CVS: What's it like?

[Arabica]

Hello! Am currently 8 wks pg and, providing all goes well, am likely to need CVS due to my age (44). I'd really like to hear from anyone who's been through this experience--was it painful, was it traumatic, and how long did you have to wait for the result? Thanks so much.

I have no idea but so pleased it's still going well for you Arabica!

Arabica's having a baby, Arabica's having a baby!

I had one last time, about 3 1/2 years ago. Don't remember it as being painful but relieved DH arrived just in time as the consultant was starting to stick needles in me. The 1/10 chance of it being Down's from scan and blood test was the shocking bit.
I think the results took about 10-14 days. I was away on a "working" holiday but remembering arriving in the UK and phoning up straight away whilest driving home. I guess the holidays were about 10-14 days...
With me being 42 y I'm not sure what I'm going to be advised to do, haven't seen MW or anyone yet, but have booked a private nuchal fold scan for 12 weeks. In fact when pregnant at 41 y (MC) MW didn't really suggest anything and never got as far as seeing the consultant.

Jst re read the bit about needles. I'm normally scared of needles...but they use local anaesthetic. Anyway, I have no scary memories of the procedure itself!

I had a CVS, it was uncomfortable rather than painful, and alarming to see the needle on the u/s, being jiggled about etc. I had some bruising and a bit of a sore feeling for a week or so.
Bear in mind that you won't 'need' a CVS, it's your baby and your decision.

I had a CVS with ds1 - found it definitely unpleasant, but not painful. You have to rest for a couple of days after, which is important IMO. Consultant that did it was very nice and explained it all. Remember you don't have to have it - we chose to as we had a poor nuchal fold result and wanted to be prepared if we were going to have a child with Down Syndrome, but had the same result with ds2 and decided not to have it - we just had an extra careful 20 week scan, which was brill. Very good luck with your preg, anyway!

Congrats arabica xxx

I've had a cvs with dd3 because nuchal neck was 5mm - was painful during & after I felt liked I'd been kicked in the stomach. I had confined placental mosicisim (very rare & picked up by the cvs) so results showed chromosonal probs - had to have an amnio. The amnio gave the all clear for downs & others but spina bifida can't be evaluated this way. Had probs with ds4 antenatal tests & refused cvs & amnio. He was ok but I was very worried at the end of the preg.

Wishing you all the best xxx

I had cvs done and was relieved that the placenta was in such a position that going in through my cervix was best. no more uncomfortable than a smear test.

i was shocked to learn that my hospital (st. mary's manchester) don't use local anaethetic when they go in through the abdomen, so was relieved not to have to go through that.

the waiting was the worst part, and was much longer than my consultant had led me to expect. 10 days wait for results i think, whereas he'd said it would be a couple of days.

they can tell you the sex of the baby when you get your results, if you want to know. i did - i'm having a boy.

good luck with yours and cat me if you need to know any more.

Thanks for all the messages! I know I will get counselling before any tests are carried out and will make a final decision after that. Madness, are you pregnant???? I remember you from a previous thread about older mums. When are you due?
Somethingsexy thanks for your kind offer and I certainly will take you up on it if I need to.
Thanks for the good wishes Aloha, if feeling sick is anything to go by then I am very pregnant tonight!

hi Arabica, yes, due 23rd July...To be honest don't remember being that tired and sick before, although suspect that's just my memory and old age failing me.

Arabica, I had it at the Homerton with DS2 (risk of Edwards' Syndrome).

It was not painful, although it was a little bit uncomfortable and I held on tightly to DH's hand thoughout. I got someone else to look after our DS1 as I didn't want him there in the room with us, which was a good move I think.

I can't remember now how long we had to wait - I think they said a week but in fact rang us up much earlier than that with the result.

Congratulations, by the way!

Arabica - I had one at 12 weeks in this pregnancy (at the FMC in Harley Street) due to high Nuchal. It was mildly uncomfortable (but a bit 'out-of-body' watching the needle go into my uterus on the screen, IYSWIM) and I was a bit tender afterwards, but nothing too bad. I was supposed to take it easy too, but easier said than done.
Good luck, and congratulations!

arabica, much more detailed advice on here than i can give, but just to say that whatever happens don't go on your own - my sister had one and fainted in the hospital foyer afterwards. however she says she would thoroughly recommend it (the CVS not fainting!) Many congratulations.

am surprised by the difference in time it took to get the result - we got the one that checks for major chromosomal abnormalities 24 hours later. Got the full result after 10 days. All on the NHS.

I had CVS at the FMC in Harley Street when pregnant with dd3. I lived in Edinburgh at the time and had to get the train down at 6 in the morning on my own. Got back at 10pm.
I could have had it done locally but was acutely aware that the miscarriage risk for CVS depends on the expertise/experience of the person carrying it out and wanted to make sure I had someone who had lots of both doing it to me (iykwim).
Test itself was fine. Just felt like someone pushing my tummy. Afterwards I felt like asking "Was that it?" Felt fine afterwards and they made me sit down for about 20 minutes presumably to reduce the risk of fainting.
I got the initial results by phone call less than 48 hours with confirmation by letter about a week after that.
Really pleased to hear about your pregnancy Arabica (I haven't been on here recently) and that everything's going well.

I had my done at Kings College Hospital, S.London, tops for fetal medicine and a teaching hospital. Don't remember a local anesthetic. Mine was transabdominal ie they put the needle through the abdomen (like an amnio). It is fine when the needle is going through fat, but a bit more uncomfortable when they have to stab through muscle (and I used to have pretty strong stomach muscles - all wasted away though, not from the CVS but relentless childcare). Then when they extract the sample, you can see the blood going up the tube - a bit surreal. Slightly sore afterwards but mighty relieved it was over. They should be able to give you results within a few days to rule out the major chromosomal abnormalities, with the fine-tuned results within a week or so - my memory fails?

I believe the doctor was doing his first CVS, but under supervision of the prof and a spectating cast of thousands. He was mighty chuffed to get it right!

Had mine done (because I wanted to know) at UCH . I'm 41. They did a nuchal fold scan first where the result was 'low risk' and to check the position of the placenta to see if it would be a straightforward procedure. At no point was I made to feel like I had to have it done. 1 consultant, 2 Doctors and a midwife in the room + DH and DS and all made me feel comfortable. A cold Gel (antiseptic I think) was applied to my belly and a local anaesthetic. I hardly felt the needle just a sort of popping feeling as it went through. I didn't look to see how long it was. I felt a sort of pumping feeling as they were collecting the cells and then it was all over in 5 mins. Rested in a recovery room for as long as I wanted and then went home and took it very easy for a few days. I felt a bit sore as the anaesthetic wore off.
All in all less scary or painful than a visit to the dentist. Results for Downs, Edwards and Patau's was phoned through to me in 3 days(all clear) and 10 days after that got they phoned to tell me the sex- a boy.
It's entirely your decision what you do.

Thanks so much for telling me how it felt for you all. Obviously I don't know yet whether I will be lucky enough even to get to 12 weeks, but it's good to be prepared. Luckily I do have a friend who's been through it all very recently--she said she couldn't remember whether it hurt, the worst part was waiting for the results.