Low papp-a

[Grumpy19]

Hi.
I have just been told I have low papp-a, 3.6.
I was low risk for downs syndrome though.

Panicking a bit to say the least. Anyone else have experience of this?

Thanks x

I had low papp-a with my last pregnancy. Although googling it made me slightly anxious, the consultant and midwives were not concerned. Aspirin is usually prescribed and extra scans offered to check growth. What advice has been offered to you? Everything turned out fine, by the way, and my baby was most decidedly not small!

I don't understand all the pappa figures, mine at 13 weeks was 0.83 ? I'm currently 33 +1 now baby is a little small as in short but the head and stomach etc are in the middle line

I have to take 150mg of aspirin a day. Also, I will have growth scans at 28, 32 and 36 weeks.

I have a midwife appointment at the hospital tomorrow to go through.

Hi, I had low papp a (0.37). Like you I panicked after googling and fearing the worst. I took 150mg of aspirin throughout my pregnancy and had regular growth scans. These all showed a small baby, however my son was born at term a healthy 7lbs 8oz. There's a support group on fb for women with low papp a that I joined that was a real source of support and advice. I think it's called low papp a pregnancy support group. Research into low papp a is relatively new and most women tend to have normal pregnancies.

I was told at 12 weeks that my Papp-a was low at 0.24, so pretty low compared to some of the other posters. My trust doesn’t recommend aspirin for this, so all that was different was growth scans at 28,32 and 36 weeks. 28 week one was cancelled due to Covid, but 32 week scan showed baby was BIG! To the point that I was tested for GD. Came back negative, so just a big baby! I’m 35 weeks now and they just keep telling me to keep a close eye on baby’s movements. I don’t think that low Papp-a is the horror story it’s portrayed to be as long as you are vigilant and get checked out if you’re worried about anything. I hope you’re able to enjoy your pregnancy x

Thanks for your replies @Liveforholidays and @TaVeryMuchLove
I am feeling a bit more positive. Trying to focus on the fact that I will recieve extra monitoring etc.
I am 14 weeks now and beginning to feel movements (4th child) so that is hopefully going to be reassuring and something I myself can monitor.
X

I had low Papp A - was high risk from combineds but CVS proved nothing wrong there. Baby was 5+1 early but otherwise perfectly happy and healthy! Nearly 2 now ❤️

My low Papp-a baby arrived on Friday at 39 weeks. He was nearly 8lbs and absolutely no issues whatsoever x

I have just found i also have low papp-a. I am 13 weeks. How are you doing @Grumpy19?

Thanks for your positive posts @TaVeryMuchLove and @bornninthe80s. It's very reassuring.
@marriageoftrueminds I'm ok. I'm actually having a bit of a wobble at the moment as I have my anomaly scan on Tuesday and that is making me nervous but this is just pure anxiety rather than based on anything concrete.
I'm bruising a lot from taking aspirin daily though.
Are you taking aspirin and getting extra scans?

Bless you. I hope the scan goes well.

I literally only just found out (yes, they phoned me on a Sunday night - 'it's about your screening results ' - i nearly passed out!) but yes they will prescribe aspirin, and extra scans after 30 weeks. My figure was 4 - which is the exact cut off so I am only borderline - but papp-a testing is new to my NHS Trust (Orkney) so she said they want to be cautious.

@marriageoftrueminds yes, I had the, 'I'm phoning about your screening results..' opener which made me feel so sick it took a while to listen to her!
I'll let you know if tomorrow's scan throws up anything.

Thanks. Yes I had a very uncomplicated first pregnancy (although i worried constantly regardless ) so I really wasn't prepared for it! Still it's good they look out for these things of course.

Good luck, I really hope (and am sure) it will go well for you tomorrow

@Grumpy19

Good luck with your scan tomorrow x

Hello, just wanted to let you know that I had a nice 'normal ' scan and all looks well with baby. 🥰

Fab news! 😊

Great! So pleased!

Hi, I'm glad your scan went well. I've just received my Papp - a at .38 and feel like someone's just knocked me off course. Does it make the rest of the pregnancy quite stressful?

Hi @coffeeandjuice.
I think it whether the low papp-a makes pregnancy stressful is debatable. For me, it's been a combination of low papp-a, underactive thyroid, 3rdVbac , a bleed at 12 weeks (no known cause) and an anterior placenta which has got to me.
My previous pregnancies were relatively easy going (until actual labour) so it's felt like one thing after another!
On the up side, I'm having at least 3 extra scans, extra consultant appointments and extra midwife appointments so I am feeling very closely looked after!
It was a shock at first and very easy to google and terrify yourself!
Hope you a feeling ok. X

After my 12 week scan I was told I had low Papp-A (can't remember now but around 0.30) so pretty low as far as the results go. I had extra growth scans as a result and although he was always tracking small (around bottom 10%) there was never any concerns and both me and my partner are small so I wasn't expecting a big baby!

While the low Papp A result can be a bit of a shock, from what I understand a low Papp A number MAY be associated with a smaller baby, preterm labour etc, so the chances are it won't have an impact on your pregnancy. I had several friends who had low Papp A and babies were born full term and good weights.

I actually did go into labour at 35+4 weeks although whether that had anything to do with my Papp-A who knows (I'm waiting for my placenta results which was taken away at birth for testing - routine with preterm births apparently) but everything is fine. The only thing I took from this is to pack your hospital bag before 35 weeks 🙈

Just an update for anybody who is going through similar. I had my first growth scan earlier this week (28 weeks) and baby is on the middle line for growth and all seems fine.

An update from me too - I've been on baby aspirin since my diagnosis of low Papp-a. I had my 30 week growth scan and baby is far from small- in fact so big I had a glucose tolerance test (which came back fine). Hope everyone is also doing well x

My 2nd had low papp-a. Had aspirin, extra scans, he measured big throughout. Couple of reduced movements episodes and floating around 95th centile so induced at 38+2 and was a solid 8lbs with chunky shoulders.

Is now 2 and a big cheeky trouble maker into everything.

Old thread but hopefully some of you are still floating around! How much aspirin were you advised to take? I’ve been told 75g by the screening lead at the epu and 150g by my midwife. Seems the guidance varies depending on nhs trusts as well! 🤷‍♀️

My trust didn’t advise taking aspirin at all, so yes, it really varies!