CVS on NHS - Anybody know how you get one?

[jetsurferone]

Hi everybody, I'm pregnant at the age of 43, with my third DC. I know that I want to have a CVS, regardless of the results of a nuchal etc. I am booked into the Fetal Medicine Centre in London, but it is a bit pricey. Does anybody know what conditions allow for a CVS on the NHS? If it helps, I'm in Lewisham, and am hoping (assuming all goes OK) to have the baby at Kings. Thanks in advance!

They might give you one if you ask. I was offered one on the NHS when a private nuchal scan gave a 1 in 20 chance of Downs.

Have you already had Harmony at the FMC? QCH offer CVS on the NHS if result of combined screening is high but I'd always go for non-invasive Harmony first if you possibly can.

Hi Missbattaleaxe. That's interesting. So I guess I just MIGHT be able to self-refer to Kings? Might try that. I am thinking that the risk might be quite high not least because of my age, which would help to support a CVS.

What happened was that all my care was NHS but I wanted a nuchal fold scan which they didn't offer so i went to BUPA for that as a one off paid appt. After that it was time for my booking in appt and at booking-in they referred me for an NHS CVS. How far along are you jetsurfer?

Thanks Carmen (and also to Missbattleaxe). No, not yet, as I'm still only nine weeks. I actually thought the Harmony only screened for Downs but I have just checked and now see that it screens for other chromosomal abnormalities. So I guess if everything comes back OK for the Harmony and the nuchal/screening, you can be pretty sure that there is no need to have a CVS as it checks for the same things? God, now I'm confused! So I guess next question is how to get a Harmony test on the NHS!!?

I think there are only one or two trusts providing NIPT like the harmony. Having had a baby with chromosomal abnormalities before I still would have had to go private so I'm doubtful you could get one on the nhs.

Thanks Gruffalo. I think I will stick with the CVS at the FMC. The FMC won't do the CVS until 12 weeks and I assume they combine that with a 'normal scan' including nuchal fold in any case, but if not, I guess I will get that on the NHS, so that will check for other issues. Feel a bit mad asking all these questions partly because I've convinced myself in the meantime that something has already gone wrong!

From what I read I'm pretty confident they do a scan at the same time and the reviews I've heard are great about the FMC. Best of luck to you!

Thank you!

CVS is usually offered to women who have a ‘high-risk’ combined (scan and blood) test risk of >1:150 for a chromosomal problem in the baby. There is also provision for maternal request CVS under certain circumstances (i.e previous affected pregnancy, working with disabled children etc). Consultants are usually also sympathetic to the requests of older mums. You should request a CVS from the Lead specialist at Lewisham (Dr Sau). He will either do this for you locally or refer you to Kings anyway for the procedure on the NHS. Basky Thilanganathan, Fetal Medicine Consultant, St George's, Tooting.

St George's Hospital in Tooting provides free non invasive pregnancy testing to any woman assessed as 'high risk' in the South London and South area. Call the fetal medicine department and speak to one of the midwives for more information. 0208 725 3664.

Hi User147... Thanks for this information, that's really helpful. I have only just got myself on the system by self-referring to Kings, and am awaiting a call from them. I read somewhere that the risk of Downs for a woman my age is something like 1/50, and 1/33 for other abnormalities, which if correct is pretty high risk by default I'd guess. You've been really helpful already, but do you know practically how I would go about requesting a CVS from Dr Sau at Lewisham? I'm a bit unsure about how to take that forward. Do I need to go via my GP, or can I go direct to the hospital? Re: Tooting, that's also really good to know but I am pretty sure that I do want to go straight to the CVS. Thanks so much.

Phone the midwives at Kings and explain the situation to them as they will know the procedure. All the best.

Amazing, thanks so much for everyone. I have spoken to a lovely midwife at Kings, who has booked me in for the scan and seemed to suggest that regardless of the results, if I pushed for a CVS, they would almost certainly allow it. Thanks again!

Glad to hear you've got a good outcome. If you need anymore advice, do come back to us. Our fetal medicine department are one of the best in the UK.

Thanks again SGH2016, and will do. Just keeping fingers crossed that there really is a baby in there and all is OK - when I said to the lovely midwife that I thought my age made me high risk for chromosomal abnormalities, she said that at my age, I was high risk for everything!! (But she did say to ignore that for now).

Based on your age alone, yes you are high risk, but this is just one of a number of factors they take into consideration to determine your overall personal risk. This includes the nuchal fold measurement and blood tests. You might find that this has a significant impact on your ratios and you come back much lower risk than you might expect.

I had a CVS at St George's in Tooting after my 12 week scan gave me a 1:90 chance of Down's etc. I was 35 at the time.

Hi OP. I've just had the harmony test done at FMC (still awaiting results) - they told me that if the results come back high risk they do the CVS for free.

Hi

Can any of the above ladies give me their out come ? I have a1/90 and just had cvs so intrested if what happened next ?