Question about First Trimester Testing...

[DebC]

Hi Gals,
I am wondering how popular it is to have the protein test and nuchal scan done in the first trimester to detect any problems. I do not like the thought of getting a false positive (I know these tests are known for this), but I also would like to know if my baby has a chromosome problem before birth. Did you just do the Level 2 ultrasound? I am a worry wort, and the thought of having to go through a false positive would make me crazy! I am 36 and will be 37 when the baby is born in April '08.

Thanks for your input,
Debbie

[eleni68]

Hi Deb,

I did the nuchal scan + the protein test at 11 weeks, then the level 2 u/s + 4 additional protein tests at ~18 weeks. I felt the false+ risk was worth it. I was 38 at the time of the tests and 39 and my DH was 44 / 45 when Leo was born in Jun 07. I felt that IF there was something amiss, it would be caught at each stage. Our plan was to do an amnio if the bloodwork & u/s were off. In our case, the stats for any genetic problems were super high probabilities.

There are worries at each stage of the pg and in raising a child. I felt I needed to go through each step in order to grow into the next or for each decision.

Good luck. I'm sure everything will be fine. You're young!

Eleni

[lalalalala]

I think the false positive stuff is overblown if you go in understanding the limitations of the tests and how the results are to be used. They give you a percentage chance based on the combinations of test results, it's not a sure thing and our genetics counselor was very clear on that.

We really didn't want to do invasive testing, and these tests allowed us to get a glimpse of our odds and then decide whether to proceed with the more invasive tests like an amnio.

As it turns out, we were comfortable with the odds given to us and decided to forgo the amnio. The Level II reassured us as there weren't any potential problems indicated. But CVS / amnio is the only way to know for sure.

Good luck with whatever you decide --it's nerve wracking for sure!

[wintak]

When I was 38 I had the nuchal done. That was good enough for me. I wasn't going to end the pregnancy if the child had a problem anyway.

No amnio then and now that I'm 41 and pg again....I'll agree to nuchal but still no amnio. We had fertility issues so anything that MIGHT affect the pg adversely will not be considered by us.

Amy

[labax]

I just went through this dilemma and am posting for the first time. With my first pregnancy (I was 38), we did the nuchal screening and the risk of a problem was relatively low for my age so we did not do any further testing. I became pregnant in May through IVF (at the age of 41, after 2 years of trying naturally) and had the nuchal screening done in early August. Both the bloodwork and the neck measurement raised the risk of problems (to 1/7 for Downs and 1/27 for trisonomy 13/18). I had not wanted any invasive testing, but I was not sleeping well and was too worried, so we had CVS done two weeks later (the risk of miscarriage at our practice was 1/400, so that was a lot lower). Thankfully, the test results showed no chromosomal problem.

I am now almost 18 weeks pg and my ultrasound last week looked good. I have my level II ultrasound Oct. 9 and will continue to be monitored. I know many people who have had false positives, mostly with the AFP. So, the issue for me turned out to be whether I could stand 6 more months of worrying vs. knowing for sure one way or the other. It's a decision that caused me great anxiety but I had prepared myself for a bad CVS result. My DH was very supportive during the whole ordeal. Good luck with your decision.

Laura

[ScrappyCat]

Originally Posted by lalalalala

I think the false positive stuff is overblown if you go in understanding the limitations of the tests and how the results are to be used. They give you a percentage chance based on the combinations of test results, it's not a sure thing and our genetics counselor was very clear on that.

That so....try telling that to my OB 2 years ago when my AFP came back with a high reading for trisomy 18. They called immediately and set up an appointment with a specialist, whom we had to see on top of our regular ob. Let me continue this by saying I had 3 friends who gave birth to trisomy 18 babies....they DO NOT SURVIVE. If they do, it's for less than a year. They short of it, my baby was fine...perfectly healthy...I was a false positive...I'm pregnant again, and WILL NOT do the AFP testing. I will do the nuchal scan and blood work...I hope nobody EVER goes through the stress I went through 2 years ago because of false positive testing...

[sharianni32]

My perinatologist says that the nuchal + first trimester bloodwork in addition to the level II u/s and the second trimester bloodwork (sequential screen I think is what she calls it) have a 90% reliability rate, but you have to consider all of them together otherwise there is a high false positive rate.

That said, we have had the nuchal and just did the sequential and level II today. This is definitely an individual choice. Good luck with your decision.