Amniocentesis fears- can anyone reassure me?

[mexico]

Apologies if there are already threads on this, I am not good at searches! My triple test results have shown a higher than normal DS risk for my baby. I am 16 weeks pregnant. I am reaching the conclusion that to be able to relax at all for the rest of my pregnancy I am going to have to have an amnio, but I am frightened of the miscarriage risks. The risks seem high but no-one I know seems to be aware of anyone that has miscarried. How common really is it? What are others experiences of amnios? Any help is so much appreciated

Bunny about the sickness - I was not sick once with DD so don't think that is anything to go by.

Are you going to go to Kings and have a detailed scan??

Will try and mail you again. XX

Mexico: I have negative family experiences of Downs Syndrome. Enough that I think I would choose to terminate if I knew I was carrying a Down's child. If you want more details about my experiences you can try contact another talker to email me.

Hi, saw the consultant today about my nuchal scan. I can have an amnio at 14 wks apparently but I am still against anything which increases my miscarriage risk. Or I cna have a more detailed scan around 17 wks which may pick up serious problems or not. I am still convinced my baby has something far more sinister than Downs, just a gut feeling.

hi bunny

Some complete armchair psychology coming up so feel free to ignore!

I think that pregnancy is a very worrying time. I am of the type of personality that will always imagine the worst- and I think this is common in pregnancy. Over the weekend I was worried that I had an ectopic as I had pain on one side. Now I'm just back to worrying about placenta acretta and bleeding to death on the operating table!

You have been given a focus for your worries- a "bad" nuchal result. From your posts you sound fairly at ease with the idea of DS, and therefore you may be projecting your worries further- and onto something you feel you couldn't cope with. I think this is a really natural thing to do. When I think about my almost certain c section at xmas, I very quickly move on from straghtforward to massive complications resulting in death!

I have one friend in particular who has had a nightmare with the nuchal and both her pregnancies (first son's talipes (club feet) were picked up and they quickly moved onto "might indicate very serious chromosome disorder", second son was higher risk for Down's). Like you she didn't want an amnio- although she did have the more detailed scans. In both cases her boys were fine (first son was "just" talipes). The scans can give a very good idea- especially for conditions more serious than Down's.

You may also find that once your decision is made the anxiey may decrease a little (once I had decided I almost certainly would go for another section I did stop worrying quite so much about bleeding to death!)

Thinking of you.....

Jimjams, that was a fab post. Thank you. I do fear the worst, I suppose I try to prepare myself for the bleakest picture as some sort of self-preservation tactic. Dh keeps reminding me I have a 97.6% chance of having a baby with a normal chromosone makeup but I still manage to convince myself I'll be in the other 2.4%. When I had 2 miscarriages I convinced myself I had something so awful I'd never have another baby and I insisted on all the available tests to prove otherwise. Of course the internet doesnt help, all this information at my fingertips is dangerous to someone like me. I am glad you understand, sometimes I think I've lost the plot.

Glad it helped bunny2- I can identify with what you are doing as I would do the same in your position. To be honest I am- I'm just worrying about different things.

I remember in ds2's pregnancy they had introduced HIV screening- in between getting the test and getting the result I had completely convinced myself I had it- even though my risk must have been minute.

I usually google on everything - but this time I'm avoiding anything about section complications as I know it will send me into a near panic and I know I will convince myself I'll be that person.

If you decide to go for the scan- do let it reassure you. I know things are missed on scans, but things are much less likely to be missed if they are looking for particular problems rather than just doing a quick screening scan iyswim. Also I think the scan they do - is far more detailed than a normal anomoly scan.

That is a really top post Jimjams - as a previous owner of an incredibly fraught pregnancy I can identify with every word you wrote. They should print your post on cards and hand it to every woman at her booking-in appointment

Have read most of this thread and would like to say this: the blood test does have a high false positive rate and I have friends whose pregnancies have been miserable because of it due to not having a cvs or amnio. They have then had healthy babies. I had the cvs for both of my babies as I was 38 and 39 when pregnant. I went to the Feotal Medical Centre at 137 Harley St, London W1, tel: 020 7486 0476 and the cvs was done by Prof Kypros Nicolides who is also at Kings. At Kings you wait for 5 hours to see him, at his private clinic, you have an appointment and you may wait 10 minutes depending on his day. I was advised both times not to have cvs as blood test good (1 in 1037 and 1 in 1012) but I wanted sure result and when I asked his success rate for cvs as I thought general risk for cvs was one in 100, I was told his rate is about 1 in 500. As for the amnio, this test is less risky than the cvs. He is the only doctor I would allow to carry out this procedure.I think it cost £400. Good luck anyway.

