Down Syndrome Symptoms in Pregnancy

[zagaza]

Hi Everyone,

I've decided to start this thread as i can't find one with a collection of all the pregnancy symptoms that indicate chromosome abnormalities and in particular DS. Would love to learn from anyone who has has had a similar experience.

I'm currently 13w 2d pregnant, and have been told i'm high risk for DS with a 1 in 14 chance. I'm now waiting for the test results from my NIPT blood test that should hopefully give me something more accurate.

Here is a list of things that are making me feel something is wrong:

• I have been extremely sick since 6 weeks. (On a good day vomiting about 8 times, on a bad day 25!). As a result i have lost some weight. I haven't known anyone to experience this much sickness.

• I'm IVF - on day 12pt i had a hcg of 119ml which quadrupled in a week to 3600ml

• Nuchal scan was normal. Bloods were not. HcG: 3.5, PAPP-A: 0.40 (age 41)

• I have had some bleeding

Has anyone out there had a similar experience? Would love to know. I'm very nervous about my results, will keep you updated! Xx

Another thing i forgot to add;

• I don't have a Thyroid problem. However, the nurse at the hospital accidentally ticked for my thyroid to be checked when i gave my bloods. The results indicated that i have hypothyroid. However, i've been told not to worry about it as the results can be squewed during pregnancy.

I had a high risk of 1 in 75 at my 12 weeks scan, my NIPT came back negative though.
I did have some heavy bleeding in my 1st trimester, but this could have been down to having an abnormal shaped uterus.

With regards to your sickness, I have known a number of people to suffer with HG who all had non DS babies.

Good luck with everything

I don’t think sickness is any indicator. I have had HG in both pregnancies and my first had no issues and low risk for my second. I’m part of a few Hyperemesis support forums and I’ve not come across anyone with a Down Syndrome baby yet (although I’m sure there are some).

I also have extremely high HCG levels, it correlates with the extreme sickness. I’ve had mine checked a few times with the HG, my consultant pulled the funniest face of sympathy when he saw how high my levels were this time!

My NT results on pregnancy one had HCG at 3.5 and this pregnancy 3.7. PAPP-A was 0.95 both times.

It’s the combination of your high HCG & low PAPP-A that’s giving you the high risk.

I hope all is well OP.. try not to read into symptoms too much. A lot are regular pregnancy symptoms. Having a baby with genetic issues is unlikely to cause anything outwardly odd.. good luck with the NIPT

Ten years ago now, i was 39 ... Downs score from hormone test was 1 in 5. DIdn't have other kinds of test then except amnio, which we declined. I had zero morning sickness during the pregnancy and no episodes of bleeding.

Son was born extremely prem, had a bleed on the brain just before birth, is now ASD and SLD. But he definitely doesn't have any chromosomal disorders

Yes I had all these symptoms and came back high risk- my baby did not have DS

The reason you have all these symptoms is your high HCG levels- it’s the pregnancy hormone, causes the pregnancy symptoms. High hcg is seen in Women with Hypermersis gravim too.

High hcg and low papp a is also an indicator of a downs pregnancy.
They go hand in hand but Plenty of women do just have high hcg.

Alsolute best of luck, the wait is horrendous

Hello there,
My younger son has Downs' Syndrome, he's 4 now. His pregnancy I had some very light spotting the first couple of weeks. Mild morning nausea (probably less than my previous pregnancy), but I found that if I ate loads of red meat I didn't feel nauseous the following day.
I don't know about the other things you mention - my normal pregnancy blood tests were all normal range, and I didn't have a scan.

Being pregnant and being a mum is full of opportunities to worry! But it really is best not to get anxious!! Try to look after yourself and stay healthy and happy... any well done for stating what you're concerned about just now.

Best wishes
Gemma xx

OP another thing I remembered - we didn’t have an ivf pregnancy but I tested the day my period was due. The line had started appearing before I had taken the test out from between my legs!! Again its the high hcg (Mine was 5!)