Worrying about downs syndrome test results.

[LST]

I have just had my downs results letter for the bloods and It has come back 1 in 280 but low risk...

I swear when I was pregnant with ds he was 1 in 25000 or something similar..

Is this a normal result

Yes it's normal. I had 1/160 with dd. Its still only a tiny percentage risk. Without being too depressing I'm sure there are lots of things they can't test for that have a higher risk.

It is just one thing to worry about after another. I wish I never had the bloody test! They should just put low risk and leave it at that!

Thank you

This is why I'm not having the tests - I know I'd be panicking if I got a number back like that, but in all honesty I'd probably be panicking if they said 1 in 25000!

Can you look at it like a lottery ticket - if that was the odds given for you to win millions, you wouldn't risk your life savings on it, because its so unlikely. Therefore being so unlikely that you are the one in 280 who this will happen to also?

Those are good odds, even if compared to your previous pregnancy it feels like they are not! I went from 1 in four digits with my first two pregnancies, to 1 in 34 with my last pregnancy and refused invasive testing due to risk. Oh, that was a fun pregnancy I can tell you

Basically it's really easy to go from high numbers to lower numbers - just a few decimal places out on the MoMs for the blood tests, or the nuchal measurement being just a few mm out. I used to fiddle with my results on various online risk calculators and it was amazing to see what a difference just a few tiny adjustments made.

If you're really concerned, aside from the invasive options (you may have trouble finding somebody to do that unless you pay) these days you could go for the Harmony test which, if low risk, is 1 in 10,000. It's not cheap either though. I wish so much we'd had it a few years ago!

What do the bloods check for? Can illnesses you have affect results?

Dont worry that a totally normal result and I agree, they should just say low risk and not give a number. After all, no matter what, if you are that 1 it doesnt matter what the odds were.

Our results were 1 in 80,000 and my friend who's due just before me was 1 in 600 which has bothered her as we're same age etc but if they had just said low risk she would have thought no more of it.

Think of it this way, if you multiply it out, your risk is only 4 in 1140 which sounds a bit better that way I always think!

Thank you.

I have so much on my mind at the minute and this has just added to it

If you've got the money then have a harmony test. Do a mumsnet search for them. They're pricey but risk free tests to find out about abnormalities.