Valve regurgitation: 12 week scan: help?

[Clare123]

Hi there, I am new to this board, but I was hoping someone might be able to give me some advice.

Its a long story, but here goes.

I had my 12 week scan this week - the nuchal, my blood tests and the nasal bone all indicated that we were low risk for Down Syndrome. However, then they saw that the baby had a valve regurgitation, which is an soft indicator for DS - with this in mind they still put my risk at 1:1000. Which I know is very good. The thing is I can't stop thinking about it being an indicator. We have been offered a CVS, but my husband is very against this as my risk for DS was so low. I am not sure what I want to do, but I do know that I can't go through a CVS without his support. The thing is I feel like I am making myself sick with worry

We were told the heart problem may correct itself and does in 95% of cases and those that it doesn't - doesn't neccessarily mean something awlful, BUT it can also mean a heart defect.

I am just soooooo worried. If anyone has ANY words of advice or experience of this I would REALLY appreciate it.

Thanks soooooo much

Oh you do sound worried .

I had a similar experience with my ds1, when his bowel showed up as hyperechogenic at his 20w scan. Nowadays it's apparently not considered a problem, but at the time they thought it was a soft marker. Like you, all the other tests had shown me as low risk. As a result I had some more, very detailed, scans and extra blood tests (to test me for various antibodies). Nothing else showed up, and they reassessed my risk to be twice as risky as before, but still 1:1000 or 2000 (this long after, I don't exactly recall).

I was offered an amnio, but decided not to do anything for two reasons: firstly, they were not talking about a risk of a major defect, and we wouldn't have terminated for Down's even had it been confirmed, so knowing one way or another would make no ultimate difference. Secondly, the risk of miscarriage due to amnio is 1-2:100 - vastly higher than the risk of a defect, and not, we felt, worth the risk.

So we opted to do nothing. I was monitored and scanned about once a month until 35w or so, and the bowel resolved itself. Ds1 was born at term and perfectly healthy.

HTH

good website re antenatal testing and results

the above website has links to ARC, another excellent site.

thank you! I really appreciate your replies.

i thought a lot of baby scans showed valve regurtation? have you had a proper foetal cardiac scan?

i had one with dd3, she had a few leaks and reguarations, now at almost 2 she is clear, but they have found out my 6yr old dd1 has valve leakage, but is fine.

No, it's now part of the screening process at Kings to look at the baby's heart. I have been referred for a proper heart scan at 22 weeks, but that seems such a long time away.

Hi, I've posted my own thread on this but haven't had any replies. I was also told, at King's that baby has leaking heart valve at 12 week scan but risk of downs etc very low. Would you mind sharing what happened to you and your baby?

Or anyone else reading this...