Bad news at 20 week scan, please help.

[No1worrier]

I hope someone can tell me their experiences from something similar. I have just been told at my 20 week scan my little girl has something seriously wrong with her heart. I have been referred to the fetal medication unit to see a specialist cardiologist tomorrow. She is moving so much, heartbeat has been strong since was 6 and a half weeks pregnant, everything else like her brain, kidneys etc look fine but something is so badly wrong with her heart. I'm so confused 😥. The consultant at the hospital didn't say what he thought it looked like but he said it was serious and I will probably be given options, one being it is fixable, another is ending the pregnancy which we refuse to do! I am 21 weeks pregnant now so more than half way and I can't even think about ending it. All I know is she doesn't have the normal 4 chambers etc like a heart should have. Sorry I don't have much more information than this, we don't get to take notes away home with us at our hospital. Any input would be appreciated 💗

Sorry forgot to mention my down syndrome screening bloods came back as 1 in 99,000

Foetal medicine are amazing. When I was pregnant with DS2 I was given several very long scans. They looked in tremendous detail at everything. I think they will check your baby very thoroughly tomorrow and look for any problems. I realise that it must be so hard not knowing. It must feel impossible, but all I can suggest is that you try to relax and distract yourself. Watch something you really enjoy on TV, read a book you love, bake or cook. Just get through the next few hours and tomorrow you will have more information. Good luck for tomorrow. There are so many people on this thread sending you and baby good thoughts.

OP I feel for you. I know only too well that horrendous feeling of being told there’s something not right. I had the same at 20 week scan - but with a very different issue.
Foetal Medicine were mostly great. My DC had many physical problems and still has. She’s 3 now and I’m just thinking of how I had to fight some of the doctors who told me she’d never sit up or walk or play and pushed for termination at 27 weeks.
She can’t walk (yet) but she can sit and play.
I’m thinking of you and your precious baby

Hi there!

Sorry to hear you had bad news. I specialise in cardiology and whilst I only work with adults, I have worked with lots of adults who have congenital defects who have had multiple surgeries since birth and have gone on lead normal lives. Hard to say what will happen as you don't know what's wrong yet. But babies are resilient and I wish you the best! Keep us updated xx

Thank you everyone, today is the day 🤞🏼. I had a surprisingly okay sleep but think I am physically and mentally drained since Monday so my body switched off. Praying for good news today 💗 x

Wishing you all the best

@No1worrier - just wanted to let you know you’re in my thoughts and I hope today brings positive news for you x

I am so sorry to hear of your news at the 20 week scan. I haven’t been in this situation myself, thankfully, but I just wanted to wish you all the luck in the world for today. I will be thinking of you and your baby. X

Thinking of you today. Please update us if you feel you can xx

Good luck today. Thinking of you

Wishing you all the very best & thinking of you

I really hope that it's positive news today.

Thinking of you today and hoping the specialist has some positivity. I do know that living in the uk we do have access to some of the best fetal medics globally.

Good luck OP. My dd had possible issues spotted on the twenty week scan, I was scanned very thoroughly at the fetal medicine unit , they were amazing. They thought she might have a genetic problem with enlarged organs but all was well and she was completely fine.
I felt in excellent hands and they were wonderful, informed me clearly what they were looking at and guided me through the process. I know that you already know there is definitely a heart problem, but I hope that you get help and support today.

Wishing you all the best of luck and hoping for some good news

My friend's daughter had this however they didn't know there was a problem until she was born. It was a really scary time for them but the baby was operated on almost right away, and she is now a healthy, lovely brilliant five year old. The parents ran a marathon the following year to raise money for babies with heart defects.

Medical science is amazing, doctors are amazing, and while this is utter hell for you, it's so good they know before she is born and can plan for her needs.

Thinking of you today xxx

Hope you're ok OP

Good luck OP X

Best wishes OP.

My son was diagnosed with Atrio-Ventricular Septum Defect (AVSD) at birth along with a genetic abnormality (which I don't want to get side-tracked with). These weren't picked up on the scans though.
AVSD is basically there's a hole between the top two chambers and the bottom two chambers, and his valves were non-existent. Instead of four chambers, there was just one. He was operated on at 14 weeks, which was a bit traumatic but the operation was hugely successful and his heart doesn't give him any more problems. He's checked annually by a cardiologist but that's about it.
The specialists can really do amazing things nowadays. It's always tough when it's your baby though. Wishing you well for today.

Thinking of you today @No1worrier

Best of luck OP, will be thinking of you & little one. 🤞🏼♥️

Good luck today op