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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

I am 41 - if you were 41 would you have an amnio?

69 replies

pinkytheshrinky · 13/10/2011 17:24

I had my nuchal scan yesterday - now found out they no longer test for Edwards' and Patau's syndrome just for downs. A friend of mine today told me that she passed her nuchal with flying colours and ended up finding they had a severely affected downs baby at the anomaly scan (she ended the pregnancy) - she was younger than me when this happened. I also have another friend who terminated a pregnancy because of Patau's, she did not have a nuchal done as she would not have terminated a downs pregnancy but her baby's condition was incompatible with life so she ended the pregnancy.

I have to say I do know I would end a pregnancy if my baby had downs - I am not asking if you think this bit of it is right or not. What I am asking is given my age would you have a amnio anyway? just to make sure? I have 4 other children, two of whom have disabilities so it is out of the question for my family. I am suddenly very nervous about it all, much more so than I have ever been about previous pregnancies. Have you any words of wisdom ladies, I am in a it of a turmoil about it all.

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UsingPredominantlyTeaspoons · 13/10/2011 17:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CosmicMouse · 13/10/2011 17:31

I guess you have to ask yourself what you would do if you didn't have the amnio and the Anomaly Scan didn't pick up on anything, but you gave birth to a baby with Down Syndrome?

Perhaps weigh up the risk of miscarrying a healthy baby due to the Amnio vs the very difficult situation of finding out there was something wrong post-birth?

I understand it must be a very difficult decision. We have opted not to have the triple test/nuchal part of the scan because I know just how much of an impossible decision it would be.

At the very least, I would wait until you have your risk factor from the scan. As the result may very well help you make a decision either way.

RickGhastley · 13/10/2011 17:31

Can you have the combined test as well where they test blood for Edwards and Downs? My hospital offers this as standard then combines the nuchal, bloods and age to give an overall risk.

Than if you are high risk and feel you want to know for sure you can think about an amnio.

Original poster

pinkytheshrinky · 13/10/2011 17:32

I think knowing people it has happened to and being as I have had four babies without chromosomal abnormalities I feel like I have been lucky and now frightened my luck could run out iykwim.

Feels like an instinct thing which is horrible, hopefully I am just being paranoid but I do know that these tests only provide a statistical risk rather than a definitive answer.

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NoMoreWasabi · 13/10/2011 17:35

Can you have a nuchal scan and bloods done privately? If you're near London I'd go to the Fetal Medicine Centre as the do bloods there and then so by the end of your scan you have your risk for each of the 3. Their nuchal scan is, in my experience, more sophisticated than the NHS one.

However its worth bearing in mind that you can only get a stat. Even if you're 1 in 1000, there is still a tiny risk that you could be the 1. However there is a risk of miscarraige attached with a CVS and amnio hence its not recommended unless around 1 in 200.

Original poster

pinkytheshrinky · 13/10/2011 17:36

I only had a baby just over a year ago and they did the triple test then. They have stopped it because of money - We also have a 0.5% chance of miscarriage due to amnio (which is the same as natural incidence at my gestation)

The problem is the risk figure is only a risk figure - I was always prepapred to go with that before but knowing this (very lovely) lady to whom this happened despite a clear and very low risk nuchal it has made me really scared - I was worried anyway but suddenly it seems much more real.

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Original poster

pinkytheshrinky · 13/10/2011 17:39

FWIW last time my risk was 1:3100 and the time before that was 1:1600

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violetwellies · 13/10/2011 17:44

I have no other children and refused testing I am 46, he is fine. I was told the chance of foetal abnomality were 1:37.
This is you not me, I would have kept him no matter what. You can not envisage keeping a Downs syndrome pregnancy, that answers the question.

Original poster

pinkytheshrinky · 13/10/2011 17:52

My natural risk is 1:74 apparently. I know it sounds harsh but I know I just could not keep a downs pregnancy. God knows what I would do if we found that out afterwards..... that scares the shit out of me. Being am older Mummy means that the responsibility could be left with my children and I just cannot do that. I am so scared to have it done though. Does anyone know how long I have to get this organised? I am 12 + already.

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HenriettaFarthingay · 13/10/2011 17:53

I had an amnio for my 4th child when I was 38, mainly because we have downs in the family already (my cousin). At that time it tested for downs and spina bifida. To be honest, if it had shown anything I'm not sure I could have gone through with a termination. Fortunately she's now a beautiful and perfect 25 year old so I didn't have to worry about it. Go for the test, but, should it pick up something unwanted, don't make up your mind till afterwards.

