Can anyone give experiences of downs risk in first vs subsequent pregnancies?

[vanessalightyear]

I was 29 in my first pregnancy and got a risk of 1:130 from the combined tests. The nuchal was fine I think, but I had high HCG and low PappA. Went for an amnio and got the all clear.

I am cautiously pregnant again at 33 and would love to swerve the whole stressful experience by going for a Harmony test or similar, and declining the NHS combined tests. Obviously though the cost is a major factor.

Can anyone offer insight as to if there is a correlation between getting a high risk factor in first and second pregnancies?
Also the 10 week £400 package at FMC seems the best deal in terms of getting the 2 scans in addition. Bloods alone in my area are £550. If you have done this would you recommend it/ did you do it again for your second baby even if you weren't aware of high risk?

I'm torn on whether to just have the NHS tests and wait it out hoping for low risk. FMC then becomes much more expensive after 10 weeks and I think I would be out of time to have a surgical termination if it came to that.

[KeepSmiling83]

I had a 1:110 risk in my first pregnancy (I was 27) and like you chose to have an amnio. Luckily everything was fine.

I am pregnant again and had the Harmony test when I was 12 weeks (I couldn't have it any sooner as the only consultant local to me was on holiday when I was 10-12 weeks). The results came back low risk but I have to admit a bit of me wonders if I could still be that 1 especially as a scan has picked up a potential problem. I did have the NHS screening too and that came back low risk as well so in my case just because I was high risk in my first pregnancy didn't mean I was in my second.

[5madthings]

Didn't have tests in first two pregnancies.

Number 3 paid for nuchal and bloods got odds of one in a hundred thousand.

Number 4 again paid for nuchal etc and odds of one in 10,000

Number five paid again and got odds of one in a 850. I wad concerned by the odds last timejust because they weren't as good as previous pregnancies but obviously was still low risk. No further tests and all babies were nt.

[minipie]

I had 1:104 in first preg at 31, had a CVS, all clear. I am pg again at 34 and got 1:5000 (also had harmony for extra peace of mind, all clear).

I don't think there is any correlation as far as I know. In general the risk is of course a bit higher as you get older, but so much depends on the nuchal thickness and bloods which will vary from pg to pg - I don't think high Hcg low PappA last time means you would get the same this time.

Which hospital are you with? Quite a few of the London hospitals are running a scheme where they will give the Harmony for free to anyone who gets a risk of higher than 1:1000.

[Jo178]

I had 1 in 16000 with my daughter who is now 3, I was 37 at the time so a really good result. Though I still worried I could be 'the one'.
I'm now pregnant again and pushing 40 so decided to have the Nifty test done which is very similar to Harmony but a lot cheaper. The results came back negative (in the millions) for all trisomies whereas the NHS tests this time round didn't even give me odds only that I was low risk.
At £295 including a detailed scan it was money well spent to avoid the stress and worry of 'what if?'

[sianihedgehog]

Jo178, where did you get your Nifty test done? I've been looking but can't find it that cheap!