Echogenic bowels / bright bowels 20 week scan - Worried.

[frolicmum]

Hi there,

I had my 20 week scan and I bow have a consultant ultrasound appointment booked at 24 weeks, my husband and I have to have bloods drawn tomorrow.

Anyone had this and it all turned out to be fine? Apart from that, no abnormalities on the scan. He just looked perfect and I love him so much already.

Bumping just in case x

Not had anything similar just wanted to send my love and that I really pray this stage of testing brings you good news, keep positive and I’m sure some of the ladies will be able to share their stories.

Xxx

Thank you @Bbf25010320 I appreciate it.

It might be worth sharing that I did have the harmony test already at 12 weeks which rules out any of those chromosomal abnormalities.

One more bump just in case x

Someone in my antenatal class when I was pregnant with DS had bright bowel show up on the scan. All was completely fine but I don't know anymore details.

Hi, I've had this at my 20 week scan in November and like you I was absolutely terrified because they weren't very clear with what it meant. Especially because it was a late scan in the day and we were talking to the consultant then at about 6pm.
My partners family have a history of cystic fibrosis which is one soft marker of a bright bowel so my mind went straight to this.
But we were referred to fetal medicine the week after and were told most of the time this turns out to be nothing. That baby might have swollowed blood. I had bloods taken for infection and me and my partner were both tested for CF. My infection bloods were clear and after a few stressful weeks, it came back my partner was a carrier for CF but I am not. I think you both need to be carriers for the baby to have a chance of having it. We are due back in fetal medicine in two weeks time to have another scan. My bloods at 12 weeks for chromosomal abnormalities came back low risk so the consultant noted this. It's very stressful time but I'm hoping baby will be OK and trying to be positive. Like you, everything else was good. As the consultant said most of the time it dissappears and is nothing. There's loads of posts on here about echogenic bowels which have helped me feel a bit better. Hoping everything works out for you

Sorry only just seen this but I had this picked up on my 20 week scan in the summer. Was referred to fetal medicine unit for more scans with a consultant and she said that the bowel in her opinion was fine now. She said that often the bowel can just look more bright. Quite common in more petite ladies as the scan can see more prominent/defined apparently, or it can often be where the baby has swallowed old blood and it's showing in the bowel. Anyhow for us the bowel by the time we were seen by the fetal medicine team was not showing as normal ana my dd is now 7 weeks and fine

Yes, I had this with DC1. He was fine and it turned out to be nothing.

We had tests for cystic fibrosis (found out I’m a carrier but DH not) and had genetic counselling as a result of that because the negative results are only 80% accurate.

The other potential things causing it were downs, Edwards and Pataus which you have had ruled out by the harmony test.

Then he was tested for a few viruses but again turned out to be negative.

The only other thing they considered was a twisted bowel loop which would have required a little operation at birth. In the end he was induced early because they wanted to see if thats what he had due to some other symptoms but he didn’t have that either.

A very happy ending for us, but it was all so traumatic at the time. Best of luck with it all. Xx

Hi, I have just had my 20 week scan today and been told she has an echogenical bowel. Everything else was fine and I thought she was healthy until the end of the scan which was a horrible shock. Obviously I’m googling all kinds like we all do but I’m making myself sick with worry with the outcomes. How long did you all wait for an appointment from fetal medicine? Would really like some reassurance please as I can’t stop crying thinking the worst.

Hi @Meg13x, I had exactly the same at my 20 week scan and they didn't say until right at the end when I thought everything was OK. I felt exactly the same as you and spent the night and next days googling. I waited 9 days for an appointment. The consultant was very reassuring and said most of the time this turns out to be nothing. He emphasised that many times. After scanning me again and seeing mild echogenic bowel he went through what it could mean. But I think if it was something then other things would show up on the scan aswell. I had a blood test for infection which came back clear, me and my boyfriend had blood tests for cystic fibrosis. He is a carrier but I am not which I think makes it unlikely for baby to have it( from what I've heard both parents need to be carriers for the baby to have a chance of cystic fibrosis) then it's a 1 in 4 chance. My results for downs, Edwards and pataus were low risk and baby was growing well at the time of the scan. Most of the time the reason for the bright bowel is that baby has swollowed some blood and will be fine. They didn't tell me that after the 20 week scan though which caused me and my partner loads of worry and anxiety. I felt better after the scan at fetal medicine but I know what a worrying time it is. I'm back there next Wednesday now for another scan and just hoping everything will be ok.
I looked up echogenic bowel on mumsnet and there's loads of positive stories. I'd suggest that more than googling things which always brings on anxiety.
I'll keep updated on here but try not to worry although I know it's very hard not to x

@Becs14 thanks so much for your reply, really helps to hear other people’s stories. It’s so hard to try and stay positive isn’t it but I suppose it’s a good sign that nothing else showed as abnormal on the scan, really hoping she has just swallowed some blood. It’s just such an anxious wait for the appointment isn’t it, yeah please keep me updated. Hope everything is well for you and baby xx

