Tell me about amniocentesis for Down's

[MrsMerryHenry]

I've pretty much decided to have amnio to determine whether our baby has Down's or not, but it would be really useful to get some info from you knowledgeable ladies about anything and everything to do with having amnio.

TIA

[MrsMerryHenry]

bump

[tinkerbellesmuse]

I didn't have an amnio but had the CVS - principle very similar.

The risk with both procedures is similar: approx 1% will miscarriage. Of those who miscarry most do so immediately but there is a risk for several days after.

The risk varies enormously on the experience of the dr carrying out the procedure. EG the consultant who did my CVS had carried out thousands of procedures and never had a miscarriage.

I found the procedure a bit uncomfortable but not painful but I was quite squeamish about it.

Good luck.

[Bathsheba]

I had an Amnio at 17 weeks - I'm now 30...

Our theory was that it was very important to be able to go through the rest of the pregnancy knowing if something was not normal....but in the same way the 169 times out of 170 that I'd be told everything was perfect would also be very important to know.

The actual proceedure wasn't physically traumatic but the week was awfully traumatic mentally and spiritually for me - the miscarriage risk was what worried me most and I did literally spend the weekend on the sofa not moving just in case....

If you do have the proceedure DEFINATELY get some support around you for a few days - some people can be very blase about it but I did find that I really needed people around me, and I needed to be able to do nothing

[MrsMerryHenry]

Thanks for your advice, girls. Bathsheba, I think I'll be like you - there's such a small likelihood that anything will go wrong but I already feel bad about putting my vulnerable child at even such a small risk. Perhaps I should put it into the context of all the everyday 'risks' I take (crossing the road, travelling by car, etc) - though tbh I'm not sure that rationalising will make a difference to how I feel!

tinker - what's CVS? Is it something you had recently?

Things change so quickly - when I was preg with DS (now 3) the nuchal folds scan at 20 weeks was used to determine the likelihood of Down's. Now in 3 short years that's already become obsolete.

[janinlondon]

The 1% risk is from very old data. In those days lots of the procedures were done without ultrasound guidance. The risk is very much lower now.

[MrsMerryHenry]

Oh, interesting jan - where'd you hear that? You are making me feel much better!

[blowninonabreeze]

I had an amnio 3 years ago with DD1 following a 1:20 downs risk from the triple test.

The risk varies according to the practitioner and the national average is irrelevent.

CVS is a similar procedure where cells are obtained from the lacenta rather than amniotic fluid. It has the advantage of being possible to perform at an earlier gestation, but the disadvantages are that it carries a slightly higher miscarriage risk.

In terms of actual procedure, it was a non-event, no worse than a blood test, I had the procedure on a Thursday, had Friday off work, was at a wedding on the sat and back at work on teh Monday.

Back then (3 years ago) the full results took 2 weeks to obtain but we could pay (£150 IIRC) to have the results for down and edwards fast tracken and we had them within 48 hours.

Best of luck

[MrsMerryHenry]

blownin, I could hug you. My risk is 1 in 40, and when I asked for the national average for women of my age I was a bit (it's about 1:350-odd).

[flybynight]

I had an amnio with my third - odds were 1:200, (should have been closer to 1:725) not low odds but I'd been told the day before that my 2yr old was probably autistic and would need full assessment. I decided I had to know for sure about one of the two of them.

The test was physically fine, but I found it emotionally distressing. Had to drive myself home, in tears all the way! Paid extra for the FISH test that got results in 48 hrs.

My odds with this pregnancy were much better so no amnio required, but I would have done it again without hesitation, if I felt I needed too.

Its not an easy decision to make, but I'm sure what ever you decide will be right for you.

[tinkerbellesmuse]

I had the CVS in August. The CVS takes the cells from the placenta rather than amniotic fluid. I was told that the risk was 1%, like the amnio. I don't know why I had that over the amnio as although you can in theory have the CVS earlier (I believe from 9 weeks) I was 21 weeks when I had it done.