same thing & is also 80% accurate & free! If you want the NT scan, you have to arrange it separately from your normal 12 week dating scan. You can have both NT scan & blood test together, which increases the accuracy to 90% but that costs £150 & my local health authority don't do it so we'd have to travel a fair way.

Confused & not sure what to do - any advice????!!!!

From what I can see, the only benefit to having the NT scan is that you find out your risk factor a few weeks earlier, so if, god forbid, there is a high chance of a problem, you're a few weeks further ahead with the other tests & potentially the decision making about what to do if...

What do you all think??!! All comments gratefully received!!

Kath.

 

[sarahbuchanan]

Hi!

I had the "triple test" which tests for risks of spinal bifida and downs at 16 weeks. I also got tested for various other things like immunity levels. My hospital did not offer the NT scan. The blood results came back within 4 days by letter and stated that baby is not at high risk for spina bifida and downs.

I am 25 and both family sides are fit and healthy with no history of either condition so I wasn't mega worried in the first place, but although I was relieved about the good results I thought: could I have aborted my unborn child if the results came back as high risks, even after further tests. The answer was NO. I have a friend who did not have the tests done becasue her answer was the same as mine, she wouldn't have been able to abort her un-born child either. Perhaps this is something you may need to consider before undertaking the exensive tests? The decision is complety up to you.

Hope this has helped! and try not to worry, I know this is easier said than done but although I do not know the actual statistics, I do know many mums who had there children in the late 30's early 40's who now have happy healthy baby's/kids!

Sarah x

 

[Sparkols]

Thanks Sarah!

Yeah - you're right - I seriously doubt if we could abort anyway, but I'm one of those people who worries about EVERYTHING & JUST NEEDS TO KNOW!!!!!!!

I'm gonna chat to hubby about it tonight, but we'll more than likely wait for the blood test at 16 weeks - the money's not really a problem, it's just how paranoid we decide to be!! I guess it's just a case of do we find out in 3 weeks or 6?!

Kath.

 

[Rosieroo]

As I wouldn't abort if the baby had Downs etc I will wait until the 16 week blood test as it doesn't matter to me either way (I hope that doesn't sound harsh), but it's a hard call to make and completely an individual decision

 

[Skidoo]

I'm quite concerned about getting these tests as soon as is possible. My partner and I have talked it over and decided that we couldn't bring up a downs or spina bifada baby. It would put too much strain on our relationship and would be hard on his two older kids (10 & 12).

It is a personal choice, but it's a tough one. Although I am sure our decision is the right one for us I worry that people will think I am a bad person if I abort a baby because I believe it will be born with Downs syndrome. And theres also the fear that I wouldn't / couldn't get pregnant again and would feel that it was a sort of punishment.

 

[Rosieroo]

I do feel very strongly about people aborting a baby because they are not perfect, and I don't understand how people can't accept the child they have growing inside them.

I think it would be better for me to leave this thread now as I was called a troll amoungst other things for airing this opinion on another pregnancy forum as it is something that I don't agree with and I don't want to hurt anyones feelings.

 

[Kim]

Some peoples opinion is that it would not just be a strain for the parents but unfair on the child to live that kind of life

 

[newbump]

Everyone has to make their own descision on what the feel is best for them. I also would feel that I could not cope with a child with severe disabilties, thefore my child would also suffer, which would be even more unfair them. The guilt of abortion is one that stays for a very long time, but if you feel at the time that it is for the best, make sure you are 100% ok with your descion before doing anything.

 

[Steelers fan]

Hi going back to the first posting, I am 35 and 2 days!! and my husband is 42. We have discussed the tests and have decided to wait until the blood tests and then after that make any decisions that have to be made. I worked as a nanny after leaving college for a few years and one of my charges had downs, he was the most wonderful little boy but I am still not sure that is something we could cope with 24/7. Fingers crossed for all of us that we dont have to make that choice eh?

 

[bobtheunfortunateone]

we are having the blood test, but not too worried, everything happens for a reason and we would keep it anyway! But it is a hard discision if anything is wrong! A big life changing thing! but it is just for peace of mind or to prepare our self!

