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Pregnancy

amnio - what are your experiences?

12 replies

TheHun · 30/04/2007 12:39

I'm 12 weeks pg and have opted to have an amnio which will take place at 16 weeks. I will be 37 when this baby is due and want to be 100% certain that everything is ok (as far as it can be). A quarter of all downs babies born in this country are not detected in non evasive screening tests. I already have dd 3.5yrs and ds 11 mths.
I know there is a risk of m/c, at my hospital it is 0.5%.
Any one willing to share experiences good or bad?

OP posts:

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Blackduck · 30/04/2007 12:51

Have you asked to have the triple bloods done? When I had my amnio my consultancy said the triple blood tests are very accurate for older women (less so for younger ones). My amnio was fine, Consultant was very good - I'd ask how many your consultancy does on average and what his/her miscarry rate is if you are concerned. It was mildly uncomfortable (you get a shooting sensation into the bladder), and then I was told to put my feet up for the afternoon....

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Dinosaur · 30/04/2007 12:54

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TheHun · 30/04/2007 12:55

100 took place at the hospital between 2 consultants. Blood tests and nuchal scans are quite accurate but not 100% which is what I want. Why did you have an amnio?

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Blackduck · 30/04/2007 12:58

'Cos I am ancient

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TheHun · 30/04/2007 12:58

dinosaur, I do feel bad that I've opted to have this test done for no other reason than my age and feeling that if I was told bad news dh and I would end the pg. But as you know, not test can guarantee anything.

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Dinosaur · 30/04/2007 13:04

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RGPargy · 30/04/2007 13:43

We were going to go straight for the amnio but after speaking with a midwife at the hospital, I decided that we'd go for the nuchal fold scan and bloods first, before decided to opt for a CVS if the risks were high. I was told that if i had a scan on a Monday and the results were high risk, i could have a CVS on Wednesday and know the results by Friday. Pretty quick for the NHS, eh?!

The amnio cant be done until the baby is quite a few weeks older but a CVS can be done at 12 weeks.

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jdd0709 · 30/04/2007 15:43

Don't feel bad, it's a valid decision. I had CVS at 12 weeks with this pg (second) for the same reasons as you - existing child, dp unsure about outcome if baby had a genetic condition etc etc. I never fully decided what I would do if there was an issue (dp was the one that was pushing for it) but wanted to find out for sure. It was fine and the procedure was weird but not painful. One interesting thing they told me was that the 1% mc rate quoted is risk of the procedure causing the pregnancy to end while you are having it there and then (i.e an unskilled person doing it though they don't say this). If everything is ok when you leave it actually drops to 0.2% and this is risk from infection not the procedure. If you go to a hospital that has a lot of experience with amnios/cvs I personally think the risk is pretty small. I am 35.

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Lilymaid · 30/04/2007 16:05

Several years ago but I was of similar age with similar concerns. Amnio carried out at one of the leading hospitals in country. Part time registrar did it and seemed nervous - she took nearly 45 minutes as she couldn't get much fluid out. 3 weeks later the hospital contacted me to say my amnio fluid sample had gone mouldy and could I return to the hospital to have it re-done. Lecture at hospital about how they wouldn't be keen to perform a late abortion etc. Amnio this time performed by more senior doctor with several medical students around him. Quick in and out and a good result.

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hayes · 30/04/2007 16:20

I had one 14 years ago with my first child. To be honest it was very quick and painless and I went to B & Q afterwards (prob not the best thing to do but I was young)
Waiting for the results on the other hand was terrible, the longest 21 days of my life, I was told to go away and forget I was pregnant. Anyway when the results came in I was pleased everthing ok, but didn't calm down fully till baby was here.

With my other 2 I opted out of the AFP blood screening as I knew I didn't want to have to go through that again.

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EColi · 30/04/2007 16:59

3 weeks must have been so stressful Hayes!
Results for testing for Down syndrome generally take 2-4 days now, and get followed up by a test looking at all the chromosomes (in most parts of the UK) which normally takes 2 weeks. Bit of a postcode lottery though, some areas you have to pay more to get the quick test and some areas you would have to pay to get the second (karyotype) test.

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TheHun · 01/05/2007 10:33

thanks everyone, it is the risk of loosing a healthy baby that worries me but it seems the risks are so small, it will be a consultant doing the amnio who is experienced, I've yet to speak/find anyone who has mc after an amnio. Lets hope it does all go ok and that I do get a good result, i will get initial result in 4 days, full results in 2 weeks.