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Antenatal tests

Are you automatically offered a CVS if you are in a high risk group?

18 replies

Numberfour · 06/08/2011 22:44

I am 45 and now unexpectedly find myself pregnant: 6 +5. I saw my GP on 22 July but have not heard anything yet regarding a booking in appointment with a midwife. I will want a CVS test done but I do not know if I will be offered it as a matter of course or will I have to request it?
I am in Surrey, near Guildford. Has anyone had CVS in this area? Which hospital? Did you have to have it done privately?

So worried...............

OP posts:

Report

misty0 · 07/08/2011 16:43

Hello!
Congratulations xx

I think in my area the first MW appt. was at 8 weeks ish. You may have to make that appt. yourself through the GPs receptionist. I did.

If you have no history of health probs with previous babys i expect you will be given an opportunity to have your first scan at 13 weeks. This can be either be simply for dating, or if you wish they will check for anomolys which could indicate a problem with baby. Given your age (im 43 btw :) and went through all this in January this year) they will pay particular attention to checking for chromasonal problems. They will also check your bloods. You will then be given a 'risk factor'. Based on this you can then decide on wether to go on and ask for an invasive test, like CVS (up to 14 weeks) which although gives an accurate idea of babys health, will carry a small risk of mc. Usually between 1 in every 100 or 200, depending on the clinic.

Good luck numberfour, let us know how you get on xx

Numberfour · 07/08/2011 17:43

Thanks so much for your reply, Misty0. I will ring the MW tomorrow and arrange the appointment. I want to have a CVS test so will push for an earlier scan than 13 weeks.

OP posts:

misty0 · 07/08/2011 21:07

You're welcome

The whole 'first scan/decide about CVS' window IS very short. I had my scan slightly late at 13+3 and had no idea how rushed everything would then be to get to CVS, adding on the wait, then, for the results of course. No body seems to tell you anything like this in advance - and its hard to ask the right questions at the begining when you dont know what you dont know! If you know what i mean!?

In hindsight i too would have had a slightly earlier scan. The thing is though that 13 weeks plus is the optimum time to look for problems with baby by scan. (was told this by a private consultant). On the NHS you cant choose your scan date either - you'll just be sent an appt. Definately have a word with your MW about this and say your concerned about getting your scan in plenty of time. Dont be put off.

xx

milkysmum · 07/08/2011 21:15

Hi. I am in a 'high risk cat' for different reasons to youself so with my previous two babies have booked my midwife appointment eaarly- 7-8 weeks and requested an early dating scan- about 9-10 weeks, then had CVS done at 11 weeks. I was already under the genetic counsellig service as am a carrier of a chromosone disorder so don't know whether this means it would be different to your cirscumstances? if your sure you are going to want the CVS done though it is worth getting the appointments booked as soon as possible though so you can get the actual CVS done at 11 weeks

PacificDogwood · 07/08/2011 21:21

Do get your appointment with the MW sorted out ASAP.

I had access to the local Recurring Miscarriage Clinic which offered serial early 'reassurance' scan, so I was 'in the system' from about 6 weeks onwards.

Due to a genetic problem I carry I knew I wanted CVS as early as technically possible which was offered in the hospital I attended from 10 weeks. The further on you are, the more the MC risk falls, though.

I had DS4 aged 44 and would have certainly not had it declined on age reasons alone - I don't think that anybody will 'offer' it to you as such as my experience was that everybody went out of their way to explain the risks and what it could and couldn't detect, but left the decision entirely up to us.

FWIW, I had CVS x3, amnio x1, no related MCs and 4 healthy DSs .
Very best of luck to you.

Numberfour · 07/08/2011 21:38

Thanks so much for the replies! I feel quite at sea at the moment. I will ring the GP's surgery tomorrow to get a midwife to call back.

I am quite certain that I want a CVS done so even if the hospitals in my area do not do it, I will have it done privately.

OP posts:

Numberfour · 08/08/2011 15:49

I have my booking in appointment on Wed 17 Aug at 5pm! Will be 8 +2 by then. I rang the GP's reception and was told that I had to make the appointment myself - so thanks for the advice. I really wish I could fast forward a few weeks to get the CVS over and done with.

The waiting is horrendous. I have convinced myself that there is no chance of there being a baby and that I will have to terminate. This really is my absolute last chance. DH did not want more (we were careless!) and if this did not work out, I have no doubt he will do all things possible to prevent another "accident".

OP posts:

misty0 · 08/08/2011 16:44

Oh, numberfour, bless. Tell us about yourself? How many children have you got? Once things are well underway DH will warm to it all i'm sure.

I have 3 daughters (youngest 13) but am divorced from their father. Long boring story. My partner has no children of his own - and is a lovely step dad to the girls. We decided to try for a baby and 'see what happened' (!?) and when i fell pg in Jan i was shocked tbh, but soooo happy. We sadly had to terminate in April, and now ttc has taken over my life in a way i'm hating!

