Downs test??

[Tenshineko]

Who isnt having the downs test? Weve decided we dont want it done but every one seems to be having it so i feel like its the wrong decision. I just feel like it would be an extra worry and if the baby is high risk of downs i wouldnt want further tests anyway and they cant say 100% if theyll have it.

What does everyone else think of the test? Iv been asked twice by MW if i want it now even though its early. (dont think you have it till 15 weeks)

 

[Jade89]

Ive chose to have it, as I did with Aaliyah. I don't think you get any results back unless it comes back high risk...I never got any results back when I had it last time.....can't even remember what it involved

 

[sueken]

I'm high risk as i'm 40 but was also high risk with my last 38.I didn't take the test last time and we've decided not to this time either.
If i have a downs baby well thats what we have.I don't think i would do anything about it if i found out i was.
I do however understand why other people would.
This is a deceision that we have both come to.Hopefully everything will be fine but hey i had a daughter when i was 18 that has autism and there's no tests for that so i'll see what we get.I don't want to worry for the next 35 weeks so i'm not going to

 

[angelcake89]

We've decided to have it, just because if we do have a Downs baby it'll probably be a wise idea to postpone my uni start 2010

 

[Tasha20]

Nope not bothering, as I have said before on similar thread my mum had it done (only 4/5 years ago) and it came back high risk and the baby didnt have downs. My OHs aunty had one and it came back low risk and gave birth to a baby with downs.

 

[JulesK81]

I didn't have one with my first pregnancy and I won't be having it this time either, with full support of hubby and MW. I'd personally never have the amnio done, so the triple test is pointless for me - if it came back higher risk, I'd spend the rest of the pregnancy worrying - most likely for no reason. Already spoken to MW about it this time around and agrees that if I do not want the amnio, there is no point in having the triple test. If I was higher risk (such as older) then I may consider it.

No decision is right or wrong - it is your body and your baby, so you do what is right for the both of you!

 

[EllieBelle]

I had the test done, as Im almost 35 which would put me in the higher risk bracket (DH is 41).

My results came back very low risk..........and really put my mind at ease. All that said I may have had the Amnio test done if I had of been high risk, but luckily it never came to that!

 

[Kittykins]

It depends what you mean by 'Downs test'.

Here the default offer is the two non-invasive tests (NT scan and triple blood test). You can opt out if you want. You can also ask for either of the two invasive tests (chorionic villus sampling <14w, amniocentesis >14w).

Since the NT scan is much more accurate when taken in conjunction with the blood test, and since there is no risk at all to the baby, we will have both of those. We'd be unlikely to take the testing further. We would rather prepare ourselves if possible - if it turns out our baby has a chromosomal disorder incompatible with life, and is unlikely to make it to term or more than a couple of days after birth ( this doesn't happen...) we would rather know that than allow ourselves to get too excited. If the baby is high-risk for DS, then we'll just accept that risk and take whatever we're given. It's not just DS that the hospital tests for, however, but other (fatal) chromosomal disorders, and knowing people who had a baby with a serious chromosomal disorder, who died just 3 days after birth, we're both aware we'd much rather be prepared for that. Our friends had to go back home to a freshly decorated and kitted out nursery, welcome home banners, and no baby.

I guess some people like to be prepared and others would rather not think about it in advance; it also depends on your interpretation of 'high risk'. Personally, I wouldn't be too bothered by a 1 in 200 risk, but if it was a 1 in 2 risk, I'd much rather know.

I might well feel differently if the only test on offer was the NT scan by itself; and if my hospital didn't offer the NT scan or blood tests, just CVS or amnio, I'd definitely say no.

 

[M&Ms]

I had the downs test with my first (due to my husband badgering and blackmailing), but have refused it on my last and this pregnancies. Right from the first pregnancy I have always said I would still want and love the baby if it did have down syndrome or anything else once it was born so it wouldn't make any difference. If my results came back high risk, I wouldn't have the amnio and therefore would spend months worrying about what 'might' happen.

The whole test is a horrible idea IMO, I mean, why give women a test, which isn't 100% accurate anyway, off the back of which they might decide to abort their baby? Does a down syndrome baby not deserve life? If the test isn't all that accurate anyway, would high risk possibly mean aborting a perfectly healthy baby? How would you feel then having killed your baby as it 'possibly wasn't perfect'.

 

[Manda&Thomas]

i had it with thomas but even if i had been high risk it wouldnt of changed anything
il be having it again but if its high risk it will change things this time
xx

 

[M&Ms]

i had it with thomas but even if i had been high risk it wouldnt of changed anything
il be having it again but if its high risk it will change things this time
xx

Why will it change things this time but it didn't when you had Thomas? What's the difference?

