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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Hig Risk Downs - Amnio or not? (not me)

36 replies

JoolsToo · 09/11/2005 21:31

dh has told me about a colleague at work who after 3 unsuccessful IVF's is finally pg at attempt 4. She has been told (after tests) that she has 15/1 chance of a Downs baby (she's over 40) so she's now going for amnio.
Would you? - I don't think I would - the blood test can be wrong and there's the risk of abortion with an amnio (iirc) and after all that trying I don't think I'd risk it. Must be an horrendous time for them though! Some us don't know we're born!

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sunchowder · 09/11/2005 21:32

I did Jools, but I don't know if I would have terminated--I just wanted to know one way or the other (it turned out fine by the way).

aloha · 09/11/2005 21:33

I would, frankly. I think. You can't really tell until it happens. But with those odds, yes, theoretically, I would.
I wish her well though.

expatinscotland · 09/11/2005 21:34

Hmm. Dunno.

Think I'd go for it.

Coathanger · 09/11/2005 21:34

I had to had to have Clomid to fall PG with DS1 after 3 years of trying and when I had my 12 week scan we were told I had a 1/25 chance of baby having Downs (and I was only 23 at the time). I decided against an amnio. I figured that what ever was wrong, or not as the case may be, it was out of my control and wanted the baby regardless. It was a very difficult decision but I felt it was right for me.

So I agree, Joolstoo

Original poster

JoolsToo · 09/11/2005 21:34

but if you wouldn't have terminated why have the test - or do you think you'd have had a re-think if it had been turned out the other way?

OP posts:

gigglinggoblin · 09/11/2005 21:35

i wouldnt cos i wouldnt have an abortion so i dont see the point.

Lonelymum · 09/11/2005 21:37

I was in this situation and chose not to have an amnio as I had already had a miscarriage scare earlier in the pg. But I had already made the decision that I wanted the baby no matter what so there did not seem any point putting it at risk if I wasn't going to act on a positive result. The hardest thing was thinking I would have to wait until the birth to know the truth but in fact the 20 week scan slightly put my mind at rest. Even so, I hid the pg as much as I could from as many people as I could in case the baby was DS (I couldn't bear the thought of their reactions). He is fine BTW.

I suppose everyone must make their own decisions. Agree, it must be a worrying time for them right now. I remember it well.

hotmama1 · 09/11/2005 21:38

Posted on a similar thread today. Depends on what you would do if the amnio result was positive - if you would carry on with the pregnancy then I wouldn't have one but if you think you would terminate then have the test.

I have had 2 CVS's -and 29 weeks pregnant with dd2 - I'm 38 and invasive testing is a difficult decision to take - such a personal choice with no right or wrong answer.

Hope it all goes well for your dh's colleague.

ThomCat · 09/11/2005 21:39

You never, ever know what you'll do till you're confronted with it.
From the outside, looking in, it feels a shame that after 3 failed IVF's she has to go through this and sad that she might risk losing the baby after all they've been through, but I don't judge her or think she dhouldn't do it. you have to do what feels right for you at th time and you can never say what you think you'd do until you are living it.
I've said it before many a time but if only these tests didn't exist at all.
Hope everything turns out ok for them all, as in I hope they have their baby, DS or no DS.

sunchowder · 09/11/2005 21:39

Jools, I just wanted to know, if the technology is there, and it was, I just wanted to take advantage of it. I never thought for one second that I was endangering my baby. I just didn't let it enter my mind (maybe I was just ignorant). I watched my DDr move over on the monitor when the needle went in to draw the fluid. It was an amazing afternoon and a long wait to get the results, but all went well for us.

aloha · 09/11/2005 21:40

I was 40, but my results were quite good for my age. At one in 15, I might well have felt differently.

Original poster

JoolsToo · 09/11/2005 21:43

that's good sunchowder.

I agree with Thomcat though - I kind of wish the tests weren't available, I really don't think a pg mum is mentally equipped to deal with the choices (although I know lots do) if the test is positive - it's an awful situation to be in.

Also agree TC that you can't know what you'd do til it happens to you - in fact your post said it all for me.

