I was missed to take a blood test for down syndrome on my 13weeks.

[Busybee0228]

I am living in Edinburgh and It was a first trimester test yesterday for me.I took the first ultrasound screening then the sonographer told me there is not a phlebotomist at the centre I was in yesterday so I am supposed to contact midwife asap to book an appointment for down syndrome blood test. I try to reach my midwife during 24 hours and left messages twice so far. No respond, No call back still.
I am on my 13weeks and 4 days. As fas as know, the blood test for down syndrome must be done before 14 weeks for its accuracy of the result later. It goes down to 75% after 15weeks following google result I did. I am so worried about this frustrating process.
I have also tried to contact maternity unit at royal infirmary in Edinburgh however they also answer by voice record. lol.
Should I call to my GP? How many days or hours should I wait for?
Can I call emergency maternity centre? or?
How people here manage this kind of lack of communication during pregnancy. and how a phlebotomist is not ready there to check all those pregnant women who will require a blood test?
I feel speechless. Is there some one who could give any advice to handle this situation? perhaps better just go to private ... ?

I would leave urgent messages and yes contact doc as well..

I contact to my GP, a receptionist there is nothing they can help about it.
and I am leaving of course urgent messages.

I'm not sure if it works differently in Scotland (I live in SE England) but here you get asked if you want the downs screening blood test at your booking in appointment and then if you do (I chose not too) the midwife just takes an extra vial of blood when they are doing your first set of blood tests for your iron levels/hiv status etc.

Hopefully, it's all been a big miscommunication and the sonographer only asked because you didn't have your blood test results with you...mine turned up in the post a few days after my 12 week scan.

But yes, keep phoning the midwife...she'll be the one who knows most.

I would look in to a private test if you can afford it - they'll be able to see you promptly, unlike the NHS.

I understand you want the blood test but how was your scan as this is actually a large part of the screening. An experienced sonographer can identify structural markers of chromosomal abnormalities so hopefully was able to provide some reassurance at that point.

But keep going with your midwife - do you k ow if they have a clinic on a particular day at your surgery? If so can you just turn up on that day?

It should have been done at ur scan. I'm in Glasgow and both pregnancies the test has been at my 12 wk scan. Def keep chasing them. Even see if u can pop in and speak to someone if ur not getting anywhere.

Would you terminate if the results showed a high chance?

If not then although it feels urgent, it isn't really.

Thank you for all the replay above

@Paraballa
Yes, I am near the age of 40 so...I am aware of the risk to have a baby with down syndrome. If I have a bad result from blood test supported by NHS, I will check again with private service such as Harmony or Panorama for sure 99% then we will make a right decision. Better will be sooner in any case I suppose. You don't think so?

I finally made a contact to my midwife after called every department and sending emails to related the first trimester test in Edinburgh and made an appointment for tomorrow.

However the process was really frustrating and what the midwife did was only booking my blood test in a min after calling at the same place I attended for scan yesterday!

Why do I need a person only for a booking even without any special consulting or advise? (Even not able to answer on time) Why isn't there automatic computer system to put a patient name on the asap time list as a phlebotomist was not ready for me, not my fault!

It was a stupid feeling to experience this process and this level of public service.
(You know, it seems like free but public service is not actually free. We pay for nhs or?) Because this is actually not a complicated problem or special step but my right to check very basic test as a pregnant woman. I surprised how this kinds of simple basic system is not well set up for the people.

And in Scotland, you are not given any text able phone number and I do not get any of information about the midwife's visiting time to my clinic. (I heard in England it works)

I desperately hope my least of journey for becoming a mother is not worse than this.

Thank for all of you who wrote reply again!

Busybee yes I do agree

Not everyone would terminate so I thought I'd ask. Sometimes we get in a tizz about stuff unnecessarily but I can see that's not the case for you.

I would call the hospital and speak to a consultant midwife or the head of community midwives. They should be named on the website do you can ask by name.

I would arrange a Harmony test privately. There are places all over Edinburgh that do them. You could probably arrange a test for tomorrow and have the results back within a week which, realistically, is as soon as you’d get this from the NHS on a good day.
This happened to me (dates were all wrong) and they told me just to wait til 20 weeks and see what was what then