Pregnant at 40 and over - thread 4

[Gizmojo]

To continue support for mums to be over 40

Glad to hear so much good news on the thread. Fingers crossed for your Harmony, Sleep.

It's so hard to know whether an early reassurance scan will be helpful at putting your mind as rest, hungryhass. Lots of people find them really helpful but I know for me it wouldn't be as I lost my first pregnancy shortly after the twelve week scan, so I just wouldn't be reassured by an earlier one even if all looked good on it. I can imagine that it would be nervewracking waiting a week to try again if it was too soon for a heartbeat to be visible too, especially if there is any doubt about your ovulation date. If you're worried, maybe ask them if you can postpone it a week or two until you can definitely see something.

I had a 32 week growth scan today and the baby looked well but my placenta is still low, so I'm hoping that it moves up a bit in the next few weeks before they rescan at 36 weeks.

what is a Harmony scan? Is it just a private scan?

Harmony isn't a scan Monkey, it's a blood test. It works by extracting fetal DNA from maternal DNA and then testing for Down's Syndrome, Patau Syndrome and Edwards Syndrome. It avoids the miscarriage risk of more invasive CVS or amniocentesis as it's just a simple maternal blood sample.

Welcome nanoo and congratulations on your good scan sleep. Fingers crossed for a great Harmony result.

Did you go for your scan hungryhass? Hope all went well if so.

I keep feeling queasy so hoping that's a good sign. Still don't want to think more than a day at at time, although I did book Harmony for 10wks in a burst of optimism.

Glad your scan was good too cineraria and hope that placenta moves up!

Nanoo thank you, I think I've had that already then at the hospital at about 12 weeks but probably age related-it was s blood test for downs/Edwards and patau-do you think it was the same thing?

Thanks minkfondant!

Monkey, the chances are that was the blood sample used as part of the nuchal screening. They test for high levels of certain chemicals in the mother's blood that are typically high if one of those conditions is present but could also be high if it's not and calculate a risk based on that, any markers seen in the scan, e.g. size of nuchal fold, and the mother's age to give a risk level.

I was high risk due to age and blood chemicals in that test but had no scan markers. In those circumstances, our trust offers us Harmony, which is another screening test, i.e. it gives you a risk level or we can have one of the diagnostic tests (CVS or amniocentesis) to get a definitive answer but these have a small risk of miscarriage as nanoo mentioned.

I think different trusts have different policies on what they offer and in which circumstances, especially as Harmony is expensive and the sample had to be sent overseas, which also adds to the cost. People I know in the US and Canada have said it is offered routinely in many hospitals within the last couple of years.

Oh ok that's clearer-I think I will ask, I wouldn't risk amnio anc my risk level was very low in spite of being an old git but I'll ask anyway! Thank you!

Good to hear how ppl are getting on.
I had the harmony scan too (altho it had a different name just to be confusing) which I organised privately as it wasn't offered locally even for those deemed high risk. Another bonus of it is that it also can identify gender. Which is how at 12 wks we learned it's a girl.

hungryhass I found an early internal scan at 7 wks reassuring, altho a few years ago I'd had a mmc shortly after my 7 week scan. But then I had my dating scan booked in at 10 wks so wasn't too much longer to wait.
Good luck with it!

Monkey my trust only offers Harmony at no cost if your risk of one of the three syndromes tested for at the combined test (12 week scan Michal fold measurement, combined with blood test and adjusted for age related factors) is worse than 1 in 500. If you choose to have it privately, it costs around £400. My results are 12 weeks indicated low risk but some issues that were flagged at 20 week scan meant we opted to go private for the Harmony.

@minkfondant - yes it at went well thanks! - I was 6+6 on the day I had the scan. I saw the heartbeat and measured 6+6 exactly!

Thanks all!! Now - about this Harmony Scan - I'm surprised I've never heard of it!

Oh I see Nanoo don't think I'll be spending £400 on it! 20 week scan was all ok so I don't think I need it.

Hows everyone doing? I'm 23 weeks tomorrow and just in the last week I've finally felt movement! It feels like wind but has been fairly non stop so must be the baby!

I was looking for this thread this morning to update but couldn't find it!

Sadly my Harmony came back showing high risk for Edwards Syndrome (trisomy 18). It's 99% accurate however the NHS requires me to have a CVS done to confirm the result so I went and had that done yesterday. When it's confirmed next week then I have asked for a surgical termination so they are referring me to BPAS.

I've been through a hell of a lot on my TTC journey with three miscarriages behind me and two live children. This is probably the most difficult loss simply because I'm in my second trimester and I've been feeling the baby move since 12 weeks.

I'm eternally grateful for the Harmony however as otherwise I would probably have only found out around the 20 week mark and I would then have been too late for the surgical option.

Good luck with everyone in your journies. I may be back here again at some point, not sure yet xx

Oh Sleep I'm really sorry to hear that-I'd have made the same decision as you on the same circumstances but it's still a terrible thing to go through.

Sorry to hear that Sleep. I hope you get great care through the next stages.

So sorry to hear that sleep. Big hugs and moral support for you. Hope you're very well looked after.

So sorry sleep, went through the same thing a month ago. Look after yourself

weasle did you opt for medical management or surgery?

Medical management, loads of drugs and not half as bad as I thought it would be. If I had to (let's hope not!) I'd choose it again.... any questions just ask.... :)

I had the process explained to me over the phone by a midwife and it just sounded horrendous. I was trying to work out how I was going to spend days in limbo as my understanding is they start the process with a tablet and then send you hand, then 24 hours later your back on ward where you get a pessary and another tablet? Then you spend 12 hours labouring the foetus out. It sounds medieval if I'm honest but I'm still waivering as I'm scared the surgery will fuck up sbd end in a hysterectomy.

*home

Yes I was given the tablet at hospital and sent home, felt nothing with this tablet and thats normal. Went in the following evening so I was ready to start the next morning. Had one pessary and within 20 mins had period type pain, so took codeine. Had second pessary 4 hours later and Pains got stronger (nothing more than period pains) so took oralmorph. Work great. Then pains increased to the worse they got, quite strong, I won't lie so they gave me pethidine. Wow! All pain gone, sat and ate my tea! Then without warning, any pain or any drama the baby was delivered. It's upto you if you want to see baby etc, they'll explain it all to you.
Started at 10am and over by 5:30pm.
Honestly it's not as awful as you may think but just choose what feels best for you x

Oh I like the pain relief aspect! Ok, I'm going to think on it some more I think. Thank you and so sorry you've had to go through it too. Horrible, sad business 😭

oh Weasle that's made me a bit teary, so awful, sorry that happened and Sleep thinking about you and hopefully Weasles explanation has helped x