OP posts:

ThomCat · 09/11/2005 21:44

Also some people just need to know, and take these things one step at a time. If confronted with the fact the child has DS they might only then be able to think what they would do, until faced with real hard facrs any possible 'what we might do if' is too much for some people to get their heads round.

BudaBabe · 09/11/2005 21:46

I had DS at age 37 after one IVF attempt. And I had an amnio. It does totally depend on what you think you would do if your results were to show DS.

We were lucky in that in Bangkok an amnio is just a given after age 35 and therefore the DR performing the procedure did nothing else - i.e the risk of a miscarriage after an amnio is generally 1 in 100 but with our DR the risk was 1 in 300 ( of HIS results IYKWIM).

Thankfully all was well.

It is a difficult decision for anyone.

ThomCat · 09/11/2005 21:46

Did you know the man who invented the amnio is the man who impregnanted lots of women using his own sperm?!
I always wanted to know who invented the amnio so I had someone focus my feeling about testiung on and couldn't believe it when I found out more about him.

Original poster

JoolsToo · 09/11/2005 21:48

whats the story TC [shock} I'm clueless!

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 09/11/2005 21:49

That doctor was featured recently on a Channel 4 series 'Psychopaths'. Creepy! He was telling all these women they were pregnant and they weren't!

ThomCat · 09/11/2005 21:50

that's the one expat. Sick, sick man.

Original poster

JoolsToo · 09/11/2005 21:51

weirdo!

OP posts:

misdee · 09/11/2005 21:53

jacobson who something wasnt it?

cori · 09/11/2005 21:54

I had my serum screening test today. I know I wouldnt have an amnio or terminate if I have a high risk of DS result, but there are other chromosonal disorders they can pick up through these tests such as Edwards syndrome, (which is incompatible with life) which I would want to be able to do something about.

hotmama1 · 09/11/2005 21:54

at the doctor info.

Agree with TC re the tests - if they weren't there we couldn't have them - but this wouldn't stop us worrying.

I wish I had tried for children younger - getting to 12 weeks seems easy compared to then deciding about tests - must be such a relief just to be grateful that the first trimester has passed.

ThomCat · 09/11/2005 22:08

that's him Misdee.

Hope your test results come back ok Cori.

eidsvold · 10/11/2005 03:19

most ppl here must know my story by now but at 20 weeks pregnant they found a heart defec tin my babe and it was determined as also being hard marker for ds - over 80% of children who have this defect also have down syndrome. We were at Kings in the fetal medical centre and the fetal cardiologist offered us an amnio on the spot - I said no as dh and I had discussed it ( original heart defect diagnosis had a worse prognosis ) and decided that we would have the babe regardless. We now have 3yo dd1 with ds and while she drives me to distraction - usually with typical 3yo behaviour - she is fab and I can't imagine not having her.

So for me I would not have the amnio but I know others who would have it.

pacinofan · 10/11/2005 08:29

Yes, have just had an amnio 3 days ago with much better odds than 15/1. As this and CVS are at present the only way to rule out certain trisomies conclusively then I can quite understand why people opt for it.

Hand on heart though - I would not consider having this procedure done again. Admittedly I am still feeling raw from Monday's experience but, on talking things through with dh (and boy have we done a lot of talking) we have decided that this baby will complete our family. Quite simply, if we were to have another child we would always be faced with this dilemma and I just could not go through amnio again. I do not wish to alarm anyone considering having it done but it really is a pretty invasive thing to have done quite a way into pregnancy, at least imo. The other (pleasant) surprise is our turnaround on knowing our baby's sex. We have always maintained we would like a surprise, but we felt the amnio was such a hurdle we simply had to find out who he/she was. I felt the actual amnio was like popping into our baby's world, albeit briefly, and not necessarily in a welcome way. Now, we'd like to know more and find out baby's sex and will do so when the next results arrive in about 12 days. Initial results came through yesterday, all ok I am glad to add.

Reading through my post it is clear that I found the amnio thing very emotional. Apologies if this confuses things for anyone considering having it done, guess I am just feeling emotionally charged right now.

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