down's test

[cloud9]

I had my blood test for Dwon' syndrome and spina bifida today and have to wait 5-7 days for the results.. I am so worried i cried when i came out of the blood test. I know a lot of people on here have said they haven't had the test because it wouldn't matter to them but i so want to know if my baby is healthy. As i am 36 (35 when concieved) I am in a higher risk catagory .
I feel everyday i get more and more attached to this baby and I don't know what i would do if they come back high. my heart and my head tell me different things
I feel like some evil woman for even thinking about it ..i just feel tied up in knots with it all

 

[gingerpig]

You're not evil at all! I'm high risk like you (I'm 35), and although we decided not to have the test, it was for very personal reasons. No one has any right to judge anyone else in this sort of thing, and I'm certainly not about to. We all have different lives, and we all know what will work for us. In a previous post you said you were a learning disability nurse, so you will have a much better idea than me, of what life for a learning disabled person will be like. I guess you will also know all the ins and outs of the statistics too - my cousin who is a medical statistician involved in downs syndrome research, knew them backwards and has said to me that even though I'm in a high risk category, you still wouldn't want to bet on the odds. Not that I'm being flippant. I also think its very natural to have conflicting messages from your head and from your heart right now, so you might know what's right for you for some time. I was so happy when I found out I was pregnant, but also terrified of the responsibility. I go through days of it being wonderful and other days of it being not so wonderful, to you, I think it's hard to keep positive all the time xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Londoner Claire]

Oh please please don't worry. I was offered this by my midwife and at the hospital but was told that even if you are in the high risk category, you're only a tiny percentage of risk of having a baby with Down's so I chose not to have it.

 

[Vicky_Gazerimmer]

I am only 24 so I did'nt have the test done even though I could still be a high risk.
I understand how you feel about your heart and head. I feel the same my heart tells me if my baby had any problems I could cope and I would still love it, but my head says... would you really cope? what would people say? would the baby have a good life? would all my children have problems? I feel guilty thinking these things but sometimes you cannot help it.
Don't worry hun, when you walk around you'll see hundreds of healthy babies and a handful of ones with problems. I know its hard but try and remember that once you have your baby in your arms it won't matter if it has 2 heads or 1 you'll love it cause its yours.

 

[lotus]

I know what you mean. I am 29 but have spina bifida myself, so baby is high risk of having it anyway. I too am waiting for my results.
I wouldnt have had the test, but partner really wanted it. I work with adults with severe learning disabilities too and a lot of my work has involved fighting for their rights. I really dont know what I would do should it come back high risk. My morals tell me one thing and my head another.
Heres to getting our results back OK.
Jo

 

[twinmummy2be]

I do know how you feel. I'm 35 and was put into the high risk group for most things but I wasn't given the choice of having any of the blood tests because carrying twins can produce abnormal results. I would have probably had them done if we could and been just as terrified of the results.

I'm happy that the nuchal fold test results put me back into the low risk for Downs and have decided against an amnio. We are now waiting for an anomoly scan at 20 weeks

I really don't think there is a right or wrong choice - it just depends on your circumstances and how you feel inside. I can't imagine how we would cope if both babies had disabilities but i have got so used to chatting to them every day (yes i'm probably going mad but i'll blame the hormones) that i can't imagine life without them so still don't know what decision i'd make and hope we don't have too.

really hope those of you waiting for results get good news - will be thinking of ya!

 

[sarah113]

im 23, i had it done a couple of weeks ago, im still waiting for the results, im scared, i dont wanna even open it when it does come through

 

[Sarah&Braydon]

i found out i was pregnant to late to have the test but if i had knowen earlier i would have had the test just so i knew wot i was facing

 

[rusks]

good luck with all the results everyone, it seems a long wait but i'm sure all will be ok xx

 

[jano]

I`m 35 too, and just had the blood test and the nuchal test.
When the ultrasonographer was doing the Nuchal teast, I asked her how it looked , and she went all evasive, and said she couldnt say and she had to write in her report. I asked her if it was looking good , and she paused and said"well......its not looking baaaad !" very sheepish and unconvincing. I was so worried that I dont remember anything else she said.
When I saw my consultant, i asked him about the result, and he said it was great, and low risk. I was dead releived but also peed off with that woman for putting me through so much worry. I too had to wait for the results of the blood test and for all the results to be put together. I got so worried and upset, and ended up sat next to the phone looking at it, waiting. Finally it rang and the news was good, which I`m sure yours will be. I know what an awful wait it is for you, and just wish i could do something to take the fear away.