ChicPea, that's interesting. I am almost certainly going to wait for an anomoly scan though I am still tempted to find out for sure. It really is a bloody hard decision to make.

Well I have my amnio looming tomorrow. I am nervous and havn't slept much these last 10 days but I am confident now I am doing the right thing. I will let you all know how it goes, once I can get out of bed that is

Thinking of you Mexico, let us know how it goes.
love TC xxx

Fingers crossed for you Mexico

Hope all is well Mexico, keep us posted

Bunny - I have had 2 scans where the nuchal result was higher than yours honey and I have to say that the prospect of a downs baby did not worry me so I did not think about that just as you have convinced myself it was something worse - it is natural - I actually know quite a few people who have been through this and none of them have had babies with downs let alone babies with amything else. I will ring you a bit later when I have a quiet moment.

Mexico - it hurts but nothing really bad - just try and relax as it makes the job easier for the consulatant - don;t wear anything which may put pressure on where the needle is inserted so low slung trousers or really high waisted ones would be best and tale a couple of paracetamo; tp have afterwards just to dull the pain a bit.

Good luck XXX

Mexico, wondering how you are and when will you get the result?

Hi mexico, hope it went ok today.

Twinkie, I am quite calm today, feel ready to accept whatever my anomoly scan in 5 wks time throws at me. I dare say I'll be cacking it nearer the date.

Well amnio has been and gone and baby is still OK, I have been feeling fine with no after effects and I am beginning to think I can relax again. The best news of all is, I just got the PCR results and baby is negative for all they tested. I think that is DS, Pataus, Edwards, and a couple of others. Awful to be blase about what but once they said all was negative I went a bit deaf and hopeless!!
So no more decisions or heartache for now. Thanks to everyone for their support, and lots of love and hugs to anyone else who is going through similar worry. It is hard enough to fall pregnant and get through the early days without all the extra worry- you don't really expect that.
I have learnt a lot from this though and I think I have come out much more informed and less blinkered about things like DS, which can only be a good thing.
Good luck with yr scan Bunny2

Oh Mexico, I'm so pleased for you and your DH/DP.
Wonderful news, so pleased you can start relaxing properly and enjoying the pregnancy.

Also nice to har that you have learnt something about DS

How are you Bunny?

Lots of love to you - Thomcat xx

Bunny I am sure everything will be fine - I really think we blow these things up in our minds and almost make ourselves that one in however many!!

Mexico - am glad your results were fine - its like someone lifting a heavy weight from off of you and even if you think you haven't been dwelling on it you realise you have constantly!! Do you have to go for cardiac scans and such like now?? I have 2 at Kings at 20 weeks and then another one at local hospital at 22 weeks and then one a bit later.

mexico, that is brilliant news, I am really pleased .

Thanks for your messages, I am ok, looking forward to a scan on Wednesday which will hopefully give us more idea about our baby. Of course I cant help worrying but am trying very hard to keep things in perspective - easier said than done.

Great news mexico, what a relief for you. All the best for your scans Twinkie and Bunny, please keep us posted.
Bunny, do you have a Bereavement Midwife at your local hospital (or any of them? Ask around if your chosen one doesn't have somebody in this role). I only ask because I got wonderful emotional support last year from mine. She never lied to me by saying everything would be fine, but she listened to me fret over the same worries (Edwards for me, a cousin had a stillborn baby with this Syndrome) time and again and always went through my notes with me on the phone or even sometimes in person.
I was thinking about you this morning and wondering what if any extra support you were getting antenatally.

wonderful news mexico, thinking of you bunny, x

BUNNY

WILL BE THINKING OF YOU TOMORROW, LET US KNOW HOW THE SCAN GOES.
bEST OF LUCK!