Please or to access all these features

Antenatal tests

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

fluid found on brain

6 replies

yojojo · 31/03/2010 21:20

hi, posted this on pregnancybut maybe its better suited to this board.
My Dsis had a dating scan today which found that the baby has a large amount of fluid on the brain. She has had a previous miscarriage so I was hoping someone had some experience of this (and preferably positive!)so i can understand what this means and offer reassurance
can anyone help?
thanks

OP posts:
Coffeeandchocolate · 31/03/2010 22:13

Hi yojojo, so sorry to hear about your sister and her scan... I am afraid my experience isn?t a positive one, but although the situation is somehow similar with your sister?s, there are also some differences.

Our baby was perfectly fine at the dating scan (12 weeks) but they discovered moderate ventriculomegaly (accumulation of fluid in the brain) at the anomaly scan. Unfortunately there were also other abnormalities,there were many cysts in the brain, and the consultant told us these were the main issue, and not the fluid itself. Because the prognosis for our baby was awful, we decided to terminate and this happened 6 weeks ago.

However, you say that the fluid was discovered at the dating scan, so how far along is your sister? I had my dating scan at 12 weeks and the anomaly scan at 21 weeks. I thought the amount of fluid can?t be measured until 18 weeks, but maybe I am wrong, this is just what I read on the internet. We are still waiting for the results of all the tests they?ve done after my termination, so I can?t tell you more yet. Also, what did the doctor tell your sister? Will she have a follow-up scan? I would have gone on to have further tests and they wouldn?t have suggested termination if the only problem had been the fluid, but as I said there were also many cysts. But of course, I am no doctor and can only speak from my own experience, I assume a lot also depends on when the fluid was discovered, as well as on the amount of fluid there is?

I suggest getting in touch with ARC (Antenatal Results and Choices) www.arc-uk.org/. I contacted them after my termination, but they also offer support throughout the whole screening process.

My heart goes out to your sister, this is a horrible time for her, and I really hope all will be well for her and the little one. xxxx

kate45 · 31/03/2010 22:32

I have a four year old dd but I was diagnosed at 20 weeks pregnant with her with her having ventricomegaly and also acc (agenesis corpus callosum). Awful time, cant even begin to explain on here short of writing a novel, and after some time deliberating we decided to go ahead with the pregnancy on the odds given to us by the consultant, not brilliant ones to be sure, but we are now blessed with a beautiful and normal little girl. I have no idea if we were just amazingly lucky or maybe they dont always get things right, our consultant did say that scans are now so detailed they can actually scare people sometimes. Your dsis will need all the support she can get from her loved ones but we are at least a good news story so there is hope xxx

yojojo · 31/03/2010 22:45

thank you so much for replying and i'm so sorry for your loss coffeeandchocolate .
Kate thats a great story! i've got everything crossed, i can't imagine what you've both been through and what shes going through. I was really surprised that they've noticed this so soon aswell, she can only be 10 weeks max. I have said to her that the baby has a lot of developing to do yet and all could be ok but I guess we'll know more sometime tomorrow. She will be given another screening scan tomorrow which is really good I supose,at least she will know more then.
Life's really

OP posts:
yojojo · 31/03/2010 22:46

unfair sometimes

posted too soon!

OP posts:
kate45 · 31/03/2010 22:59

we had regular scans after the first diagnosis to keep an eye on the size of the ventricles, I really do empathise with your sisters situation, I spent twenty weeks on a roller coaster of hope and fear. With an older child to look after and a dh away on a twelve week training course for a new job, it was hell on earth! Tell your dsis not to google too much, I scared myself silly doing that. I really hope she has a good outcome, sending your dsis lots of love x

yojojo · 01/04/2010 04:35

thank you Kate x

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page