Good luck, Im sure you`ll get the results that you are hoping for.

Jane XX

PS Please let us know how it goes. XX

 

[sazzleevans]

Hi

I am 35 too and didnt have the downs test as i said i wouldnt terminate even if the results were positive BUT when i had my week 20 scan and they identified spina bifida everything changed.. I never thought i would decide to end the pregnancy BUT its very different when it becomes a fact rather than a consideration.

I would say dont worry about it as any decision you make now will change if you discover anything. Even if the end result is the same your logic might be different.

Its a very low percentage of people who have such news so dont fret..

Sarah

 

[carpwoman]

Well I had an amnio about 3 weeks ago and I would have terminated if it had downs,I had a 1:140 chance but decided on amnio anyway,Pm if you ahve any worries

C.x

 

[oldermum]

I have recently had my booking in appoint with the MW and she's coming for a home visit to do my bloods on 14th Nov, my first scan isn't until 24th Nov and i haven't a clue on my dates.

There are no Nuchal scans done on the NHS around here(if at all elsewhere) and have been told i would have to go private if i wanted one(which i can't afford).

Being 40 i must admit to being worried about Downs etc, and if anyone can post some info on Amnio(what they do etc) i'd be grateful.

 

[carpwoman]

Hi Oldermum

The amnio is so straight forward and painless I couldnt stress that enough.

You got to the consultant who chats with you about risks and stuff,in my hospital I had a half per cent chance of MC. And same rate of having child with Downs so I had to have it done...

You lay on a bed and the little tv screen is to your left and they can see your baby the same as having a scan,they are scanning you the whole time the needle goes through your abdomen to make sure it doesnt touch baby or pose any risk at all.

It literally feels like having a blood test done,you feel a weeny little scratch as the needle goes in (this is hidden with a tube over needle so you arent scared) then like a plop as it goes through the uterus,this again does not hurt just feels weird. Then as they extract fluid you feel a strange sensation like pulling but not in a bad way then all done.

I had the amnio-pcr done which you can read about at www.amniopcr.com which gives you a pre-liminary result in 48 hours if not then it is a 21 day wait from the NHS. I had to know within 48 hours as my stomach was in knots,but having said that the NHS let me know within 14 days so that was so good.

You also get the sex of baby if you require which is great.

All I will say is bed-rest for up to 48 hours,no lifting or anything like that and no sex for 7 days.

Hope this helps.

C

 

[cloud9]

Thx for all the replies..have been talking to my hubby about it he says he's not worried he belives its our time and is confident everything will be ok.
I guess all i can do is keep busy till then but i talk to my baby all the time then feel myself thinking am i gettting too attached to make a descsion.

will let you know when i get the results.

 

[oldermum]

carpwoman,

Thanks for such a quick and informative reply. I didn't realise that the test can take up to 3 weeks to get a result.

I hadn't a clue how it was done so thanks for puting that fear to rest.

 

[cloud9]

still waiting for my results...I was told 5-7 days it was 7 days on friday.I phoned docs again today still no results .do you think the fact it is taking longer is reason to be concerned?

 

[sarah113]

mine took quite a while to come back hun but they were ok

 

[Emmylou]

still waiting for my results...I was told 5-7 days it was 7 days on friday.I phoned docs again today still no results .do you think the fact it is taking longer is reason to be concerned?

I had my bloods taken 3 weeks ago for this, and still haven't had results, to be fair my mw didn't even indicate how I would receive them, whether i would get something through the post, or that I would have to call the surgery....??? I'm going to see if there is anything with my hospital notes on Friday when I have my scan, if not I'll call my mw next monday.

 

[carpwoman]

myn were done on the monday midwife was round the sat
if you havent heard from midwife within 7 days then all should be fine....phone up the main hospital for your results the anti-natal clinic shoudl have them,please dont worry,I had high risk and all ok.

You girls will be fine