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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you'd get the harmony test in these circumstances?

35 replies

maddiie3 · 15/02/2019 14:45

One in 655 for Down's syndrome
One in 834 for Edwards and Pataus
Low PAPP-A
2.2mm NT
Age 23

DH has said he's happy to pay for the harmony for my piece of mind, but it is a lot of money and it would be going on a credit card. Midwife isn't worried and was very vague about low PAPP-A could mean. I went into the appointment expecting my odds for everything to be in the tens of thousands, so I'm just thrown and upset and fearing the worst. Am I being over emotional, or would you get the Harmony test in these circumstances?

OP posts:
Oysterbabe · 15/02/2019 14:50

I wouldn't. That's still very low risk and the NT is normal.

MynameisJune · 15/02/2019 14:53

We got 1 in 1100, NT 2.1mm but decided to go for the harmony test because I wanted to know either way. Yes it’s still low risk but it was a higher risk than I expected. Harming test came back clear.

NChangeForNoReason · 15/02/2019 14:54

Take it - put ur mind at rest!!

Darkstar4855 · 15/02/2019 15:37

Would you terminate the pregnancy if the baby had one of these syndromes?

If yes then I would go for Harmony so you get a definite answer asap.

If not then I wouldn’t spend money on Harmony as the odds are very low and 20 week scan should hopefully give you reassurance that everything looks ok.

Megan2018 · 15/02/2019 15:47

Yes. But I’d have it with any result as I want a far greater level of accuracy than the NHS can provide. Mine is next week.

I don’t think your results warrant it though, so it is probably unnecessary.

bengalcat · 15/02/2019 15:52

I wouldn’t but you’re clearly worried as although results are low risk the screening risk is clearly greater than you were expecting so for the peace of your mind if he’s offering then why not . Low Papp - a just means an increased but still low risk of a smaller baby so you’ll get some extra scans during pregnancy to keep an eye on your baby’s growth for reassurance .

MrsTerryPratcett · 15/02/2019 15:54

I wouldn't terminate for Downs and therefore wouldn't bother.

Onescaredmuma · 15/02/2019 15:56

I think the harmony test is NHS now when I had it they told me it would be by April last year. I found it very reassuring after DS came back with a 1:26 chance of down syndrome. I wanted to know to prepare myself but did not want to risk him or spend my pregnancy stressing about it. I also got to find out he was a boy at 12 weeks!! Although personally I wouldn't in your case dd2 was 1:350 and I didn't worry.

Original poster
maddiie3 · 15/02/2019 15:56

Can someone explain how the harmony results work? The woman I spoke to said it's still odds but it'll be 1 in tens of thousands, but what if you were that one, how would they reflect that? What's a high risk result from the harmony? I don't understand

OP posts:
MynameisJune · 15/02/2019 16:01

When I had mine I was told that eventually this test would yield a yes or no answer. At the minute it’s about as close as you can get.

I was told by the person doing my test that If it comes back low risk then it’s 99.9% that baby isn’t affected. If it comes back as high risk then it’s 99.9% that baby is affected.

FiveRedBricks · 15/02/2019 16:06

Is Harmony just the NIPT? I would be getting it as standard with every future pregnancy I may have. I would trust the NIPT results more than the current ones offered for downs etc.

I 'would' terminate for downs though and the NIPT can be done much earlier so the termination would be much earlier on in the pregnancy. That is really the reason why I would have the NIPT.

TortoiseLettuce · 15/02/2019 16:06

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

FiveRedBricks · 15/02/2019 16:07

The odds are basically a yes or no result OP. They test the foetal DNA in your blood.

MakeLemonade · 15/02/2019 16:08

I probably would yes, your overall risk is low but it’s higher than I’d be comfortable at the age of 23.

The Harmony test is highly accurate with a low margin of error, I think it’s worth doing as long as it won’t cause financial problems.

babysleep4 · 15/02/2019 16:19

I had a 1 in 450 for downs. I didn't find out about harmony test until too late into pregnancy but I was worried the while time. I would get it if I got pregnant again.

Auramigraine · 15/02/2019 16:27

It’s hard because it depends if you would terminate for the conditions.....
I think those odds are quite high for your age tbh so if it puts your mind at rest I would take the test in a heartbeat..... I had a DS pregnancy (miscarried before I had decided what to do) I was 28, BUT my NT was 6.5mm so they knew straight away something wasn’t right and I had a CVS there and then, I hadn’t even had my bloods done yet to see what the numbers would have been. With my pregnancy afterwards my blood work came back 1 in 10,000 at 29 years old and all was fine (just to add I did also have a CVS again as I needed certainty that all was ok)

If you have any doubts just have the test, if you are gonna worry then go for it x

JasperKarat · 15/02/2019 16:28

That's still pretty low, but if it's going to make you stressed for the next six months the test might be worth the money. I'd try and listen to the midwife. For comparison there is a 1 in 500 risk of anyone being born with eleven or more fingers and toes (so more likely than your odds) and we don't even think about it.

Cookit · 15/02/2019 16:47

Yes I would, but I got it before the nuchal scan for this pregnancy anyway.

Legally they have to just give you a percentage probability but I think they always come out at 1/10,000 (ie the baby is not affected) or 99/100 (a positive). I think in rare cases a probability such as 1/4 has come out where there has been twins or something.

There are actually several tests not just Harmony and though Harmony and all of them are pretty much 100% for Downs (I think they all say >99%, pretty much for legal reasons) I don’t think harmony is as accurate for pateaus and Edwards so I’d look into which NIPT test you could get locally that is as accurate or close to for these trisomies as it is for Downs.

Original poster
maddiie3 · 15/02/2019 17:18

Thanks all. Going to get the harmony done next week. Better safe than sorry

OP posts:
MynameisJune · 15/02/2019 17:23

NIPT is just the general name for tests like the Harmony it stands for Non-invasive prenatal tests. Harmony is the brand name as such, there are many but Harmony is probably the most popular and therefore one of the most proven.

Notthisyear · 15/02/2019 17:33

“Better safe than sorry” is a strange phrase to use in this difficult situation. I assume you mean than be sorry to end up with a baby with DS. That’s obviously your personal decision but don’t assume everyone would be sorry with that outcome.

Original poster
maddiie3 · 15/02/2019 17:35

@Notthisyear Seeing as I'm talking about myself and not everyone that's a bit of a jump really. It's a personal choice, I would not continue, it's as simple as that. What other people do is their business.

OP posts:
PQ77 · 15/02/2019 17:40

From what you’ve said it sounds like your decision is the right one for you. Good luck

iolaus · 15/02/2019 17:46

So you have a 0.0015% chance of having a baby with down syndrome
A 0.0011% chance of having a baby with Edwards or Pataus

If harmony tests are 99.9% accurate there is a 0.001% chance they are wrong - the same odds you already have - so would you really be reassured?

Also what would you do if it came back that your baby had one of these conditions? Would it make a difference to your plans (I'm not expecting you to tell anyone on here) because if it wouldn't is there any point

PurpleFlower1983 · 15/02/2019 17:46

I would have done the same. Good luck!