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General health

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Original poster

Should I ask for tests for Spina Bifida or am I hallucinating?

10 replies

pie · 23/10/2003 09:35

When I was pregnant with DD2 a scan showed up a 'large mass' (their words) and an enlarged nuchal fold (admittedly this was at 14 weeks to an inaccurate time to measure).

I had an amnio and the results only showed that if baby did have SB then it would be a 'closed lesion' and most likely no SB at all. (It was my understanding that a high protein result from the amnio would lead them to believe there was an open lesion but there was no way of knowing if there was a closed one with a low/negative protein count, is that right?). The 3D u/s at 16 weeks showed a normal spine. When I got the result they said that there were no open lesions, but couldn't guarantee a closed one. I forgot to mention this when we were discharged from hospital and hadn't noticed the dimple yet anyway (we went home 6 hours after the birth so everything was still freaky!)

When DD2 was born and I had a proper look I notice a very large dimple at the base of her spine. It looks like she has a second anus! She's still got some lanugo on her back and bottom so its hard to tell if there is actually hair growing on this dimple.

Should I make an appointment with a Dr to have the dimple double checked? Or could it just be because she is so small and scrawny and needs to lay down fat?

Did anyone else have a dimple bottomed baby that just needed to plump out?

I'm not too worried if its SB as it would be a closed lesion and I know that if thats what it is it will, in all likelyhood, not make any difference to her.

But my mum brain is in overdrive so I keep second guessing myself.

OP posts:

Twinkie · 23/10/2003 09:39

Message withdrawn

CountessDracula · 23/10/2003 09:41

Pie it could be something called a pylenidal sinus (sp?) This is an ingrowing hair that can cause exactly the sort of thing you are describing, it grows into the body and a mass of gunge forms around it and if it is on your bottom it does look like a second anus! If so it would have to be taken out I should think but is not serious.

Northerner · 23/10/2003 09:43

Hi Pie. This sounds like a sacral dimple. I don'y know much about them my self but there was a thread about them somewhere. If you search on the health thread I'm sure you'll find it.

fio2 · 23/10/2003 09:45

Pie I would get a second opinion off the doctor just to put your mind at rest

Original poster

pie · 23/10/2003 09:46

Thanks Northerner..reading it now!!

I will ask the Dr to have a look though. I won't stop worrying if I don't.

Thanks peeps

OP posts:

Original poster

pie · 23/10/2003 09:48

One more thing, would the Paeditrican have checked automatically, I don't really remember what she did as I was so sleepy.

OP posts:

musica · 23/10/2003 09:58

I think they do check for dimples - I think my hv and GP said that if you can find the base of it (i.e. it's a 'pit' not a 'tunnel' then it is fine. Marina had some checks done on her newest addition, and they said not to worry about sacral dimples.

You're having a tough time aren't you! I know what you mean about 'mother brain' - I have been convinced dd had Downs or SB, and ds was autistic - no evidence whatsoever! I think everyone does it!

Marina · 23/10/2003 20:39

Hi Pie, you've checked the SD thread and Musica has remembered that dd had one of these. Hope what you read there helps a little, I had no idea it was so common, but then people don't tend to tell each other about their dimply behinds I guess.
Twinkie's advice is right, it would put your mind at rest 100%, but the paed ultrasound guy who checked dd said he had over 200 referrals at the hospital and never found a single closed lesion or spina bifida occulta as he called it, to date.
Please stop staring at her hairy bot every time you change her...I've been there too, hon

magnum · 23/10/2003 20:59

I was told my dd had a sacral dimple the day she was born. They still let us go home 6 hours after the birth and didn't really explain what it was. I was told it was nothing to worry about (but you still do!) It was checked every time the mw came.I was thinking all sorts as I had missed a couple of folic acid tablets and was in a complete panic thinking this had caused it. I mentioned it again at my dds 6 week check and he looked and it had compeltely gone! Musica is right in that if it is closed ie 'pit' it is nothing to worry about. Worth chatting with a gp just to put your mind at rest, but i'm sure its nothing to worry about.

mears · 23/10/2003 21:52

Pie - see the doctor to reassure yoursefl. The sacral dimple will have been noted at delivery and the paediatrician should have checked it out. The bottom line is you should have been told about it and reassured. You are not reassured just now so get it checked out. It will probably be fine but you need to be officially told that. Communication is the key to all ills

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