The Count Down Begins.......

[NIE]

Just returned from my 2nd appointment with my midwife and already dreading the results from my AFP blood test.

Everything seems fine for this stage in my pregnancy, but have up to another 2 weeks wait.

We have made some decisions already should the results show a high risk. We will carry on with the pregnancy no matter what and will not be having an amnio. The real point in this test for us is preperation of the worst.

Has anyone had a high risk result and how did you cope with the results. xx

 

[kitty86]

I have my Barts (AFP) test on Thursday.

Im not sure if it would be offered where you are but if there is a high risk some parts of the country offer a scan to measure the fluid at the back of the baby neck. I think thats what it is but again its not 100%. Might be worth looking in to.

 

[NIE]

The midwife told me that if the results show a high chance of DS then I will be offered an amnio, and if there is a high chance of SB then I will be offered a detailed scan. It is all so worring.

Hope everything goes well for you on Thursday. Just had a look at my arm and I have been badly bruised by the needle. aaaahhhh xxx

 

[frangelle]

I was so worried when I had the test (theres alot of genetic disorders in OH family) but I knew deep down I would not have the amnio, as there is more chance of miscarrying than having DS. But luckily it came back low risk.

Fingers crossed for you hun

 

[NIE]

I am really stressed about waiting for these results. I never slept much last night, and have come home from work early as I just can't concentrate.

Any sugestions on how to take my mind off them. I keep checking the internet to find out more about them, but it seems to be making me worse.

I would love to hear other peoples stories about waiting for the results and how long they had to wait. xxx

 

[KJ]

I declined the test for precisely these reasons. I didn't need anything extra to worry about during my pregnancy, and I wouldn't hav done anything with the results anyway.

Even a high risk still means you've got more chnace of having a healthy baby. Consider a risk of 1 in 5, that would be classed as really high, however, it still means you have an 80% chance of having a healthy baby!!

K.xxx

 

No offence intended to any of you ladies who have had the screening tests, but I just think these tests cause unnecessary distress.

This is my 3rd pregnancy and I've always refused these blood tests because they cannot tell you anything definite. They might not show anything up at all (and that can't tell you for definite that nothing is wrong) and, even if they do show some element of "risk", you still need further investigation to tell you if there is a problem and/or how severe it is. So what is the purpose of these tests? They give you weeks of worry and no answers!!!! They are purely to save the NHS money: they can screen large numbers of women this way and then offer a very small number the more expensive, diagnostic tests. It's like using a huge net to catch a few fish. Sorry, rant over.

Nie, I understand that you don't want to risk an amniocentisis and yet might still be concerned after these blood tests results come back. The best way of telling at this stage (you've missed the time limit for the nuchal fold test for Down's) is to have a detailed (otherwise known as 'anomaly') scan at around 20 weeks. If this is not usually available in your area, ask for one anyway (see my other posts on this). Or pay for one privately. I know that they're offered in Livingston, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The detailed scan is the only other, non-invasive test that can alert you to abnormalities and is more accurate than the AFP screening test. If you have read the posts by others on here whose blood tests have come up with elevated protein results, then you will have seen that these ladies then had to wait (and worry) a bit longer still for a detailed scan. If you are so stressed by this, then try and get a detailed scan, if only to put your mind at rest.

I'm sure everything will be fine.

xxx

 

[tots hope]

My SIL was given a high chance of the baby being DS and it came back negative after all the necessary tests. My SIL said that having the amnio test was more painful than giving birth and looking back the chances were pretty slim. Think it was 1 in 76 (or something like that cant remember now).

what did they say your chances were? What numbers?

 

[Moomum]

This is my second pregnancy and first time round I had a 1/55 chance, so was offered an amnio and took it. Results came back - absolutely fine and resulted in a beautiful healthy daughter.

This time round I decided NOT to go for screening and went straight for amnio. THe results aren't back yet and the wait is agonising, but at least I'll know with 100% accuracy, when they do arrive.

The risk of miscarriage with amnio is very low and let me assure anyone that is reading this, that it is not at all painful. OK - it's not the most pleasant procedure I've ever had the pleasure of having, and it is uncomfortable for a few seconds, but nowhere near the pain of giving birth.

Good luck to everyone awaiting results

 

[dotty100]

I declined the test for precisely these reasons. I didn't need anything extra to worry about during my pregnancy, and I wouldn't hav done anything with the results anyway.

Even a high risk still means you've got more chnace of having a healthy baby. Consider a risk of 1 in 5, that would be classed as really high, however, it still means you have an 80% chance of having a healthy baby!!

K.xxx

I was the same as you. I thought about what I would do with the results and decided that I wouldn't do anything. I didn't want an amnio
so there wasn't anything I could really do. I also didn't want the stress.
I am happily enjoying my pregnancy and me and hubby have decided that if there are any problems we will deal with them as and when.

 

[s]

Bless you must be so nerve wrecking. I have no words of consolation as I would be climbing the walls but what I will say is that my cousin who is 42 just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Her chances were 42 out of 100 after having the nuchal fold so she was advised to get the amnio. She had it and it was confirmed that the baby was fine. As every else has said these tests seem to alarm more than reassure.
Just trust that all will be okay and it will be. Take care,
S

 

[NIE]

I have settled down a little bit now. I am still worried, but am just going to get on with it. I have a huge bruise from where the student mw took my blood. It is very painful and will never let her near me again.

Will let you know when the results are in. Hopefullly it's good news.

Thanks for the support. xx