Nuchal Scan + Blood Test Results - Risk Increased

[pebilz]

Hi Guys

I just got a call from my GP with the blood test results that go along with my nuchal scan. Anyway it's not sounding very good. Here's the situation for chance of Down Syndrome:

Age (29) alone risk is 1:615
With scan is 1:1780
With blood is 1:270

The doc isn't sure why it's increased so much so I've got an appointment at the hospital next week to discuss further testing. I spoke with the counseller at the maternal fetal clinic at the hospy and she said it will need to be an amniocentesis (sp) as I'm nearly 14 weeks already. She also said the risk of miscarriage with this is 1:400.

The counsellor has said not to worry BUT that they do consider high risk to be anything higher in chance than 1:300 which I've got now.

Has anyone experienced this before and/or had the test done? I'm more than just a little freaked out as I never had the blood test with my first DD as they said I didn't need too on the scan results.

Thanks everyone.

[Lunar]

Hi there. Ill pm you soon just feeding bubs.
Have some good info for u.

[Jamily]

My risk was increased by half when I was pregnant with Emily due to my bloods. I had low Papp-A which is an indicator of Downs. I was still considered 'low risk' so was not offered further testing and went on to have a totally healthy little girl. I was assured by my care team that the nuchal measurement and the presense of a nasal bone were much more indicative of a healthy baby than the bloods. They also stressed that the bloods were one part of a load of different factors and that it was very unlikely that the bloods would pick something up, that the other tests didn't.

Good luck with everything. I have my :fingerscrossed: all is ok for you.

PM me if you would like more info....

:hugs:

Claire x

[CarolineF]

Oh Pebilz - I have been where you are...but not as a result of a nuchal scan but from the triple test.

When I was pregnant in 1999 with my darling babe I decided as I was over 30 to have the triple test. I would cross any particular bridge when and if I had to.

At age 31 my triple test result came back with a risk of Down's of 1:28. Now that is freaky!!! There was another blood test they could do that could double the odds, but that would only take it to 1:56, way below the 1:200 which in the UK is regarded as the cut off point for offering amnios or CVS.

After seeing a counsellor, I decided to have an amnio. It was not as scary as i thought. Not a walk in the park either but the m/c risk is very low, and I needed to know so that I could either prepare mentally for the birth of a down's baby, or make a decision to terminate. The following 3 weeks up to the result were hard...probably harder than having the actual test done. But on 23rd December 1999 I found out I was carrying a beautiful Down's free child.

Remember, these tests are not compulsory. Only have them if you feel you need to prepare yourself for the worse or you would think of terminating.

I have everything crossed for you. As I am now almost 38 I am expecting it all to happen again.

Forewarned is forearmed!:hugs:

[the_queen]

It's hard to think straight at a time like this Pebilz :hugs: Hope you have lots of support around you.

Look at the figures the other way: Even the biggest risk ratio says 1 in 270 chance of something being wrong. Which means there is a 269 in 270 chance of nothing being wrong.

:hugs:

[Jessykasmum]

Hello,
Just thought I'd tell you a story. A friend of mine was told she had a 1:5 chance of having a downs syndrome baby and was told to have an amnio. She refused the amnio cos she said it didn't matter anyway. She had her beautiful, healthy baby boy last Wednesday - No Downs at all!!! I HTH! :) Good luck!

[pebilz]

Thank you everyone for your supportive and informative posts.

I have discussed this is all with my hubby now and we've agreed that the amnio is not worth the risk. We will love our baby no matter what and nothing is worth endangering it's life.

Our 13mth old DD was born with a heart murmur and she had surgery earlier this year to help fix it. Had we known at the time of pregnancy that she was going to be born with that we still wouldn't have changed a thing and so we view this pregnancy the same.

We are still going to the hospy on Tuesday to get some idea if possible on why my bloods changed the chances but there definitely will be nothing we will do intentionally that may risk our baby's life. Especially since it may result in a false negative or positive.

Thanks again. You guys have been great :hugs:

[CarolineF]

Just so you know, an amnio is a defintive diagnosis...it checks the chromosomes.

I understand why you would would not want to go through it.

My daughter has a heart murmur too from a congenital heart defect, a pulmonary valve stenosis. The amnio would not have diagnosed that, but in any event she is beautiful and the condition is manageable. Some conditions are less scary in reality than on paper, and your love for your child makes up for it all.

I have my:fingerscrossed: for you

[martiRK]

Let me know what you find out. I am 30, and exactly the same thing has happened to me. My PAPP-A was low.