Downs and Spina Bifida test?

[abcd1234]

I was jsut wondering how many of you ladies choose to or not to have the test and why? and if you ever considered what you might do if things had come bk high risk?
I hadthe blood test because i figured it wouldnt harm the baby and i'd like to be prepared if there was high risk, however after having it i figured that i prob wouldnt have the amniocent(god knows how you spell of even finish that word) as i know i would keep my baby if it did have downs and i woudlnt want to risk miscarrying. Luckily my results all came back fine but it made me wonder about what everyone else did
Clare x

 

[debecca]

I didn't have the tests. I'm not considered to be high risk at my age (27) anyway and I will love my baby no matter what.

However, I can understand why others might choose to have the test.

 

[muppetmummy]

I did have it but only cos it was done at the same time as all the others and didn't require me doing anything. It's not something I would have asked for otherwise.

With hindsight I don't think I should have bothered as if it had come back high risk I don't think I'd have wanted any further tests, but OH definately would have wanted them done and would have suggested an abortion I think if the baby had been identified as having downs or spina bifida, something I couldn't do
It would have caused loads of trouble between us as we have totally different views on the subject.

 

[Sherlock]

I'm 37 and this if my first pregnancy.

I had a Nuchal scan and bloods at 12 weeks. We (OH and I) had decided that the risk of 100-1 miscarriage due to an amnio at 16 weeks was odds we did not want to face so opted for the earlier non invasive tests.

We had good results from the scan and bloods which was comforting and put my mind at rest.

However, had we had not so good results and I had been considered high risk, we would have given serious consideration to the options of further tests and the pregnancy.

 

[Sandi4Paul]

we had the scan for dows just cos i didn't want to have to worry.

We never discussed what we do if the results gave us high odds, luckily we didn't have to make that decision because in all honesty i don't know what i would have done.

No tests for Spina Biffada yet.

Sandi

 

[kazlin]

I'm 39 and was told after my 12 week scan that I was low risk, so wasn't offered it. I know a girl who was high risk, had the test (thankfully things are fine) and she's 9 years younger than me. It just goes to show that age doesn't always matter.

 

[Suzie and Faith]

I didn't have any tests because I would not have gone any further with them no matter what the results. I know I will love and do my best for my baby no matter what and I know I couldn't abort a baby no matter what the problem was and so there was no need for me to have the tests.

Whilst my opinion is firm (and my OH agrees with me) I do understand other people choosing to have the tests and further ones if neccessary. I think it's all down to your personal preferences.

 

[xJodieLoux]

I've chose to have the test's, not really sure what I will do if I am high risk. I'm abit paranoid about spina bifida because my cousin was born with severe spina bifida and she only lived for 15 day's

 

[klee1988]

I've chose to have the test's, not really sure what I will do if I am high risk. I'm abit paranoid about spina bifida because my cousin was born with severe spina bifida and she only lived for 15 day's

Dying due to spina bifida is really uncommon.
My baby has it. It may mean that they lose some functions of their bodies i.e not being able to walk or going to the toilet but its a bit extreme to die, so I wouldn't worry people by saying that!

I decided I didn't want the test at the start as I didn't mind the outcome as I would keep the baby no matter what. I later had the test as most of you know, but only after spina bifida was picked up on the scan, this was so the doctors knew how to deal with the situation better.
Age doesn't matter either as I am only 19!

 

[Moofa]

I'm 37 and this if my first pregnancy.

I had a Nuchal scan and bloods at 12 weeks. We (OH and I) had decided that the risk of 100-1 miscarriage due to an amnio at 16 weeks was odds we did not want to face so opted for the earlier non invasive tests.

We had good results from the scan and bloods which was comforting and put my mind at rest.

However, had we had not so good results and I had been considered high risk, we would have given serious consideration to the options of further tests and the pregnancy.

I had the same private blood and Nuchal test as Sherlock and felt it was the best £180 I spent. We decided that if it was bad news then we would terminate. Fortunately it was good news. The midwife has offered to do a Spina Bifida blood test at 16 weeks but we are going to wait until the anomality scan at 21 weeks but if the baby has Spina Bifida I would love it the same and keep it. I have disabilities and spine issues (after a brain tumor at 3) and am very mobile and completely different to what the Drs predicted (That I would never walk or talk again) hardly anyone notices anything (apart from a slight limp, a mild paralyses down the right side and I never shut up!)

Mx

 

[helsekia]

i didnt have the test purely through personel choice.im 35 so my midwife said it was up to me.I had a very long conversation with a midwife twice and basically i said well even if the tests showed there was something wrong then i wouldnt terminate,my baby deserves a try at life no matter what.plus when i asked if the results could be wrong she said well yeah they can be you can get a high result and worry for the rest of your pregnancy and baby turn out normal,so i couldnt see the point of giving myself something else to worry about.
my friend had a high result whilst pregnant but declined the amnio and still had a healthy boy.i think its down to personel preference and each individual and everyone must do what they feel right for them.

 

[mary70]

i didnt have it with my son (1st) because it only afected us if there was anything wrong but i did have it with my daughter (2nd) because that affected our son too and i didnt think it was fair to put that on him if that makes sence

 

[tattybear85]

i didnt haven it with my 1st son and i was put down for it this time but because im carrying twins it doesnt give a very accurate reading so they refuse to do them!!! not that it bothers me either way they are my children and il love them no matter what!!!!