Fingers are crossed all is well for you.

aliceliddell · 13/10/2011 18:02

pinky is the withdrawal of the triple test just your area, or everywhere? (Sorry if I'm being dim and the answer is obvious from other posts) There hasn't been any publicity about it.

Original poster

pinkytheshrinky · 13/10/2011 18:04

I really hope it is all ok - All my children have been in my thirties so I have thought about it carefully each time. It is my own family situation that influences my decision. I have children that have issues that we could not have known about - in the case of my dd2 (who has asd) her family are going to have to keep a fair eye on her when she is older so I am unwilling to add to their responsibilities - it is difficult when you have other children with problems because it makes you aware that people can have good lives with significant impairments but I know for our family that we just could not cope with it. I do know this sounds so selfish but we really have thought it through and talked about it a good deal (as we have to as older parents)

Just this time it seems so much more worrying - I think maybe because I feel something instinctually I am scared to ignore it.

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Original poster

pinkytheshrinky · 13/10/2011 18:06

I have no idea if it is everywhere - my health authority is West Sussex - I was surprised - I thought maybe not offering it to everyone? maybe just older Mothers in which there was a higher incidence but they have withdrawn the triple test for everyone at our hospital.

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runaroundstartsnow · 13/10/2011 18:07

Im 41, i had a cvs at FMC even though my nuchal was really good, i just had to know for sure.
If you can not see yourself keeping a child with Downs then i think you have answered your own question.I chose the FMC as they have very low miscarriage risks from the CVS and Amnio.

Original poster

pinkytheshrinky · 13/10/2011 18:11

As I said my local hospital is 0.5% - I know the consultant who does them and he is fantastic. The problem with FMC is the logistics of child care to get there and back with the 4 children covered. That said I have only ever heard great things about them. And yes I suddenly feel like I have to know for sure and have never had that before.

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Original poster

pinkytheshrinky · 13/10/2011 18:13

I think it is now just that I cannot see myself keeping a child with downs, another thing I am scared of is having a very late termination if they find something at the anomaly scan

Bloody Hell I am normally so level headed about these things.

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HandDivedScallopsrgreat · 13/10/2011 18:24

pinky I am 40 and had the blood test for downs. If it had resulted in a high probability I would have probably had an amnio, yes. I already have one child. I think you need to work out (hard I know) what you would want to do if the amnio showed downs (or other abnormalities). If you would want a termination then I think you have to go for it.

HandDivedScallopsrgreat · 13/10/2011 18:27

Sorry it took me ages to write that - small child running around! Yes that was what I was worried about - late termination.

It is an incredibly hard decision to make - don't beat yourself up about it.

Original poster

pinkytheshrinky · 13/10/2011 18:34

Yes and knowing two women who have sadly experienced that has rea;;y sharpened it for me too - In my life it has always been at my peril that I have ignored my instinct, when my friend told me today about her experience I really felt like I have to do something. I was already wavering yesterday after the nuchal and knowing there was no longer a complete trisomy test done and now it feel like it is really important to get it done.

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Everlong · 13/10/2011 18:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OneHandFlapping · 13/10/2011 18:48

Yes, I did, at 36, 38 and 40. All my babies were fine. Nuchal scans were in their infancy back then, which may have affected my decision. An amnio gives 100% certainty wrt Downs and "other gross chomosomal abnormalities", I assume where chromosomes are missing, duplicated, or majorly damaged.

Find out the miscarriage rate of the hospital you are attending, and if poosible, the doctor actually doing the procedure.

Original poster

pinkytheshrinky · 13/10/2011 18:51

The doctor's rate is 0.5% which is the same as the natural miscarriage rate.

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Ragwort · 13/10/2011 18:52

I think I would.

I just had a nuchal scan (I was 43) and the results were low-risk - however my DS was born with a condition that couldn't have been detected in the womb (was able to be treated and dealt with) so obviously be aware that nothing is 'guaranteed' even with a scan/amnio.

Northernlurker · 13/10/2011 18:54

Nuchal and/or triple test would only ever have given you the odds - and somebodty will always be the 1 in 3000 or whatever. It sounds like you NEED to KNOW. You don't need odds, you need facts. So yes in your frame of mind I would go for the amnio.

Original poster

pinkytheshrinky · 13/10/2011 18:55

No indeed and i have children who have things wrong with them that could not have been detected in utero - i do know nothing is guaranteed it is more about managing the risk - I just have no idea why I am suddenly so windy about it all.... Do you know what the upper limit is for amnio testing?

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