Positive AFP Test - Help

[Timing4Baby]

Hi Everyone!

I just took the Quad Screening Test....AFP...blood test to test for down's etc...results came back positive for Down's Syndrome.

Has this happened to anyone and does anyone have good news to share?

Please write back - need support!

[BC-GoMom]

I assume you are over 35? If I have it right - the older you are the greater the risk of a false +. I refused these tests for that reason. Have you talked to you OB yet? The only wasy to know if there is chromosomal problems is an Amnio. That will not assure you your baby will not have problems, but will tell you genetically if the baby has DS or other genetic syndrome. You didn't say how far along you were.
I hope others will respond. I just did the level ll u/s.
Let us know.. relax if you can,
JenC

[BC-GoMom]

Timing4baby
Here is a link to a similar post a while back. http://www3.fertilethoughts.com/foru...d.php?t=288512
JenC

[bandit]

bandit
dd July 31, 2002
edd March 20, 2006

[smitty429]

I haven't had the test myself, but I know 2 people that had false positives for down's. Both had perfectly healthy children with no problems. They went on to have the amnio and it showed that they would not have downs. I've heard that it's very common to have false positives with this test. That's why I chose to skip it and have the amnio. I'm 38 years old and am pg with twins. I'm told that my risks were higher for having a false positive. I had the amnio yesterday and am home resting today. I'm a little nervous about having the amnio, but I thought it would be important to know. Now I have to wait about 2 - 3 weeks for the results. ANyway, try not to worry too much and remember that false positives are very common, and you won't know for sure until you do further testing. Are you going to do the amnio? Good luck!

[CindiR]

I had it with my first-amnio came back fine. Hang in there-I remember how stressful it was!! With my second I skipped the AFP and had CVS testing.

[SingUALullabye]

I agree with the other ladies. I've heard that these test given to women over 35, a lot of the time give false positives. The only sure way of finding out is an Amnio. I passed on all of them. I know of one friend personally who was 36 and had one. Was told the same thing that her baby was a down syndrome risk. He is a normal and bright little boy. Because of her experience, I opted not to do testing.

I go to a perinatologist (I'm high risk). I get a 3-D ultrasound every 3 weeks. My baby boy looks great, so far. That's as far as I will allow any testing.

Best wishes to you.

SUAL

[dee32]

Popping in from another board. I'm not quite 35 yet. I'm 33 and currently 30 weeks pregnant. Well my doctor forgot to run the tests at 16 weeks and at my next appointment which was at almost 20 weeks he ran the test and I came back at 1 in 100 chance for downs. Well we went to the Fetal Maternal Medicine department the next day to discuss the amnio and everything and made a decision after hearing all the facts against the amnio just because I didn't want to jepordize losing my baby. Anyway, from what the doctor said the tests are up to 40% false positive rate and more when done a little later and if the test is correct than my baby has a 1 in 100 chance of having downs which isn't much at all. After posting here on another board I had gotten a ton of responses from people stating that they don't even get the test anymore because they had false positives on their first ones. I am going by my u/s which look good. Don't sweat it at all!!!!!!

[Timing4Baby]

Hi Ladies!

Thanks for all of your posts.

I requested the screening report for the AFP test and noticed that there was a number for recalculations.

FYI, there has been some discrepancy as to my due date. The nurse from my doctors office called for a recalculation based upon a different EDD the results were negative not positive, so even being off on your due date can make a difference. Very odd. Anyway, I wish the nurse had warned me about all of this when calling me...she just said you test positive for Down's...well, for someone who doesn't know any better that is going to translate into very BAD NEWS. One thing I am learning from this whole experience is you really have to be informed and let people (DRs....nurses) know from the get go that you are extremely interested in the whole process. Not that they don't care...they do, but many of them are handling 100s of cases, so we are ultimately responsible for asking questions and results.

Well, I am not going to lie...I am still worried, but I am not crying like I did the first day/night I got the results. My poor DH....you should have heard him, so hopefully these posts will help others who are/have been in the same situation.

Keep the posts coming - anyone going/gone through a similar experience?

[lrmc]

I know a woman who in her early 30's had tested pos. for downs in her first child. The Dr. tried to get her to have an abortion because of it. She refused to have it done as she was willing to raise a downs child. She went on to have a healthy baby girl. Had she listened to the Dr she would never had known the truth.
With her second child, she switched dr's and refused all testing.

When I was pg with DS, I went thru all the pamplets that office gave me and knew that even if it came back pos. that most likely it was wrong. I think the pamplets said something about a 70% chance of the test being wrong. Which really makes me wonder why they make so many women take the test if they know its not very reliable.

This time around I don't think I'll worry about the testing.

Lisa