June 2014 thread 5: 12-wk scans and leaving the 1st tri behind!

[wispaxmas]

Thought I'd get us started

They look for markers in the blood sample and combine it with the nuchal fold measurement to calculate your risk

They do normal blood count (so check for low haemoglobin ect), check for antibodies for rubella, chicken pox -if you hadn't had any, check blood group, ahm.. what else?

Snowlet, I'm relieved to hear you're well despite all the bleeds. I thought the grainy old blood spotting was over but no, it's back again today. I'm quite annoyed by this especially since - sorry if tmi - I think my libido is back and I'm dying to make love to my DH but I don't think I should till it settles...

Marlena, FR the chromosome screening, the blood tests are: Blood tests (also called biochemical serum screening): blood tests may be done to measure levels of various hormones and proteins in your blood. These hormones and proteins are produced by the placenta or the developing baby.

Examples include pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A), beta human chorionic gonadotrophin (beta-hCG) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). If the baby has Down's syndrome, the levels of these substances can be affected.

(From patient.co.uk)

Interesting fact, btw, my German pregnancy books says the Triple test is very dodgy and shouldn't be offered as a standard diagnostic tool since it can't actually diagnose and confuses more than it reassures.

After my experience with it I can certainly see their point...

Thanks wispa
I have had a lot of blood taken before for all the tests but wondered what they could tell from blood about the baby. That makes sense, although I do know that none of these tests are reliable. I have known a few people get high risk results and after amnio been fine (and also seen babies born to people who had no idea that there might be risks) so I guess we can only hope that Harmony testing becomes standard on the NHS one day!

Marlena, I didn't even say congrats on your scan! Yeah, Harmony sounds like a much better option. They took three vials just for standard tests, and then I had to give up another one for the hormone screening.

Anyone know how much it costs to have them test it for toxo?

My MIL is holding my cats hostage, I want them back.

Harmony test/fetal DNA testing in maternal serum is not even standard in the USA. It is only offered to mums over 35 and even then the combined bloods and NT is still the 'standard' here. Amniocentesis and chorionic villous sampling are still very much in use in the USA. It is worth bearing in mind though that many babies with chromosomal abnormalities will have other anatomical variants/abnormalities also, so after a normal 20 week scan risk drops even further.
Congrats on scan marlena and anyone else having a scan today.

Thanks BEE and Wifeof Feels so much more real. We told DD tonight. She was over the the moon. I fear her class will just hear about babies tomorrow. Apparently it will be Joanna if a girl or Tom if a boy. We haven't really discussed that far in the future yet!

Harmony is called something different there and anyone can request it, but it's far more expensive there. My sister paid $2,000!

I'm so happy right now. h went out to the store for milk and came home with toblerone. It was amazing.

wispa I like your priorities!!!

He he! wispa you make me laugh!

Is anyone else still on the beige food diet? I feel like I'm so far behind the rest of you - my EDD is 27th June so right at the end of the month and my scan is still a week away! I'm so jealous of all of you who have had great scans and are heading into the 2nd trimester!

I know, I know, I shouldn't wish my life away......

Ok, teeth brushing - off the cards. Just left my dinner in the toilet attempting to do just that!

2nd trimester. Apparently. It was all a myth!! ;)

jessie I feel your pain. I'm bridging this bus and the July bus......;-) I'm still on beige food too.

Sorry to hear that sleepy. Sounds gross!

I'm getting super nervous about tomorrow's scan. According to my early scan I should be 10+3, but I wouldn't be surprised if it jumps forward a little as the last scan put me so far behind where I thought I was from temping. I keep telling myself it was good I saw a heartbeat last time.....the negative side of me just keeps saying "but that was almost 5weeks ago"!! Eek. 16hours to go.

Jessie, I'm with you - still on the beige diet and my scans not till Wed week so I'm bringing up the rear with you!
I was very naughty today and had some delicious mouldy soft cheese. Bad me, it was so good though and I think that some of these food rules are so extreme. I was 12 weeks yesterday so figure it wasn't too rebellious, anyone else breaking the food rules? So hard over Christmas to stick to them!

They're nice names Marlena!

Good to hear more happy scan results One week to go...

Went back to work today - though it turns out my boss didn't get the email I sent her last week saying when I'd be back!! Stupid phone!! Bit worried she thinks I'm really disorganised now

Feeling so much better physically - I honestly couldn't imagine feeling normal again but I'm not far off now. Just sooo tired - work has wiped me out and I'm collapsed on the sofa. I found it hard going back... Just don't have much enthusiasm for it now and I just want to curl up at home!

Great news super
Luckily her choices aren't too bad and Thomas was actually on our boys list last time! We won't be letting her choose though. She can have that fun with her kids

Hi ladies glad we've got more good news on scans! Im feeling more sick in a morning recently than ever before?! What ostensibly going on lol.

Bewitched i have 2 cats and we've kept them at home. Im still feeding them and having cuddles but not changing the litter tray.

Just wondering if anyoneanyone else is finding they love the smell of the strangest things? I can't stop washing as i find the smell of persil so amazing. i swear i could have eaten one of the tablets yesterday and I've just washed my hair in original herbal essences and i could have drunk the bottle. i think there is something wrong with me lol x

Bee why are your cats not with you? How old are they? Are they litter trained? I think it's only a risk if you've not been exposed before? I have a cat and he's fine, he doesn't use a tray though, he goes outside so I don't have to deal with that.

We have two cats and dh does the litter trays.

Lmf, we left the cats with MIL while we moved house because it took a couple of weeks to get everything sorted. She has now catnapped them and doesn't want to give them back.

I am in no way worried about toxo or bothered by all the idiots telling my they will lie in the pram and smother baby.

Gods, I am so fucked off at everyone and everything tonight.

Hello everyone! I haven't posted since halfway through thread 4 so I've spent some time catching up on what's been happening. I had a bit of bleeding a few weeks ago which may have been to do with the placenta lying low. It was a scary weekend but we had an early scan which was fine. A few days later we had what we thought was our 12 week scan but baby was only measuring 10+5 so we went back on Thursday last week and baby had thankfully grown two weeks worth. We're 13+3 today and edd is 14th June. I was lucky in that I only had mild nausea between weeks 6 and 9. I have persisting food aversion, though, and a cold just now which isn't helping. Other than that I feel shattered and we have a joint HMIe and Care Inspectorate inspection at work this week so that's fun Hoping the tiredness improves but as hubby reminded me yesterday, I've never been a particularly high energy person anyway
Look forward to trying to keep up with all your news!

Ah sorry bee, I misunderstood! Hope your day is better tomorrow and your mil gives your cats back soon xx

bee kidnap them back!! My cats drive me nuts and mostly ignored DD until she was big enough to chase them! I couldn't be without them ever! Especially my girl cat. Boy cat makes so much damn mess

Lmf, I hope you didn't read that as in I was annoyed at you!!!! Because I didn't mean that at all.

There's always some drama on DH's side of the family and MIL calls daily to whine about it but didn't ask once whether we needed help with the move, my DM on the other hand is going into hospital tomorrow to have an operation and almost flew over at the end of November to give us a hand.

I want a single malt or maybe some Baileys.

Marlena, we're going up there for Christmas and I am taking them home then! Poor neighbourhood cats won't know what hit them, one of ours is a big furry wussy thing with thug-like tendencies.

wispa it's called the maternity 21 here in USA.