Due February 2017- thread #6

[Readyfortwo]

See below for previous chatter:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/2697188-Due-in-February-2017-thread-5

I am going to have a small glass of fizz at my wedding next week - and I'll definitely have a glass at xmas!! My MIL said when she was pregnant it was suggested she drank cider!! A little really won't do any harm. I am sorry your MW made you feel so bad. I didn't know I was pregnant for the first 7 weeks, and I drank a few glasses of wine every night (I know that sounds bad!!)

I am 15+4 today and still throwing up every day. My headaches are bad too.

X

Panicking a bit here.

So, the Down Syndrome test came back as 1 in 6591, which it says is low, but I'm sure the rest I've seen in this group have been much lower?

Also, apparently I have low levels of PAPP A, which it says can be associated with a smaller baby, and after googling it, is also associated with a late miscarriage and Down Syndrome. Saying that, I've only had a quick look, and I know asking Dr Google is never a great idea! Can anyone offer any information / advice please? And is it something I can alter?

wonderlust I have low PAPP-A too and did a lot of research on it which really reassured me. Do you know what your PAPP-A measurement was?

Don't worry about the link to Down's, it's low PAPP-A combined with high HCG that can be associated with Down's, and with your risk score being so low then it sounds like you're not in any danger there (mine was 1 in 244 and still 'low' risk, for comparison).

Thanks for your reply. No, I don't know the measurement, but have got the 16 week appointment with the midwife on Tuesday, so can ask her about it then.

Have you been told that you'll have a scan at 28 weeks also?

Also, do you know what causes it (following on from the previous conversation, I went on holiday just after finding out, and I must admit I had a few drinks and smoked a little, although all stopped now, but worried that's the reason)?

Also, is there anything you can do to change it?

It can be caused by either Down's or the placenta not functioning properly, which can happen for any number of reasons and I doubt has anything to do with drinking or the odd cigarette (I've not found any data showing evidence of causation) so don't beat yourself up.

I don't think there's anything that can be done to change it unfortunately, it's a case of keeping an eye on it.

My PAPP-A was 0.4 MoM which is right on the borderline for extra monitoring at my hospital. The paper I found said that its levels of 0.15 and below that are most associated with problems. I doubt yours is that low as if it was, your Down's risk would have been higher. It's important to remember that it only means there might be a problem, not that there is one, and most people with low PAPP-A have no complications at all.

I have a scan at 23 weeks to check the flow of blood to and from the baby. Assuming that's all fine, they'll probably offer me a routine growth scan at 32-34 weeks to make sure the baby is growing ok, but I should be considered low risk. If the scan at 23 weeks indicates an issue, then I'll get extra monitoring - both for baby growth and also for problems for me associated with a poorly functioning placenta, e.g. pre-eclampsia.

I panicked too when I found out about it as the worst case scenarios are so scary, but they are worse case scenarios - I found after I did some reading I got some perspective and realised things are more than likely going to be fine, and it's actually good they picked up on it now as they can keep an eye on it. 10-15 years ago they didn't test for PAPP-A so think how many women could have had this problem and not known and not had the extra monitoring.

Long post, sorry! Hope it's helpful. Feel free to PM me with questions, although I'm no expert!

Wonderlust a one in over 6,500 chance of Downs is extremely low. The cut off for being high risk is 1 in 100. Even then, that's a 1% chance. For you its less than 0.015% and no one's chance is zero as these are not diagnostic but rather screening tests.

Also, a couple of cigarettes is unlikely to have done anything one way or another so please don't beat yourself up.

However, since you asked smoking has been linked to low papp-A results. I hope that doesn't unduly upset you and like others have said, low- papp-A doesn't mean there will necessarily be anything wrong with your baby or pregnancy.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19189527

Fingers crossed your mw can answer some of your questions and give you additional reassurance.

My Downs result was 1:1500 and I'm still classed as low risk. Don't know what my PAPP A was though as the letter didn't tell me, I'll be asking my midwife as I'm already high risk for IUGR.

wonderlust your risk is really low. Mine was 1:3500 and last time it was 1:2100. I have low PAPP-A this time. It's less than half what it should be at 0.46MoM but the hospital aren't concerned unless it's below 0.4 so I get no additional monitoring. I'm not particularly concerned either but I'm going to book a private Doppler scan to look at placenta function at 32 weeks.

Thanks everyone, calmed down a bit now! And thanks two cats for your super thorough answer!

Another one to say 1:6250 is good - mine was 1:4200. The bigger numbers you are thinking of might be the Patau & Edwards results? Mine was 1:150000 for that!

Ah okay, yes maybe it was that.

I'm sure our mothers wouldn't have had a total ban on drinking when they were pregnant with us and we turned out OK?

I had half a glass of rose with ice after a long day on Saturday and felt no guilt. Expecting Better is full of data to suggest there is little need for the zero tolerance approach.

I had half a glass of champagne at my best friend's wedding dress fitting, and half a glass at her hen do, and will probably have a whole glass at their wedding - I think it's about being sensible! Also, your body does tell you - I went to have a glass of champers to celebrate exchanging on our house the other week, took 2 sips and categorically could not drink it, just really didn't want it, so I would say be sensible, listen to your body and you will be fine!

Didn't pregnant ladies once get told to drink Guinness as well?! I don't really drink much at all anyway but I wouldn't worry about a little glass of wine or 2 either. I fancy a glass of wine more when I'm pregnant strangely too haha. The same goes for breastfeeding. People like to make you believe that if you drink while you're a breastfeeding mother then your baby will get much of the alcohol too. It's simply not true. You'd have to drink a hell of a lot before it had an effect on a breastfeeding baby. The real risk is feeling tipsy or drunk and then falling asleep when you're caring for a baby.

Just missed a call from an unknown number...now terrified it was the midwives from the hospital with bad results from combined screening.
Today's the last day of the three working days that they could call me. No message left, but I don't know if they always leave messages. The number's not the screening midwives number given on my leaflet from the hospital so just praying it was random spam. Can't stop the terror though.

Dotty try not to worry they would leave a message for you to call them ig it were important.

Re drinking, I drank (moderately!) throughout my last pregnancy (though not in public in the last trimester, the judgemental glares would have only sent me into a rage and I would likely have made a scene!).
This time my body has so far firmly rejected it and I have not even wanted to so far. But if that changes then I will most certainly be treating myself with a chilled glass of white for my birthday next month, and a nice red on Xmas day (salivates).

I know you're almost certainly right....I wasn't even particularly stressed before I saw the call as my nuchal measurement was good (1.4). Pregnancy just feels like one very long anxious wait sometimes.

Wonder my screening for Downs is 1:750
That is still low risk
Dont compare to others just look at your letter

dotty apparently nuchal measurement is the most reliable indicator. Mine was 1.3mm which is why I'm not to stressed about a 1 in 244 risk after blood results. Bloods can often give false positives apparently.

Thanks twocats, I'd heard that too. If I don't get a call by 5.30 I'm going to assume I'm low risk and stop worrying. I'd be happy with 1 in 244 too I think.

Dotty that's a really low measurement so I'm sure it'll be fine. Mine was 1.9 but apparently it's usually only over 3.5 that is potentially an issue. They would have left a message to call back if it had been urgent.

Dotty when my me has called she has left a message try not to worry
Probably PPI crap

Me? Midwife

Thanks everyone. I knew I was being ridiculous really! ;-)