high risk blood test serum result...advice much appreciated

[RachelRog]

I have recently had the blood test at 15/16 weeks and it has come out high risk. I have an appointment at the hospital tomorrow to discuss what the risk is and amnio.
I never dreamed the test wouldn't come back ok so am a bit shocked by it and don't know if I could bear to risk miscarriage by having an amnio (especially as I had a missed m/c in March).
Haven't gone in to work today as feeling blue and wondered if anyone was out there to give my their advice/experiences.

Have you had a dating scan? my test came back 1 in 250 but they then change my dates after the scan which put me back 2 weeks, they re did the test and it came back low risk?

Hiya rachelrog, i just wanted to say my sister's friend had her results come back as very high risk in BOTH her pregnancies and she went on to have healthy babies! i think hers came back as 1 in 10!? - not sure about the other, she had an amnio with her first but did bother with her second, and has now a healthy son and daughter, im sure its very very worrying, but it doesnt always mean it will turn out bad! is this your first baby?

This is my second baby - I had my son with no problems but he is 6 at xmas so I am older now which is why I think you are much more likely to be high risk! I am 33.

I think I have decided to have an amnio only if the risk is less than 1:100. I don't find out the risk till tomorrow so fingers crossed!

Hi Rachel, any news? I read your post with interest as although am not in same situation, nevertheless I could well be when I have my bloods done (am only 7+2 but am classed as a 'golden oldie' at 38).

Really hope you got good news today, and you've had some good support. Let us know, us mumsnetters are thinking of you!

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Hi
Mine was also 1 in 10 with ds (now almost 4 and not downs syndrome). I did have the amnio but wished I had not. With dd I did not have the blood test as I think it is highly unreliable - high results can mean healthy babies and low results can mean babies with downs syndrome. I was angry with myself after for putting myself at the risk of a miscarriage but got hyped up by the hospital about the test which I do not think is worth much. I was almost 33 when I had ds and 35 when I had dd (also not downs syndrome) - I am now pregnant again (baby will be born when I am 37) and will not have the blood test. Basically the only point in having an amnio is if you would terminate an abnormal pregnancy (if you can call it abnormal). I would not have terminated my pregnancy with ds but could not bear to spend 5 months not knowing. In the end I was angry with the hospital for offering a test without really explaining the consequences of the often faulty results. So I would definitely say not to worry at all and to enjoy all your pregnancy . After my amnio I was paranoid I was losing amniotic fluid (which I don't think I was) and it really was not a nice time (though the amnio itself was very straightforward).

Hi, I am new to this website. I am pregnant at 39 even though I thought I had completed my lovely family nearly 6 years ago. Am a bit worried about possible abnormalities. Anyone any advice?

Bethanne, am in the same boat. Had my first at 35 and decided that for us, we definitely needed to know what the risks were of downs syndrome, etc. At that time our hospital only offered the double test, as opposed to the more advanced quadruple test. We went privately to the Fetal Medicine Unit at Bart's for a scan at 12 weeks for nuchal fold, together with the integrated test for Down's Syndrome and open neural tube defects. Very impressed with the service there, we were given lots of help and advice and the appointment was not at all rushed. My risk came back as 1 in 50,000 so an amnio was not necessary.

I am now 7+2 at 38 and, although my local hospital now offers the quadruple test, it still does not offer nuchal fold. We have decided to do the same as we did 3 years ago and I have made an appt. at 12 weeks for the integrated test/nuchal fold.

I think it really depends how you feel about continuing a pregnancy that shows down's, neural tube defects, etc. For us, if an amnio showed this up we would terminate the pregnancy so these tests are very welcome to us. My advice would be to talk to your midwife, she should be able to give you sound, impartial advice. Congratulations on your pregnancy btw, I am on the due April '06 thread if you want to chat.

I found out on Tues my risk is 1:75 so went for an amnio this morning...really fed up because they could not penetrate the membrane....they tries twice and it was really uncomfortable!!

They have told me to come back Monday but unsure what to do now. They said my membrane was really tough!

Fed up as thought it would all be over now and its not. {sad}

Oh RachelRog - so sorry to hear that this ordeal isn't over for you yet. When you say you don't know what to do, are you now having second thoughts about having the amnio at all?

I think so.....really don't want a baby with Downs ( that sounds really terrible and I am sorry if anyone reading this has a Downs child ) and I feel in my heart everything is ok.

Got a lovely scan picture this morning which is the only positive thing that happened.

My husband wants me to have it though as he is really adamant about not having a Downs child......but it was so uncomfy and am scared if my membrane is tough I might do more harm....confused!!

It sounds like you need to talk to the consultant again and get some more answers. Specifically I would ask about whether the tough membrane makes the m/c risk any higher.

The other thing to ask about would be whether they could pick up any further info at your 20 week scan. We've been advised that they can sometimes see 'shadows' in the brain which are a marker for downs, so it might worth asking whether these are always present in a downs baby, whereby you could have your scan and gain more info about the likelihood then. In fact as you had a scan today I would have hoped that maybe they could tell something from that. Did they mention this at all?

I was told yesterday that I could wait till my 20 week scan and sometimes markers can be picked up then but not always.

I think I will ring and get some more advice.

Hi. Symapathies as we went through this two years ago. We had the blood test, we said no to Amnio as we decided we would rather have a baby with Downs than risk a miscarriage. We were quite heavily pressured by MW to have the test (three calls from them in one day) and eventually I made an appt for Amnio and DH and I went in together. The MW there was much more understanding, and queried why we were having the test as we wouldn't have terminated even for a positive result. We said we wante time to prepare ourselves. Whren she left us alone for a while though, we ran away!!!!!! [blush} We decided to wait for the 20 week scan to see if any markers were present, and go from there. We actually had to wait until 24 weeks for the scan which was heartbreaking as the unit was booked, but the scan was clear and when DS3 was born, he didn't have DS at all.

The worst moment was when the Consultant we ran away from poste us a leaflet entitled 'Your baby has Down's Syndrome'.

There were some awful moments of worry, and I well remember DH and I clinging to each other in fear before the amnio-that-never-was. And although I didnt realise it, my Boss said she had never seen such a change in a person as she saw in me after the Scan was clear of markers- I was so relieved!

The whole scenario was slightly easier for me to deal with I guess as I had nursed adolescents with severe additional needs from Down's for a while, so I knew I could take on the challenge.

My real advice would be to be honest with your partner about your feelings and be true to yourself, both about what you want now and what you could deal with in the future. Don't be bullied, and remember that Down's kids have a LOT of positives- much like all kids really.