@Meg13x no problem, it was hearing other stories that helped me after the 20 week scan. Yeah that is definitely good there was nothing else picked up. They're being cautious which is good. I know how worrying it is though. Hoping ours are just one of those things and everything will be ok :) xx

@Becs14 I’m not too worried about the downs and the other 2 as I was tested for them at 12 weeks and they came back low risk even though I know there’s still a risk, it’s more the cystic fibrosis and other things that have got me worried and I’m so scared of losing the baby I really don’t know how I’m gonna cope these next few weeks. She was measuring 19+2 and I am 19+5, they didn’t seem concerned about that but now my mind’s working overtime thinking she’s stopped growing or something. Really wish I could just have all the answers now 😢 please keep me updated on your scan xx

@Meg13x my appointment was for a week after. Remember echogenic bowel is only a soft marker snd if everything else was fine at your 12 week scan and 20'week scan it will probably end up being nothing, try not to worry.

@sarahc336 thanks so much for replying, I’ve spoken to the fetal medicine unit this morning and they’ve asked me to come in 9am Tuesday for a scan and then further testing if required. Hoping for some good news Tuesday xx

@Meg13x good luck, update us as to how you get on. I'm sure it'll be nothing to worry about, if you search the forums it seems quite common

@sarahc336 thank you so much I’m an emotional wreck again today, Tuesday seems so far away even though it’s only a few days away, I’m just praying we get some better news. It does seem more common than I thought but I’ve just got a gut feeling that something is wrong and I can’t shift it. I will update you then thanks again x

@sarahc336 @Becs14 hey ladies, just an update on our baby girl, we had our fetal medicine scan yesterday and they have said all her measurements are perfectly fine, they didn’t find any other abnormalities it’s just the echogenic bowel but they want me to come back at 28 weeks for another scan and said it will have probably gone by then, as long as the tests come back fine they don’t think it’s anything to worry about. Me and her dad had bloods taken to test for cystic fibrosis genes which can take up to 3 weeks to come back and I had some other tests to test for any other infections, said to them i don’t want the amniocentesis test as it can cause a miscarriage and my downsyndrome tests and that came back low risk at 12 weeks so they’re not worried about that really. Feel a lot better after that scan and them explaining things to me, just gotta wait for results now but she looks perfect so far. Thanks for your messages, I’m trying to stay positive now for her. We got a little preview of her in 4d, she loves having her hand by her head and her feet in front of her face 🥰 I can’t wait to kiss those little toes 💗 xx

Aww great news, that's the exact sane news I got and when I went back 2 weeks later it had totally gone so I think you'll find this also applies to your little girl. It was probably some old blood she's swollen that'll just pass through xx

@sarahc336 thank you I’m really hoping so xx

Hello ladies,
I had my 20 week scan last weds and they also found an echogenic bowel they sent me straight to a consultant as he had a space and he scanned and agreed it was the same density as the hip bone ish. Everything else was healthy so I had TORCH bloods done and then a scan at 24 weeks. Please let me know how you ladies get on thank you xxx

@Beccy871418 hey please don’t worry I know it’s hard, it feels like the longest few weeks ever waiting for results after being told that but we’re finally feeling more positive. After weeks of worrying about our baby girl and her echogenic bowel that showed on her 20 week scan, we finally have all the results & all of the tests came back fine. Although, one showed that I’m a carrier of a gene that may cause cystic fibrosis but my boyfriend isn’t (which was a relief as both parents need to have the gene for the baby to have CF) but after the genetics team looked into it they said the gene they found in me it isn’t usually a gene they associate with CF so even if my boyfriend was a carrier as well they are ‘double convinced’ she won’t have CF. We have a private scan booked for next week (24 weeks) as we couldn’t wait to see her again after all of this and then another scan at fetal medicine at 28 weeks to check on her bowel but we can finally forget about the last couple of weeks and just look forward to meeting her! Hope it’s the same outcome for you please try not to worry or stress yourself out I was exactly the same but feel a lot better now, here if you want to ask anything hope you’re okay xxx

Thank you for taking the time to reply @Meg13x I just went into panic mode and I think being in lockdown situation gives me time to worry more 🤦‍♀️ This post has helped reassure me massively though so thanks all please keep updating on your journey and wishing you all healthy babbas 💙💗

@Beccy871418 Hi I've been quietly watching this thread as when we went for our 20 week scan we were also told that baby's bowel was echogenic, everything else with baby looked normal. We were referred to fetal medicine where they did Torch bloods and a blood test for cystic fibrosis. They thankfully both came back clear but it was a worrying time. We have a growth scan at 28 weeks (currently 23 weeks) to check on baby again. Hopefully it's just that baby swallowed a bit of blood. Fingers crossed it's the same for you 🤞💗

Morning and thanks for replying @claire87w my Torch screening all came back negative this morning. I haven’t been tested for cystic fibrosis yet I think that will be based on the scan findings at 24 weeks. I’m feeling a lot happier about it all after this chat so thank you all very much and please keep updating so I can follow you all many thanks xxx