amnio or not? (long + may be distressing to some) - Page 3

oldermama · 03-27-2006, 04:51 PM

Hi Tammy:

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Adelaidegal pretty well answered everything as I would have. DS is higher risk at 40 than at 35. I think at 35 the average is 1 in 375 to 1 -400. I think they rate it higher than that though as I was told that the risk of miscarriage from an amnio is 1/200 and that is the same as the rate of DS at age 35 which is why that became the 'testing start point'. I choose not to have the triple screen blood test as mine would have come back 100% in the negative and I would have been told to have further testing but I am 43. You are much younger than that.

I think the earliest tests they do (the nuchal scan isn't done until around 11-12 weeks - those in the know can correct me if I am wrong - I am in Canada and we don't have the privilage of these noninvasive tests yet

)

At 35 - your risk for ds is still very minimal. I think if you have a nuchal scan and because the blood test will still be very much in your favour under the 40 range it will give you a good idea and up your odds a great deal. I know someone who is 38 and she just had the 2 done and combined her odds went from 1/350 to 1/11300. So there was no need for further testing on her part.

Also I do know a few people who have had ds pregnancy and more often than not - something showed up prior to the diagnosis - slow fetal growth - some marker showing something wasn't right (not always the case but in these 3 it did). That said these noninvasive tests are supposedly running at anywhere from 70 - 85% accurate meaning they are missing somethings at times but I think if they do - it would get caught later on with u/s follow-ups.

At your age - I would definitely do the nuchal scan and go from there. 35 is just on the border. Odds are still in your favour.

Barbara

hondabratt · 03-29-2006, 10:27 AM

Thanks ladies for the insight. I am just so scared at every little thing. Its been a long process to get to this point.
Thanks sooo much!

adelaidegal · 03-29-2006, 10:44 AM

Hi Tammy,

I was absolutely terrified in those early weeks. I felt so anxious it was miserable, and I was afraid I was going to feel that way for the entire pregnancy. Can't honestly say I'm feeling physically great (I'm 12.5 weeks and still having various symptoms), but emotionally I feel SO much better. I still worry over this and that, but it's nothing like that initial overwhelming anxiety. It's amazing how things change as the pregnancy progresses. Best wishes to you.

burra · 03-30-2006, 04:04 AM

Hi adelaidegal

Bianca (another Adeladide Gal) referred me to this post. As you can probably work out, I'm from Adelaide also.

Anyway just wanted to add my .02 cents. Whatever you decide it is a very personal decision and nobody can or should judge you for that.

I'll give you my history. I have one 12 year old DS, 2 year old DD and a 4 month old DS. No testing with my eldest DS, I was but a spring pup when he was born

With my DD I didn't have the nuchal fold but I had the blood tests and all the Level 11 u/s as well as numerous other u/s. I had a risk factor of 1 in 600 for a chromosomal abnormality. As it was such a small chance we opted to do nothing. My DD has Down Syndrome.

When I was pregnant with my youngest DS we decided to have the nuchal fold just to put our minds at rest...well it came back 1 in 26 chance of chromosomal abnormalities

The nuchal fold was thick...that was the main reason. We then decided that we were not going to have any invasive testing, just u/s as we couldn't/wouldn't make the decision to terminate...we let Mother Nature take her course. Just couldn't live with myself if I terminated (just my personal opinion of course). It made for a very stressful pregnancy as I had other high risks factors also!! Even up to the moment and just after that he was born, we weren't sure if he was going to be OK.

Anyway as you can see I have a gorgeous son with the only 42 chromosomes, no sign of any down syndrome at all.

Guess what I am trying to say is that none of the tests are accurate....except for the amnio...and even that will only give you limited knowledge.

I agree with what Jen-C has written 100%...there are no guarantees

Quote:

Originally Posted by BC-JenC

I see the kids that were diagnosed during pg with tests and u/s and I see kids that were genetically ok but had problems at birth (premie to birth trauma) that would not have been found by teating. Then there are the diagnosis that to date cannot be diagnosed prenatally ( MR and autism, ADHD, ADD). So, MY take on the whole thing is that getting a amnio or CVS will only assure you of certain genetic anomolies (diagnosis) To date it will not assure that you baby will be "perfect" and not have a disability.

Good luck with whatever you decide

adelaidegal · 04-05-2006, 09:35 AM

Hey Karen,

thanks so much for sharing your personal story. Your son is absolutely precious. I completely understand and respect the decisions you made. You're right, it is SO personal, and there are no guarantees, amnio or not. The early screening test went very well, and we're having a level II ultrasound in a few weeks. If everything looks fine, we won't have an amnio, although my OB has stressed that there can be problems missed by the ultrasound (but detected by the amnio).

Maybe they (obstetricians) are exactly the same in Australia, I don't know as I've never been pregnant there, but frankly, here they are always covering their asses (hence subtle pressure to do the amnio). They say they "suggest" an amnio past the age of 35, because the risk of miscarriage is lower than the risk of DS. I suppose there's a logic to this thinking, but it really depends on what the risk of miscarriage (and the risk of DS) means to you on a personal level. These are probably the toughest decisions I've ever made in my life, but I guess parenting is often about tough decisions.

On an entirely different note, it's so cool to see you Adelaide girls on here

. I feel so far away (as clearly I am

), it seems amazing to meet people from Adelaide online. We rarely meet Australians here, and when we do they are inevitably from Sydney or Melbourne. So anyway, great to chat with you. Stay in touch.