 

[feenix]

Hiya

 

[Lou]

I live in Surrey and was refered for a nuchal scan by my GP at around 12 weeks. The lady scanning me measured the fluid at the back of the babies neck then gave us a print out of statistics for down syndrome. I am considered low risk and therefore offered no further testing. Although this scan does not rule out downs syndrome completely and of course there are many abnormalities that can not be detected during pregnancy, I still found it very reassuring. My next scan was to check the babies spine, which was fine, and then in a couple of weeks I am having another scan to check the babies internal organs and spine again.

I think we are lucky to have access to the technology of scanning (even if some do have to pay for it) and we should take advantage of the fact that fetal medicine has advanced so much in our generation that these scans and tests are meant to benefit our health and that of our babies and should not always be considered to be something negative.

Lou

 

[Skidoo]

Of course not all defects can be screened for. I'd like a perfect blonde and blue eyed baby that never cried or got ill, but I'll get whatever I get. We can't, and I wouldn't want to, screen for buck teeth, a huge nose, bad eye sight or sticky out ears, so these are chances we take. I don't expect a 'perfect baby', but I'd like one with a chance of what passes for a normal life.

I'm sure that Downs syndrome babies are very loving and can grow up to lead fulfilled lives, but I think it would be very hard for my partner & I (and his two children) to provide the kind of support necessary.

Also people with Downs syndrome now live a lot longer than they used to due to medical intervention and I would also worry about what would happen to him/her if my partner and/or I died while he/she was still alive - who would look after him/her then? I don't think it's fair to assume that my partner's children would take him/her on - they have thier own lives to lead and I can't make those kind of decisions for them.

 

[Skidoo]

One more thing - I truly admire those that say that it wouldn't matter to them either way and they would be happy with a baby with Downs syndrome or spina bifada or any of the other screenable conditions. But that is their choice and I resent 23 year olds coming over all moralistic about choices they don't have to face.

 

[Sparkols]

I totally get where you're coming from Skidoo - it's a 100% personal choice for every woman/couple & no matter what, when the risks start to creep up, due to age etc, you just can't ignore the potential issues - they're something you naturally think/worry about.
Kath.

 

[Rosieroo]

But that is their choice and I resent 23 year olds coming over all moralistic about choices they don't have to face.

I'm sorry but what choice do I not have to face? : Just because I am 23 it doesn't mean that I do not have a risk of having a baby with Downs or Spina Bifida. My DH's cousin is in her 20's and was carrying a baby that had Spina Bifida and chose to abort, this came after she had suffered several miscarriages. She's now carrying a healthy baby and is due to give birth in August.

This thread made me discuss again with DH what our decision would be if the blood test that I will be having a week on Tuesday comes back as high risk, or if my 20 week scan showed abnormalities. We still both agree that our choice is that we wouldn't abort, and we would love and care for the child as long as it lives, however short a time that might be. If the baby has something wrong with it then unfortunately that is the cards that we have been dealt and we will deal with that. Abortion is not an option for us.
I know that would mean living with prejudice. I have a stepfather that calls people with DS mongos and two half sisters that laugh at people in wheel chairs or with deformities. I've seen first hand how cruel people can be.
I have met a young lady with DS who can catch the bus by herself, does work experience and helps people to learn Maketon, which is a sign language that some people with DS are taught to help them communicate. Obviously not all people with DS have it at this level, there are some that are more severly affected but others that are not. What I am not sure of is whether they can tell you how severely affected by DS your baby is when you have the tests.

Maybe you think I am being moralistic, but please don't think that because of my age it isn't a concern for me.

 

[Skidoo]

I'm very sorry to hear about your cousin's experiences, but the fact remains that statistically you are ten times less likely to have a child with DS than I am (I'll be 40 in Sept) - I don't have the figures for other problems, but believe they are similar - so are that much less likely to have to face the choices that I may have to.

Your tone seems to have softened somewhat from your earlier post and I appreciate that. I admire you and your DH for having the strength and courage to want to raise a child with whatever difficulties it - and you - may face.