1 in 100 chance for Down's Syndrome

[MermaidMartini]

I am 15 weeks into my first pregnancy. I had the NHS NT scan and blood tests at 13 weeks and came back 1 in 100 for Downs. I just feel really overwhelmed, bewildered and upset. I don't think my husband really gets it. He just says 'So there's a 99% chance everything will be fine.' But as much as I try to be logical and practical about it I just can't stop feeling anxious and scared. I know that if I had a baby with problems, I would completely deal with it and figure it out, but something about knowing I would be bringing somebody into the world who was going to suffer just feels wrong to me. But I can't imagine terminating either, I look at the scans, and it's a baby, a real baby fully formed. I went for a Harmony test yesterday so now have to wait a week for the results and am just praying and praying we get better news, because if we don't I don't know what I'll do.

It is a baby. Your baby. With a 99% chance of not having Downs, and even if it did is it really the end of the world?? How would it suffer? Life would be more challenging certainly but I can think of many many worse conditions, many of which cannot be diagnosed antenatally anyway.

Maybe do some research into Downs and you'll see that many people with it have a great quality of life, go to mainstream school, some live independently as adults. It's far from all bad. Look at all the good things. Your gorgeous baby for starters.

You can cross that bridge if you come to it, but chances are your baby will be perfectly healthy. I was given a 1:85 chance of Downs for DD2 based on the blood results, but the Harmony came back as low risk and she's now a very happy, healthy 7 month old! I know the wait is awful, but try and stay positive. Good luck!

The chances are everything will be absolutely fine but do not worry about a baby with DS suffering. My DS2 has Down Syndrome and hasn't suffered a day in his life - he is totally adored by everyone who meets him (and boy does he know it!!!).