PS - We've had a few lovely Spring days, but it is snowing again as I type this. I'm so done with the winters (November through April) here. I've never felt quite so homesick as since I got pregnant.

arlyn · 05-03-2006, 08:44 AM

hi! everybody. i had my 2nd m/c last year november. i thought that if i passed the 3 months i will be fine. on my 20th wk, my water broke. they can't save the baby. my gyne told me that if i'm only on my 7th mth, chances of surviving is very high.
i'm 36 yrs. old. i had a triple blood test done only & i refuse to do the amnio. the result of the test is not good, my gyne told me that there is a chance of down syndrome. she ask me if i want to do an amnio & i refuse to take it. i told her that no matter what i'm going to accept what god has given me.
but things happens for a reason, i had a miscarriage. my gyne asked me if i want to do some testing to the baby, she wants to find out the reason of my miscarriage. she was thinking that this is because of the down syndrome. the result of the test came back, the baby has no down symdrome & she is perfectly healthy.
i want to give it a try again but i am really scared. my 1st m/c was year 2003 at only 8 wks. it really help me a lot when i'm reading all your postings here, it gave me encouragement.

03-29-2006, 10:27 AM	#22 (permalink)
hondabratt Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 119	Thanks ladies for the insight. I am just so scared at every little thing. Its been a long process to get to this point. Thanks sooo much! __________________ Tammy (Ashland, VA) *************************************** Me 35 DH 33 Married 8-20-1999 Diagnosed w/ endometriosis in 2000 1- Miscarriage in 2000 2- Laparoscopic surgeries and 1 tube removed 1 st IVF on 3-10-06

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03-27-2006, 04:51 PM	#21 (permalink)
oldermama Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,375	Hi Tammy: Congratulations on your pregnancy! Adelaidegal pretty well answered everything as I would have. DS is higher risk at 40 than at 35. I think at 35 the average is 1 in 375 to 1 -400. I think they rate it higher than that though as I was told that the risk of miscarriage from an amnio is 1/200 and that is the same as the rate of DS at age 35 which is why that became the 'testing start point'. I choose not to have the triple screen blood test as mine would have come back 100% in the negative and I would have been told to have further testing but I am 43. You are much younger than that. I think the earliest tests they do (the nuchal scan isn't done until around 11-12 weeks - those in the know can correct me if I am wrong - I am in Canada and we don't have the privilage of these noninvasive tests yet ) At 35 - your risk for ds is still very minimal. I think if you have a nuchal scan and because the blood test will still be very much in your favour under the 40 range it will give you a good idea and up your odds a great deal. I know someone who is 38 and she just had the 2 done and combined her odds went from 1/350 to 1/11300. So there was no need for further testing on her part. Also I do know a few people who have had ds pregnancy and more often than not - something showed up prior to the diagnosis - slow fetal growth - some marker showing something wasn't right (not always the case but in these 3 it did). That said these noninvasive tests are supposedly running at anywhere from 70 - 85% accurate meaning they are missing somethings at times but I think if they do - it would get caught later on with u/s follow-ups. At your age - I would definitely do the nuchal scan and go from there. 35 is just on the border. Odds are still in your favour. Barbara

03-29-2006, 10:44 AM	#23 (permalink)
adelaidegal Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 30	Hi Tammy, I was absolutely terrified in those early weeks. I felt so anxious it was miserable, and I was afraid I was going to feel that way for the entire pregnancy. Can't honestly say I'm feeling physically great (I'm 12.5 weeks and still having various symptoms), but emotionally I feel SO much better. I still worry over this and that, but it's nothing like that initial overwhelming anxiety. It's amazing how things change as the pregnancy progresses. Best wishes to you.

04-05-2006, 09:35 AM	#25 (permalink)
adelaidegal Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 30	Hey Karen, thanks so much for sharing your personal story. Your son is absolutely precious. I completely understand and respect the decisions you made. You're right, it is SO personal, and there are no guarantees, amnio or not. The early screening test went very well, and we're having a level II ultrasound in a few weeks. If everything looks fine, we won't have an amnio, although my OB has stressed that there can be problems missed by the ultrasound (but detected by the amnio). Maybe they (obstetricians) are exactly the same in Australia, I don't know as I've never been pregnant there, but frankly, here they are always covering their asses (hence subtle pressure to do the amnio). They say they "suggest" an amnio past the age of 35, because the risk of miscarriage is lower than the risk of DS. I suppose there's a logic to this thinking, but it really depends on what the risk of miscarriage (and the risk of DS) means to you on a personal level. These are probably the toughest decisions I've ever made in my life, but I guess parenting is often about tough decisions. On an entirely different note, it's so cool to see you Adelaide girls on here . I feel so far away (as clearly I am ), it seems amazing to meet people from Adelaide online. We rarely meet Australians here, and when we do they are inevitably from Sydney or Melbourne. So anyway, great to chat with you. Stay in touch. PS - We've had a few lovely Spring days, but it is snowing again as I type this. I'm so done with the winters (November through April) here. I've never felt quite so homesick as since I got pregnant.

05-03-2006, 08:44 AM	#26 (permalink)
arlyn Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: elmhurst, ny Posts: 1	hi! everybody. i had my 2nd m/c last year november. i thought that if i passed the 3 months i will be fine. on my 20th wk, my water broke. they can't save the baby. my gyne told me that if i'm only on my 7th mth, chances of surviving is very high. i'm 36 yrs. old. i had a triple blood test done only & i refuse to do the amnio. the result of the test is not good, my gyne told me that there is a chance of down syndrome. she ask me if i want to do an amnio & i refuse to take it. i told her that no matter what i'm going to accept what god has given me. but things happens for a reason, i had a miscarriage. my gyne asked me if i want to do some testing to the baby, she wants to find out the reason of my miscarriage. she was thinking that this is because of the down syndrome. the result of the test came back, the baby has no down symdrome & she is perfectly healthy. i want to give it a try again but i am really scared. my 1st m/c was year 2003 at only 8 wks. it really help me a lot when i'm reading all your postings here, it gave me encouragement.