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

[pinkytheshrinky]

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.

pinky - that sounds like good news, but I can understand if you still want the CVS for total peace of mine. Mine (41, will be 42 a week before due date) was 1:1076 and we decided not to have tests.

Well I would and have- it was very straightforward and as painful as having blood drawn. The stats that exist have been questioned in a 2006 study that actually showed it is more like 1 in 1600 and there is little difference between women that have the test and don't , in the rate.
For me I was uncomfortable with the idea of finding out later in the pregnancy that there was a life threatening condition and having to terminate later rather than sooner.
A midwife I spoke to whose eldest child, now grown up, has downs advised when I asked her-Yes just do it.She also said in 5 years of working at that ward she had never known doctor x to have a patient have a mc- that was reassuring for me but of course some poor people do make up those stats somehow.

No. Because I wouldn't have a baby at this age. And if I did, I'd take whatever came.

I maybe shouldn't have read this thread as my beautiful niece was born with DS last week after her late 30s mum's risk was judged at 1:4500ish at triple test IIRC. However, I realise its a very personal choice and completely understand your reasoning, but as you know you WILL terminate for DS, its surely a no brainer? Have the test, if nothing else, forewarned is forearmed.

Yes in a sense it is a no brainer but it is the risk to the baby I am so scared of- if there was no risk I would do it in a heartbeat, And EttiKetti I know someone who has been the one is a couple of thousand risk that this happened to too which is why I am so worried. I am just terrified all of a sudden. Clearly we did discuss this during other pregnancies and before this one and honestly I cannot believe it has become such an issue for me. I thought I would be fine with a low risk but I am still very conflicted about it all.

Sansa - it is not about just being able to take what comes, I have two of four children with issues and cannot leave this sort of responsibility in their laps. I did not have the chance to have children when I was younger.

Sansa comments like that aren't particularly helpful, did you actually read about the op's situation?

pinky are you any closer to a decision? In your position I think I would have the amnio tbh. That's a good risk level from your consultant!

I'm 41 and 30wks preg with dc4. None of my other children have any problems and I did kind of wonder if my luck had run out tbh, although my eldest are 22 & 20 and my little one is 5 so the chances with the first two were good. With my youngest and with this one, dh and I took the decision not to have any tests done. I was offered the triple test with dd and declined, and declined the nuchal fold & blood test this time. My 20wk scan showed no soft markers and, apart from a bad case of spd, I've had a trouble free pregnancy. We decided we'd take what we're given tbh, but then my circumstances are very different to yours. I've had 3 mc's, two this year, so it was probably more of an emotive decision for us.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

harassed - thank you for being kind. I spoke to friend again today who had a very low risk nuchal and a severely affected DS baby. She advised me to have it done so I could relax as she has been so unlucky,she knows it can happen. I think we will have it done to be honest,despite my great odds I can have one done on the NHS because I am older. We are going away for the week to our place in France to chill (actually I will be stripping wallpaper) and have a think again but I do 'feel' we should do it, it is much more a gut thing really rather than a reaction to the results.

My friend is such a lovely person with the kindest heart and she means really well- I do feel I should listen to her on this.

I have booked the appointment to have it done next week,keeping my fingers crossed that everything is completely fine with this little one. Thank you for all your advice x

I wouldn't get pg in the first place if I was 41

Cjbk1 - we cannot all be as perfect and have a well planned life as you can we.

This is one of those times when if you have nothing nice to say then it is better to say nothing at all.

cjbk1, nice, helpful comment there

pink - sure it'll be fine. i had a cvs after lousy odds on the nuchal/bloods, all is seemingly well with dd2, am 35 weeks now, and 42.

good luck with it.

Good luck pinky, glad you've made the decision and am keeping my fingers crossed for you and that you'll be able to relax for the rest of your pregnancy.

"had the all clear on a baby very badly affected by downs"

This is a really interesting phrase, what does your friend mean by very badly affected? I thought a child either has an extra set of chromosomes or doesn't. Are they now able to detect the associated heart/ bowel problems too? Certainly they wouldn't be able to detect the degree of learning disability.

My friend had great odds after a nuchal and at her 20 week can the baby was found to have terrible heart problems amongst other things - although true that yes it is either an extra set of chromosomes or not, it can manifest itself in very different ways.

Thats very sad. Yes my brother has downs and we're a big part of the disabled community so I'm aware/ agree its manifestation can vary, just didn't realise they could tell so much through screening. Good luck with your pregnancy and whatever you decide, I think in your set of circumstances it makes sense that you would go for the amnio.

Its so sad for them because their odds were such that they really relaxed until the dreadful results at 20 weeks. At that point Downs was suspected (and then confirmed) as the baby had all classic signs as well as terrible heart problems- I think from what she has said there were very bad kidney problems too for the baby.

I am dreading having it done and the risks but even now I feel better than I did because I have made a decision about it.

Hope you get the result you want Pinky, best of luck.

I was, and I didn't.

But in your circumstances, I would. No question.

Well I have had it done today and it did not go very well and I may have to have it redone next week! There was a bleed as he did it so they are not sure the sample will be ok for testing - it was also very small because of the bleeding. I will find out on either Thursday or Friday: wish me luck as dreading having to have it done again