Low Risk Combined, still worried

[CarlottaJo]

Hello All,

I'm 34, having my first baby, had my first scan and screening tests at 13+1, my combined screening risk came back at a Downs risk of 1:468, I know this officially puts me in the low risk category but I can't help but worry when I seem to know so many people who get risks in the thousands. My NT was 2.8mm which I think has made the risk higher. Just looking for some reassurance and hand holding really, unfortunately I suffer with anxiety and this seems to have set it off a bit. X

Hi OP, I can totally relate. Although my low risk result came back a bit lower than yours (as in lower risk) its so difficult not to make comparisons with those that seem to get 1 in tens of thousands! Your risk factor by age alone would be 1:460 so really your results are bang on perfect for a 34 year old so that's good.

Someone said to me imagine a room with 468 women and only one of them will get bad news... and therefore unlikely to be you. Another way of looking at is that you've got a 99.8% chance of having a baby without Down's syndrome. That also sounds pretty good :)

I think, in my case, my worries about this were much more related to the general anxiety I am feeling about pregnancy on the whole and honestly no result would have ever been that reassuring.. it's my frame of mind that I have to work on not my blood results. Not saying that's the case with you but pregnancy is such a stressful time. Chances are your baby is perfectly fine.

Take care and good luck with your pregnancy.

Thank you @HeyJupiter, I appreciate the time you took to reply. My reaction to this has definitely made me think my anxiety is becoming an issue again, and when I look back on the last few weeks it's always been something.....First that I wasn't actually pregnant, then that there would be no heartbeat, then a missed miscarriage, now this! I just want to be able to relax and enjoy x

I completely empathise CarlottaJo, if you could see my internet search history over the last few months (I'm 17+5 now) it involves everything from ectopic pregnancy to 'daily likelihood of miscarriage' and cervical incompetence. I'm my own worst enemy.

My advice would be to stop googling. I've actively tried not to for the last few weeks and it does help get things into perspective. Whatever your anxiety you are always going to find something to confirm it online (even if you read reams and reams to the contrary) so its ultimately unhelpful and rarely reassuring. One day at a time and don't be scared to ask for support from family and friends.

I've become a bit more accepting of the 'what will be will be' attitude over the last week or so. Ultimately this is all out of our control and we can either go with it or try really hard to grasp onto something that we can't stop happening if nature wants it to. Take care of yourself. Ultimately if you feel that you're anxiety has crossed into something debilitating and uncontrollable then a trip to the GP might be a good idea x