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Antenatal tests

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Original poster

Echogenic bowel at 17 weeks

6 replies

midlifehope · 09/04/2015 19:20

Had a scan at 17 weeks which picked up echogenic bowel - a soft marker. To late for nf translucency test, and quad blood tests are not back yet.

Midwife said not to worry too much as on its own it's not dog footage however, I am tott stressed which I'm sure is affecting the baby. Googling has brought up lots of worrying things. I have 10 whole days until my 20 week scan. Please help!!

OP posts:

SaggyAndLucy · 09/04/2015 23:39

Step away from Google. That is the best advice anyone can. give you right now!
hang in there. x

Wednesbury · 10/04/2015 10:28

I tried to post last night but looks like my post didn't go through.

I had this at my 18 week scan along with choroid plexus cysts on the baby's brain. I had the Harmony test which came back with a low risk of the trisomies.

Baby DS was born on Christmas Eve and is completely fine and healthy if that's any reassurance, the most likely explanation is that he swallowed blood from a bleed earlier in the pregnancy which shows up as dense ie white in the scan.

I remember how very scary that time was. The pregnancy was very stressful. I hope you have a good outcome too. The most likely cause I was told was swallowed blood which is harmless.

Original poster

midlifehope · 11/04/2015 14:05

That is very reassuring - how to you get the harmony test? Do you have to be referred?

OP posts:

Tiredstressed · 11/04/2015 20:23

It takes about 2 weeks for Harmony results. You can be referred by the NHS in some circumstances or it is available privately if you are willing and able to pay. It will test for the trisomies but not all conditions. Try not to worry (I know it is easier said than done). All may have righted itself by the next scan.

Tiredstressed · 11/04/2015 20:24

Oh yes - do step away from Google!

marsala28 · 14/04/2015 18:16

Sorry for the extra stress! At our 20 week scan the echogenic bowel came up as well, which really upset us as we'd had a previous pregnancy that was tfmc. Fortunately by this 20 week scan we'd already done the Harmony test so we knew Down's wasn't really an issue.

It was still really scary though, I was told that it could be due to a range of things, from the baby swallowing blood from an internal bleed to toxoplasmosis (we have cats and were seriously considering getting rid of them!) to cystic fibrosis. The last possibility was very frightening, which of course it would be for anyone but we'd already been through one problematic pregnancy so I was so upset over this.

We both got tested for cystic fibrosis, that was eventually ruled out but only after a 2 week wait which was agonising. They then followed up with scans every 4 weeks for awhile which showed the blood diminishing more and more. Eventually it went away, so it's assumed that it was just an internal bleed. I have now have a very happy and healthy 18 month old!

I really hope everything goes well with your next scan!

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