Echogenic bowel

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Last week I went for my 20week scan where I was told that my baby was showing Signs of a mild echogenic bowel, which could mean a number of things like infection, cystic fibrosis or chromosome abnormalities Down syndrome being the main one. The consultant isnt overally worried as it's mild, but my daughter has digeorge syndrome a deletion in the chromosomes that wasn't picked up on the scans she was the 1% who slipped through the net and wasn't diagnosed until 18months old, she is a very mild case though. I'm currently debating having a amnio test done but will do anything to avoid it. I just want to know if anyone else has had an echogenic bowel with no other symptoms and what was your outcome?

Yes, we had an echogenic bowel with dc2, picked up, like you, at the 20 week scan. Presumably they are testing you for the infections, CF etc?

We weren't offered an amniocentesis, I think because they were very relaxed about echogenic bowels. I had also already had an Harmony test, so the consultant was happy that that had dealt with the Downs risk.

They seem fairly common, and mostly aren't associated with anything sinister. There were no issues in our case. And as I say, that seems quite a common thing.

Why would you have an amnio? Just for Downs or for other chromosome issues?

Echogenic bowel is almost always benign and nothing to worry about. It CAN be a soft marker for chromosomal problems but the consultant told me that is generally only when there are other soft markers. It's often due to a bleed earlier in pregnancy and the baby has swallowed some blood. You should be offered blood tests for CF and CMV and if those are negative you should really try not to worry. It's almost always nothing and is often gone later in the pregnancy.

Also I really don't think they will support you in having an amnio just for echogenic bowel. It's not a good indication for it. I had declined downs screening entirely and nobody was bothered about that or thought my baby had downs because of the EB.

Hi OP,
We had the same, mild echogenic bowel picked up at 20 week scan... I was immediately anxious and worried and googled everything about it... we were tested for CF and CMV, all negative and everything turned out fine. I'd had a minor amount of bleeding / spotting in 1st trimester so maybe it was my daughter swallowing this. Try not to worry, I think it is nothing in most cases and a result of more sensitive scanning that picks it up X

Hi bue, thank you for your reply they are actually very supportive of because of my history. Although the echogenic bowel is mild and there are no other obvious signs. My daughter has digeorge syndrome which was never picked up during ultrasounds, she wasn't diagnosed until she was 18months old which resulted in being having postnatal depression from the tough 18months I had in getting to the bottom of her symptoms. However I have opted to go private and have a blood test called serenity which will give me all the answers I need so I'm not putting my baby at risk. X

Thank you everyone for your answers, I was offered the amnio because of my previous history with my little girl, she was the 1% who slipped through the net. However we have opted to go private and have a blood test done called serenity which will look at downs and chromosome deletions. And then take it from there depending on the results. D

Just to add that we had this too, picked up at 20w scan. Ours wasn't a mild case but there weren't any other soft markers.

We were both tested for CF and me for CMV but that turned up negative.

We had a follow-up scan at 22 weeks with a consultant who peformed a really thorough scan of the baby. She wasn't overly worried due to the absence of any other issued.

She did say that amino was an option but if it were her, she wouldn't be having it as the risks of complications from that were many times greater than the chance of something actually being wrong.

We had a perfectly healthy baby with no issues so really was 'just one of those things'. Still a massive worry though when you are in the midst of it all- hope this gives some comfort.

Friend of mine had the same had so much worry, she eventually had an amino but all was absolutely fine

I had echogenic bowel plus small measurements. We were offered amino - not sure serenity test was an option then. It sounds like the perfect solution. I have everything crossed for you. My echogenic bowel is a happy 5 year old playing in the bath. So in our case it meant nothing. It did have a massive impact on me though. After he was born I spent 8 months or so waiting for something wrong to emerge. It is horrible op. And after what you have been through already. You sound 10 times stronger than me and you have a positive way forward.

The Serenity test will put your mind at ease!

The serenity test is a blood test not yet offered on the NHS although the NHS will offer harmony which looks at Down syndrome only. I think if it hadn't of been for my little girl being that 1% who split through the net I wouldn't be overally worried as everything else looks perfectly fine. I just don't have much faith in the consultants and feel I need to put my mind at ease but I don't want to put my baby at risk. I'd be heartbroken if I lost a healthy baby to the amnio. X

Hi all,

I am glad I found a recent thread on echogenic bowel. They found echogenic bowel on our little boy last Monday at our 20 week US. Everything else measured great and ahead of schedule- no other markers were found. Our OBGYN referred us to the hospital for a second level US, which showed the same thing.

The Doc did not seem worried at all and said on a scale of 1 to 10 your worry should be at a 1. I had already done genetic testing and am very low risk. I just went yesterday to get labs done for TORCH, CMV, and cystic fibrosis, so I am waiting on those. I AM A NERVOUS WRECK AND CAN NOT STOP GOOGLING.

I just wanted to stop in as support. I definitely know what you are going through. The waiting is the worst part. I laugh and joke saying that he is already going to be grounded when he is born because of the stress that he put on his parents!

Thanks for listening :) Praying for you all.

hi albourne59,

i was exactly the same could not stop googling it, which was probably the worst thing i could of done but i was the same as you... a big nervous wreck after constantly crying and being upper height about the whole situation we have decided to go ahead with a private blood test which was non-invasive providing the blood tests came back normal for viruses and cystic fibrosis.

i actually got my blood results today, we had an appointment at fetal medicine the consultant who scanned me today was overwhelmed by the fact that my babies echogenic bowel had cleared up which was visible LAS WEEK!!! plus my blood results had come back normal, everything is measuring fine and baby is happy so the plan from now will be regular growth scans to makesure the baby is growing fine. we are so relieved that the baby is ok and we don't need any further testing.

the fact that your obgyn isn't worried is very reasurring my consultant wasn't it was more me because i have a daughter already who has a deletion of the chromosomes so naturally i was thinking the worst.

i know its so hard not to worry and i completely understand where you are coming because that has been me for the past two weeks but please try not to worry my consultant said that when they see echogenic bowels with no other factors its highly likely to be nothing, which i saw for myself today.

i really hope it works out the same for you, please let me know how you get on xx