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Antenatal tests

Had Amnio Yesterday - nervously waiting

4 replies

smileypigface · 19/12/2009 14:43

Well, I suppose the title says it all really!

I'm 42 and expecting my first baby with new husband. I have 3 from my first marriage - now aged 18, 15 and 11; so I'm a bit out of practice at this baby malarky!!

I'm a bit cross that the advice and information we've received so far hasn't been great - I was uncertain as to exact dates but was told that if I waited for an NHS dating scan that we would miss the window of opportunity for an OSCAR (sp?) scan - so we went along for the OSCAR only to find my suspicions were correct and instead of being 12 weeks I was only 9 - so it was too soon to do the OSCAR - so we were only (!) charged £99 for the scan rather than the £200 for the OSCAR!

We went back for the OSCAR 3 weeks later - and the result gave us a 1:318 chance of Downs. So, at our NHS consultant appointment a week later, having given it much thought, we decided to go ahead and have an Amnio - we then discovered that if we hadn't had the OSCAR then the risk factor based on my age alone would have entitled us to an Amnio - but because we had gone for the OSCAR we now had to argue our way past 2 consultants and a specialist midwife to get to the Amnio yesterday.

I feel quite cross because it seems the NHS policy in our area is to get people to pay for the OSCAR privately and then to use that result to justify not allowing an NHS funded test - seems to me that budgets are at the bottom of it!

The consultant then dismissed me from Consultant led care during my pregnancy, despite me falling into 2 high risk categories - and despite my concerns that my babies have all been big - 8lb 12oz; 9lb 10oz and 10lb 7oz! She basically said that if could deliver 10lb 7oz then I could deliver anything and she's not concerned ...easy for her to say - it won't be her trying to push an elephant out! This is a total contrast to when I was expecting my biggest baby where I was scanned repeatedly and tested almost weekly as they were concerned at his size - again, I can't hhelp but feel that their budgets are at the bottom of the level of care they are prepared to commit to.

Well, sorry, that turned into a bit of a rant - but it's all been additonal stress I could have done without!

On the positive side the Amnio seemed to go OK - and although I'm a bit worried about moving now!!!! I haven't had any adverse indications so far! Fingers crossed! Results are due on 4 Jan so trying not to think about it now until after Christmas .... easier said than done!!!

OP posts:

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FabIsGettingReadyForXmas · 19/12/2009 17:30

Stress in pregnancy is a real bummer.

I hope everything goes well for you.

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lostinwales · 19/12/2009 17:32

good luck, I was 1:110 and everything turned out fine, congratulations as well!

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lou031205 · 19/12/2009 18:03

Your 'risk' (personally hate that word in this context) was below the threshold. Nothing to do with budgets. Everything to do with comparative 'risk'.

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smileypigface · 20/12/2009 16:08

I think the give-away regarding it being all about budgets was when the consultant actually said it was all about budgets!

If we hadn't had the OSCAR first then there would have been no question about allowing us the Amnio when we requested it ... however, he told us, because we had gone for the OSCAR (not available on the NHS) on our results he had to justify allowing us to have the Amnio because of the budgetary factors!