 

[kalia]

I didn't have them. In my case it would have been a waste of NHS money as I wouldn't have done anything with the results. And it only tells you odds, not whether your baby has these things. After discussing this with my midwife (at my appointment where I had come from a special school and was going back to it in the afternoon so I know there is no way I would have had an abortion) she said if there were any issues they would probably be noticed at the 20 week scan anyway. And that seems to have been Klee's experience.
It's good to hear other people turned it down too - I was thinking that I might be an odd minority The midwife did seem a bit worried when she couldn't find the results in my notes at the last appointment, then realised I had turned them down.

 

[xJodieLoux]

I've chose to have the test's, not really sure what I will do if I am high risk. I'm abit paranoid about spina bifida because my cousin was born with severe spina bifida and she only lived for 15 day's

Dying due to spina bifida is really uncommon.
My baby has it. It may mean that they lose some functions of their bodies i.e not being able to walk or going to the toilet but its a bit extreme to die, so I wouldn't worry people by saying that!

I decided I didn't want the test at the start as I didn't mind the outcome as I would keep the baby no matter what. I later had the test as most of you know, but only after spina bifida was picked up on the scan, this was so the doctors knew how to deal with the situation better.
Age doesn't matter either as I am only 19!

This was in 1977. Like I said it was very severe. I think I have a right to say my cousin died from spina bifida, I'm not saying it's common. I know your baby has it, I've been reading your post's and replied ages ago when you first found out saying alot of people with spina bifida live very normal happy lives. I'm not paranoid that if my baby has spina bifida it will die, I'm paranoid that it may run in the family, although the midwife did say it's unlikely.

 

[BeckyJ]

we didnt have the tests as we decided we would want the baby no matter what

 

[Bee]

I didn't get either test - the result wouldn't change my decision

 

[klee1988]

I've chose to have the test's, not really sure what I will do if I am high risk. I'm abit paranoid about spina bifida because my cousin was born with severe spina bifida and she only lived for 15 day's

Dying due to spina bifida is really uncommon.
My baby has it. It may mean that they lose some functions of their bodies i.e not being able to walk or going to the toilet but its a bit extreme to die, so I wouldn't worry people by saying that!

I decided I didn't want the test at the start as I didn't mind the outcome as I would keep the baby no matter what. I later had the test as most of you know, but only after spina bifida was picked up on the scan, this was so the doctors knew how to deal with the situation better.
Age doesn't matter either as I am only 19!

This was in 1977. Like I said it was very severe. I think I have a right to say my cousin died from spina bifida, I'm not saying it's common. I know your baby has it, I've been reading your post's and replied ages ago when you first found out saying alot of people with spina bifida live very normal happy lives. I'm not paranoid that if my baby has spina bifida it will die, I'm paranoid that it may run in the family, although the midwife did say it's unlikely.

You have every right to say ur cousin died from spina bifida, just could have mentioned it happened over 30 years ago.
It just got me a bit worried!
Don't worry about it running in families, the midwife is right, its very uncommon, just one of those unlucky things that happen even before you know you are pregnant, and it could happen to anyone!!

 

[xJodieLoux]

I've chose to have the test's, not really sure what I will do if I am high risk. I'm abit paranoid about spina bifida because my cousin was born with severe spina bifida and she only lived for 15 day's

Dying due to spina bifida is really uncommon.
My baby has it. It may mean that they lose some functions of their bodies i.e not being able to walk or going to the toilet but its a bit extreme to die, so I wouldn't worry people by saying that!

I decided I didn't want the test at the start as I didn't mind the outcome as I would keep the baby no matter what. I later had the test as most of you know, but only after spina bifida was picked up on the scan, this was so the doctors knew how to deal with the situation better.
Age doesn't matter either as I am only 19!

This was in 1977. Like I said it was very severe. I think I have a right to say my cousin died from spina bifida, I'm not saying it's common. I know your baby has it, I've been reading your post's and replied ages ago when you first found out saying alot of people with spina bifida live very normal happy lives. I'm not paranoid that if my baby has spina bifida it will die, I'm paranoid that it may run in the family, although the midwife did say it's unlikely.

You have every right to say ur cousin died from spina bifida, just could have mentioned it happened over 30 years ago.
It just got me a bit worried!
Don't worry about it running in families, the midwife is right, its very uncommon, just one of those unlucky things that happen even before you know you are pregnant, and it could happen to anyone!!

I'm sorry if I worried you, your right I really should of pointed out that it happened so long ago. Thing's have come along way since then and I bet she would of survived if she was born now instead of back then. I wasn't born until nearly 10 year's later so wasn't around when she was born but it is still very upsetting for my family member's that were around at the time. They didn't even know she had it until she was born. Every baby with spina bifida is different and your baby is already being cared for so well and he hasn't even made an enterance yet, and when he arrives there will a be a specialist waiting to give him the best care he can get. He will do just fine hun, don't let the tragic stories worry you because for every single tragedy there is, there are hundreds of happy endings and even miracles.