 

[Manda&Thomas]

its quite personal really but thomas has many medical conditions, some which require operations so to have another baby with just as many/more problems would be very hard for us and thomas as i feel i dont want his time that he isnt in hospital spent being looked after by people or in hospital with this baby iykwim
sorry if that upsets or annoys people but its something we have to think long and hard about if its shown that this baby has problems obvirously depending on the problem will depend on the outcome
xx

 

[Nikki77]

Ive decided not 2 have tests. My mw asked and i said we had already decided not 2. When i had my dating scan i got told i can have the nuchal fold scan as its now free at my hospital. I said no but she said i had 3 weeks if i changed my mind. I felt i was being pushed as im 31 but i dont want it done. My mum was 40 when she had my brother. She had all the tests goin. She then got told he had downs, he had a cleft pallet, he had a club foot and a whole in his heart. She thought really hard what 2 do. As she had other children 2 think about it was a hard decision 4 her but she decided 2 keep him. Lucky she said as he was born complety healthy. Not a single problem. Just goes 2 show the tests r not always right and can bring a lot of unnecessary heartache and worry x

 

[M&Ms]

its quite personal really but thomas has many medical conditions, some which require operations so to have another baby with just as many/more problems would be very hard for us and thomas as i feel i dont want his time that he isnt in hospital spent being looked after by people or in hospital with this baby iykwim
sorry if that upsets or annoys people but its something we have to think long and hard about if its shown that this baby has problems obvirously depending on the problem will depend on the outcome
xx

Sorry hun, but if you were that worried about having another baby with 'problems' surely it would have been more important to make sure that you were taking adequate precautions. I know this pregnancy was a bit of a shock for you, but that doesn't mean you should have the right to terminate your pregnancy just because you messed up and don't think it's fair on Thomas. Would you have aborted Thomas if you realised he had problems?

 

[Manda&Thomas]

no i wouldnt of aborted thomas
and tbh its none of your god damn bisuness weather i abort a child or not,
this was about people who were having the triple tests not weather im going to abort my baby or not
i dont no who you think you are to judge me but it aint on

 

[Anna23]

[quote="Manda&Thomas":1byj8yri]its quite personal really but thomas has many medical conditions, some which require operations so to have another baby with just as many/more problems would be very hard for us and thomas as i feel i dont want his time that he isnt in hospital spent being looked after by people or in hospital with this baby iykwim
sorry if that upsets or annoys people but its something we have to think long and hard about if its shown that this baby has problems obvirously depending on the problem will depend on the outcome
xx

Sorry hun, but if you were that worried about having another baby with 'problems' surely it would have been more important to make sure that you were taking adequate precautions. I know this pregnancy was a bit of a shock for you, but that doesn't mean you should have the right to terminate your pregnancy just because you messed up and don't think it's fair on Thomas. Would you have aborted Thomas if you realised he had problems?[/quote:1byj8yri]

I BEG YOUR PARDON? how dear you speak to manda like that you have no right to judge her especialy as you have no children with problems, you have never experianced the agony of having your child in hospital and seeing the pain of opps ect they go through sorry if this sounds harsh but i'm shockked by what you have said, accusing her of terminating her baby, Manda clearly STATED she would have to seriously think about it if the baby has problems and it DEPENDS on the problems ect...also i know Manda and she wouldn't take a dicision like that lightly. so let's not go jumping the gun and lets leave this now, oh and btw i know what it's like to have a child in hospital becasue i was the child in hospital seeing my mum go though what she went though with me as a child and still goes though when i have my major opps

 

[beanie]

[quote="Manda&Thomas":kiqgx5h8]its quite personal really but thomas has many medical conditions, some which require operations so to have another baby with just as many/more problems would be very hard for us and thomas as i feel i dont want his time that he isnt in hospital spent being looked after by people or in hospital with this baby iykwim
sorry if that upsets or annoys people but its something we have to think long and hard about if its shown that this baby has problems obvirously depending on the problem will depend on the outcome
xx

Sorry hun, but if you were that worried about having another baby with 'problems' surely it would have been more important to make sure that you were taking adequate precautions. I know this pregnancy was a bit of a shock for you, but that doesn't mean you should have the right to terminate your pregnancy just because you messed up and don't think it's fair on Thomas. Would you have aborted Thomas if you realised he had problems?[/quote:kiqgx5h8]

a tad judgemental. Whatever your thoughts are Manda has already explained her reasons and its not really for you to decide whether she has a "right" or not.

 

[Magic Monkey]

I didn' have the test - here it is the nuchal test as I knew that I didn't want an amnio and that I wouldn't terminate anyway, therefore I decided not to have it as there would have been little point.

Manda, I hope that your test results are clear and that you have a much easier time next time, I can't imagine what you are going through with Thomas and in your situation I would do things differentlt I am sure.

 

[Squiglet]

Personally think everyone should have the test. Not so that they can have an abortion but there is this terrible negative stereotype around care of Downs people and the only way to correct that is if people research it, go see Down's people in person which you are more likely to do to prepare for the arrival of your own Downs child. If that makes any sense.

Both my siblings have Downs, another with Edwards. I had the tests done with both my kids because if I was to have a child with genetic problems I wanted to know so that I could research the help available and prepare for the arrival of my special child. And they do require you to be a more hands on mother than if your child was ordinary.

The only time I have considered abortion of my child is if the tests came back that my child had Edwards. The babies always die, if they make it beyond birth, there is no hope for them. And I would rather let them go, then make them endure all sorts of medical procedures for their very very short life span.

I have a child thats not what the world would perceive as "perfect", she has Polands Syndrome. She has had, and will have for the rest of her life, painful operations to correct physical defects. But she takes it all in her stride, never complains. Do I wish she never had to go through all this? Of course! who would wish that kinda stuff on their child? Do I wish I could change things? most definitely. If I knew that any of my subsequent babies would be the same would I do it all again? in a heartbeat Her tenacity, her bravery are something to be admired and aspired towards, she is my hero..

 

[donna27]

Hi all,

I chose not to have any Down's testing. My partner was totally supportive of this - however I guess it just comes down to personal choice and what's right for each and everyone of us.