I totally empathise with that 'last chance feeling' is what i'm trying to say numberfour.

Well done for getting rhe ball rolling with your MW though ... you're off the starting blocks!

xx

PacificDogwood · 08/08/2011 21:44

Oh good, things have moved on for your.

The waiting is just horrendous. Distraction and chocolate is the key IMO .

V best of luck!

misty0 and good luck, too!

Numberfour · 09/08/2011 06:44

Pacificdogwood, I am interested to read from your post that CVS is offered from 10 weeks in some hospitals. I will have to have it done privately if it is not offered where I am.

Misyty0, I have one DS aged 6yrs 10 months. I had a horrible pregnancy and hated every minute of it, plus an extended third degree tear when he was born and I was too quick for pain relief. His birth was very traumatic and on top of that, DH and I had no real family around and we had just moved house so I did not know many people at all. The first year was a foogy, awful struggle!

Things are lots better now. We have many more friends and I childmind which makes childcare easier (knowing other CMs and having made friends that way). The problem is that DH does not really want any more kids. He will not ask me to terminate for that reason, but would not stop me. However, he is becoming quite concerned about how I am feeling so I do think that he is getting used to the idea! We want to wait til the CVS is done before we tell our son.

I dare not hope that everything is okay because I have always wanted more kids. I think if this does not work out, then that will be it. Shop's closed!

OP posts:

PacificDogwood · 09/08/2011 16:26

I was quoted a risk of MC of 1:50 for early CVS, and 1:100 for amnio after 15 weeks. This of course includes the 'natural' MC rate ie lots of pregnancies MC before 12 weeks even when not interfered with.

My consultant who did all 4 of my tests is now Professor for Fetal Medicine so knew a thing or 5 about these things and although not officially quoted I know his actual MC rate was much lower. I was looked after in a Tertiary Referral Centre for Obstetrics/Fetal Medicine. It happened to be my local hospital at the time, but would have been the place I'd've ended up at anyway after the problems I had.

Is it not offered at all where you are?? Or would they prefer you waited for amnioscentesis to be possible?

I do know what you mean about this 'now or never' feeling - I had my first at 37 after 5 years of trying and 3 MCs. Little did I know I would end up with 4 DSs .

I am keeping everything crossed for you: not just because you of course want this pregnancy to turn into a baby, but also because I think you'd find you'll enjoy looking after a new baby in a totally different way, having done it before. Also the age gap there'd be between you DD and this bean would make it easy to enjoy the baby stage (no insane toddler to keep safe ).

I am now 45 and my shop is just SOOOOO closed, like you wouldn't believe....

V best of luck x.

Catslikehats · 09/08/2011 16:37

numberfour congratulations.

The Royal Surrey don't do CVS but will give you an early dating scan so that they can refer you to st. Georges. I wanted a CVS due to being high risk and was able to get scanned at RS and referred to St. Georges and have my CVS at 9+5.

The midwife that coordinates the scans at RS is called Florence and she was a gem. My MW got me to call her direct and everything was arranged within a few days.

Good Luck.

Catslikehats · 09/08/2011 16:42

Oh and I should add although the CVS was at my request no one ever questioned it and went out of their way to facilitate it.

Numberfour · 10/08/2011 08:10

Pacific, your post has given me a lump in my throat!! Bloody hell! better reply more later xxx
TheQueen, thanks for the info. I had replied to yours post last night but it has slipped into the Bermuda Triangle it seems.
Pacific - no idea of they do CVS at St Peters where I would probably be sent. That's one of the reasons why I asked here. If all else fails I will do it privately the The London Ultrasound Clinic, I think.

OP posts:

Catslikehats · 10/08/2011 08:28

Numberfour - If you are near Guildford why not go to the Royal Surrey, as I say they are very good generally as well as specifically? I am pretty sure you will find that St. Peters doesn't do the CVS and like RS refers patients to London although I have a feeling St.P's refer to St. Thomas.

I can also recommend the London Ultrasound clinic. Dr. Maxwell saw me when problems were identified with my DS2 and later referred me back on the NHS to his colleague Dr. Kyle (at St. Thomas's) who did a CVS at 22 weeks. I later lost my son and they were both very very kind (as well as being very good at their jobs).

Wishing you luck.

Catslikehats · 10/08/2011 08:29

just to clarify that is not to say that Royal Surry and St Peters don't offer the CVS - they do, they just don't do it in their hospitals they refer you to London, if that makes sense.

Numberfour · 10/08/2011 09:12

Ah, okay, thanks! at least now I know that I will have to book a day off as will DH. Thanks, Queen. Really sorry for your loss.

This baby making thing can be so very very hard. I am a childminder and landed up telling one of my mums yesterday. When she dropped off her DD today, I started crying.

So wish the waiting was over.

I really appreciate everyone's advice and support. DH does not want to talk much about it.

OP posts:

Catslikehats · 10/08/2011 10:14

Thank you and you're right it is hard.

The waiting is awful but take it one step at a time.

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