Worrying about downs syndrome at 12 week scan

[LittleloyalMortimore]

Pregnant with my 4th pregnancy after partial molar pregnancy (missed misscariage) and then 2 chemical misscariages. Since been diagnosed with APS- (blood clotting disorder)so on injections and aspirin. Had my 12 week scan yesterday though they measured baby at 13 weeks (we are 98% of our dates) although not too worried because I'm guessing measuring forward is a good thing. Been extremely anxious all pregnancy and can't help worry that baby has downs syndrome due to what I think looks like an increased nuchal translucency (fluid at back of baby's neck). We refused the testing for downs syndrome because there is no way we could not keep this pregnancy but my level of anxiety is through the roof! Been googling normal scan pictures since yesterday and genuinely think I'm driving myself mad! Wondering if people think this looks normal?

• [Pic removed as it contained identifying details]

We refused the testing for downs syndrome because there is no way we could not keep this pregnancy
This really stood out to me. I would go the other way and want all the testing so I could be as prepared as possible to face the situation informed and as ready as possible. And to help your anxiety would it help to have the test?

The measurements they look for are tiny so no-one can tell you for sure - but my goodness that's a beautiful scan and it looks perfect to me!

Would you consider the NIPT since it doesn't carry the risk of miscarriage but might help reassure you or allow you to prepare?

Ridiculous to ask us when you declined the proper testing, I am sorry to say. It's hard but you owe it to your future child to get your head in order and ask for the screening to be done.

I may be wrong but I thought that even though you refuse the testing they will flag anything that concerns them on the scan.

This. I would have kept DD's pregnancy had it been positive but I still wanted to know. Preparation is great.

There’s no point worrying about it if you made a point of refusing testing. I’ve never understood why people do this. Knowledge is power, surely?

Just get the testing done! It’ll hopefully put your mind at rest, if you’re keeping baby either way like someone else said you can just be more prepared that way too :)

If there was any concern with the measurements they would have pointed this out.

I also refused testing for Down’s syndrome on all my children. I wouldn’t have changed anything and I’d of still gone ahead with the pregnancy so didn’t find it relevant

I think if there was concern over the nuchal fold measurement they would have pointed it out regardless as it’s not only an indicator of Down syndrome. Did you get any scan notes as it’s probably on there?

Your name is on the scan photo.
I had the tests as I wanted to know

Looks fine to me. Remember that if the NT had been significantly raised the sonographer would have flagged it up as abnormal even if you have declined screening

Oh and I’ve realised your personal info is on the photo so have reported your post, hopefully admin can edit

I would go back and get the test and hopefully it will make the rest of your pregnancy less anxious

Please speak to you GP, midwife or mental health team about your anxiety!

Even IF baby had issues, wouldn't you prefer to know beforehand to prepare both yourself and for baby? Ignorance in this case is not bliss!

You're asking unqualified people on the internet if it looks normal when you could have just had the offical testing done ..

Is that true? I remember a case where a woman declined testing (IIRC she didn’t speak English too well so it was subsequently claimed that she didn’t know what she was saying no to), gave birth to a baby with Downs and then sued the NHS because, if she’d known, she would have terminated.

What was the nt measurement?
They usually tell you and if they were concerned they would of said. Anything under 3.5 is 'normal'. We had a T21 pregnancy and nt was 3.1 at week 12 and over 3.5 by week 15.
Beautiful scan though

@Jellycats4life definitely true, once the NT is above 3.5mm it then becomes reportable as a fetal abnormality as it could be indicative of other conditions, not just the 3 trisomies screened for in the combined screening test and would warrant further counselling and the offer of further investigations.

@MojoJojo71 Thanks for clarifying. I guess in that case, it was one of those DS cases that just didn’t raise any red flags during ultrasounds.