38 years old 14 weeks pregnant - scan results in

[frogalou]

Hello
This is my first pregnancy and I just received the result for the first scan which is 1:3832. It is obviously a low risk but I can't help but think about having an amniocentesis to be 100% sure. I think I am being rather anxious and not thinking straight...
Erk

Given that your result is very low and that there is a risk of miscarriage with the amniocentesis I'd avoid it. I would only do something that had a miscarriage risk if it were really necessary, and IMO in your case it's not. I think you are being anxious (which is natural) but you must trust that the tests are used for a reason - that they offer pretty accurate judgements to the patient.

I had my first baby at 37 and had a similar result. The hospital didn;t recommend any further investigation and I didn't think any more of it. DS is fine. 1:3832 is also 3831:3832 chance of not having genetic abnormalities. I would say don't worry about it.

You know that there is about a 1% risk of miscarriage as a result of amniocentesis don't you? I only know one person who has had an amnio and she said it was really quite painful.

Hi OP

I'm 34 with DC1 and had almost exact same results as you. I was busy researching what others results were, what's really 'low risk' but didn't do anything further. Had 20 weeks scan today (brilliant experience!!) and everything seemed totally fine. There are lots of ladies on here who have been given 1:10 and lower. They've also gone on to be fine so just mention that to reassure you. No guarantees with anything :)

I guess I am being anxious and unsure about what to do because my friends in Europe are adamant I should have an amniocentesis. They both had one.

I think the decision you need to make is to choose which option would be worse for you:

1. Not have an amnio and have the 1 in 3832 who has down's
2. Have an amnio and find out baby was healthy but miscarry due to the test.

These would be the 2 worst case scenarios but if you decide which would be the better option for you (I don't mean any of this in a judgey way, it's really something personal for you) then you will be able to decide if you should have the test. Of course a 1 percent chance of miscarriage is much closer odds than 1 in 3832 which is also something to bear in mind!

I know you are right and the rational part of me agrees with you 100% and I know I am being unreasonable. I only just got the results today. I need to sleep on it.

Jeeez, I have the feeling I will be one of these anxious mothers... I better nip that in the bud pronto!

Sure, not judging and it's what you feel is right for you. Perhaps it's thinking about your reasons for further testing and what you would do in that scenario ie - is it just to be forewarned or something else.

Good luck with whatever you decide

that's a very low score. I'm 38, just had my first DD and mine was similar, though my 'for age' probability was about 1:130 so very pleased. Your result and mine are lower than for the average 18-30 yr old (1:1500). I would be delighted and not take any risks with a potentially harmful test.

I'm 31 and am 19 weeks. My result was around 1:1400 and it didn't even cross my mind to have an amnio. What is making you think to have one? Other than that your friends did?

Thank you all for your reassuring words... I am new to mumsnet.... what does DS mean please

I understand where you are coming from though. I was also low risk but couldn't feel at ease without knowing so I had the amnio. Turned out I was that 1 in 3000. I know that's not what you want to hear but just to put the other side of the story. I knew I could cope with a MC (had already had 2 of those so understood that risk) but not with v serious disability (although of course there are other disabilities that the amnio cannot show up).

I also know someone who had the amnio and lost her (healthy) baby as a a result.

I think you can only do what you feel comfortable wiith rather than what the rational person would do. We all have our own rationalities and our own comfort levels and perhaps that's the only voice you can listen to.

That risk is super low. Remember that your age alone gives you a risk of around 1 in 150, so the results of the scan and the bloods (if they did them) must have been very good to get you down that far (they triangulate the age risk, scan risk and bloods risk to get an overall risk factor). I am 37 and have roughly the same risk as you for this one, but for DS, who I had when I was 35, my risk was 1 in 1,500 and my Obs was adamant that that was a good result and she definitely didnt recommend amniocentisis.

Officially, risk of miscarriage from amnio is 1/100 although that data is quite old and techniques have improved, so now it's more likely to be 1/1000. However, that's still 4x more likely than you haveing a baby with Downs

Also, remember that the overall incidence of Downs is 1 in 800, so you almost 5x less likely than average to have a baby with Downs

HTH

The real question here is "what would you do if the results were unfavourable?". If you want this baby "no matter what" then why do this?

I think the way I looked at things was that while my age means there's more chance of some problems happening, it doesn't mean I will actually have any more problems than a 25-year-old. So, if there's a roughly 1:4 chance of something being more difficult (conception) or happening (mc) that means there's a 3:4 chance of those things not being a problem. All these things are very individual and probabilities for the population are worth knowing but your individual case is unique to you.

38 is older than 33 but it's not 45 - and there will be people here who've had babies very successfully at 45.

Goodness, that seems an incredibly low result for a 38 year old. I'm 36 and my probability with my last pregnancy was 1:380. I decided not to have any further tests done as they were not offered / advised on the NHS for results higher than 1:150 and after a MC last year I didn't want to take the risk. DD now 5 weeks old and perfectly healthy!

frogalou - if it helps, I was really anxious through out my last pregnancy, I was at the doctors often getting everything checked, I looked every little thing up on the net and scared myself and my husband but it turns out that I am not at all an anxious mother! which is a relief to everyone!

Frogalou you mentioned your friends in Europe who have amnios. I think policy is a little different there. My sister in France had an amino at 24 years old with her first baby because she had once smoked. although not for a few years. I don't think smoking is even considered here.