Please help! Are combined tests offered on the NHS in Northern Ireland?

[minou03]

Hi,

I'm 12 weeks pregnant living (but not from) Northern Ireland. I don't understand the system here and I just can't seem to get any information about the combined test/nuchal scan. I read about it in my pregnancy book (published in the UK).

My scan is not until the 14th week so it would be too late to go private after that. I also don't have a lot of money...it seems the test costs £950.

I managed to speak to a midwife briefly and she said 'we don't do that anymore' and seemed quite annoyed. I'm not really sure what she meant. I just want to have the choice but I'm really confused as to how or what kind of tests are done here. Can anyone help me? I feel like I'm running out of time and now I can't get through to the antenatal clinic and my GP says he doesn't know. No-one knows I'm pregnant so I can't ask anyone I know either!! I'm so lost please help!

I've now booked a private scan for next week but I would really rather avoid it if I can get it on the NHS.

Thank you! Any help very appreciated!!!!!!!!!!

Stop being so aggressive. You're making yourself look angry and unreasonable.

And your sarcasm is totally unnecessary.

I was not "determined" to tell you anything. Reasonably I was unaware of your trust's testing policy and your medical history. I was trying to help the OP in relation to a particular query re policy in Northern Ireland (where I'm from). You seem intent on making me look and feel small, which is pretty mean-spirited when I was only trying to help. Mumsnet at its worst.

There is no sarcasm here, although there is a lot of exasperation!

I've written very clear posts as I have listed above, explaining my trust's testing policy from my very first post.

You seem to have misunderstood or misread them as you then tried to correct me and put me down quite specifically no less than 3 times, despite the fact that I am probably in a better position to know what my own trust does.

We are now agreed that testing CAN BE USED for a number of conditions (as I thought we did last night). Some trusts, such as my own, may only risk stratify for Down's syndrome.

Surely this is the end now!

I inadvertently "told" you once. "dino if you got the triple test or the quad test (blood tests) then they were testing for other conditions, people are just fixated on Down's syndrome." before you clarified your personal situation. You mention some random local hospital, it's not even clear if you are talking about Northern Ireland.

The rest of the time I was merely stating a fact:
"But the blood test is for those other conditions, not just Downs." True.

"I know, my point is, the test can be used to find out about a range of problems not just Downs syndrome, however in your case it was apparently only used to test for DS." True

"In general, people ARE obsessed with "downs screening" and frequently, through not in your case, they blood/quad/triple tests ARE checking for a range of conditions." True

I consider the use of in posts to be sarcasm.

I have neither misunderstood or misread them. Nor have I "put you down". You have belittled me with and "Let me go over it again as it seems it has proved a little complex for you." - unbelievably rude and patronising.

Like I say, I was trying to help, not pick holes in someone which is what you seem to want to do. Shame on you.

Had the scan (sooooo amazing :) :) ) and risk was low (1 in 5000 something) so didn't even have the blood test. Interestingly she only mentioned the results for Trisomy 21 but when my partner asked she actually had the results for 13 and 18 (I think) too, which was even lower risk. I guess they are rarer.

Anyway, thanks for all your help!

Glad it all went well. Hope you can relax and enjoy the rest of the pregnancy. Where are you going to have the baby?