AFP testing - should I have had it after all?

[choccybickie]

Hi I'm 31 weeks pregnant with my first child and I decided not to have the AFP blood test done at 16 weeks. My reasons for this were that if it had come back as a high risk of Downs Syndrome i wouldn't have opted for an amniocentesis because of the risk of miscarriage. I also felt that at this stage in pregnancy I wouldnt have been able to have an abortion. Now I'm scared that I may have made the wrong decision - I think the current Eastenders story is making me worry constantly, that may sound very stupid! Any advice? xx

I kmow in our area they didn't do bloods because the 20 week scan will normally show soft markers such as heart problems which would indicate DS - apparently this is quite reliable. So if your 20 week scan showed no cause for concern then chances are no need to worry. For what it is worth I paid for nuchal fold /bloods etc privately last time, risk was incredibly low and I sill worried right up to the birth - I think it is the hormones. Perhaps speak to your midwife/GP for some reassurance - we pregnant ladies do like to worry ! Big hug.

Hi. My bloods came back high risk at 1/24 for Downs. I've since found out from other Mnetters that because I'm over 40 I was always going to get this sort of result. I didn't want an amnio because I was terrified of miscarrying (I've had 2 missed m/c in the last year) but was persuaded into it by DH and my MW and had it last Monday. I've had a week of being worried sick by every ache and pain, and when the result came back clear I wasn't as relieved as I expected.

On another thread a girl of 31 got a blood risk of 1/970 and then they found soft markers for Downs at her scan.

I'm starting to think now that the blood tests are really not worth having as they either worry you unnecessarily or give you false reassurance. And even my high result when turned around meant a risk of just 4% so that's fairly meaningless anyway.

Why would it be a mistake...you know what you want, and therefore any results would have made no difference, but may have added stress to you...go with how you feel about things, I say, and do your research!

wrong decision? because you are afraid that there is something wrong? blood tests aren't hugely reliable, they give an indication ....20 week scan is is more reliable as incy says.

eastenders - well, it;s natural that this should have sparked a bit of worry - as the character didn;t know did she?

if you'd not seen it , would you be worried now?

it's natural to worry, especially with your first. and its not stupid.

if you wouldn;t have had an amnio, i wouldn;t beat yourself up about this...i take it your 20 week scan was ok?

Did you have a 20 week scan?
If you did, I'm sure if there were any causes for concern, they would have mentioned them and offered further tests.

to be honest the 'validity' of the 16 week blood test is not very high and as others have pointed out if nothing showed up on your twenty week scan - either soft or hard marker than I think perhaps you are worrying unnecessarily. You also mention that you would not have opted for an amnio or perhaps a termination which would have made it a difficult choice all round - so how can it be a mistake.

FWIW - some parents know their children have down syndrome before they are born and go on to have the baby - we did. From what I can gather ( am not in the UK) the storyline of Eastenders is one reaction some people have when they find out their baby has down syndrome. There are plenty of other reactions that people have.

Yeah I had the 20 week scan and everything was fine. I didn't realise that they could tell things from that, my midwife certainly never mentioned it! I feel so much better thanks guess sometimes you need other peoples reassurance to get things straight in your mind! I hate being the paranoid pregnant person its a nightmare, Im sure il find something else to worry about now!xxx

The 20 week scan is detailed iirc, they check the heart, the spine and the brain.
Hope the rest of your pregnancy runs smoothly.