Combined Test Results

[findinggold]

Hi, I’ve just had my results for the combined test and it’s come back as 1:230 for DS.
I really thought it would have come back lower as I’m only 26, my BMI is higher as it’s 36 but I really didn’t think it would have come back as 1:230.
So I’m naturally worried now of course and I know some people have much lower results than me but still, I really wasn’t expecting that result.
The cut off in my trust is 1:150 but I know some other trusts the cut off is 1:250 so I would be considered high risk in some places so I’m just really worried.
I can’t see on my letter where it tells me my PAPP score and I have two scores for HCG so I can’t tell if they’re low or high or as they should be?
Any one have any positive stories? Thanks.

@LadyBillyBon oh god my levels of UE3 is really really low, I just don’t have a good feeling about it at all. It just doesn’t look good does it 😔

@LadyBillyBon where did you get the statistics from? I’ve been looking everywhere but can’t seem to find out what is average and what’s not for these! 😩

[quote findinggold]@LadyBillyBon where did you get the statistics from? I’ve been looking everywhere but can’t seem to find out what is average and what’s not for these! 😩[/quote]
You have to do a lot of searching but searching for average results for each thing one by one and searching the pages brings up a few answers although as I say, it isn't 100%.
Have to type in the right things too.

Some things to search.. "Normal ue3 levels in pregnancy"
This one explains at the top that it's around 4 at 15 weeks. And downs pregnancies are approx 75% this amount.

"Hcg Mom normal range 16 weeks"
Is another

Hope these help a little

"Lower than normal AFP, hCG, and inhibin A levels could mean that you have higher chances of having a baby with Down syndrome or trisomy 18.

Lower than normal levels of Ue3 may also mean that you have higher chances of having a baby with Down syndrome or trisomy 18."

So it just looks like it's your Ue3 number that is the concern.

It does say though, 4% of people have high readings in this test but only 0.1-0.2% of people actually go on to have a baby with DS

@LadyBillyBon thank you so much, I’m going to ring my midwife tomorrow to go through it all because she’s on call and I’ll go through it all with the person I’ll see tomorrow to do the NIPT, thank you for being so kind and helping me!

[quote findinggold]@LadyBillyBon thank you so much, I’m going to ring my midwife tomorrow to go through it all because she’s on call and I’ll go through it all with the person I’ll see tomorrow to do the NIPT, thank you for being so kind and helping me![/quote]
Sorry for bombarding you with replies!

I know how worrying it can be!

Just remember that just because your readings are high, doesn't mean it will happen. That's only 1 result. All your other factors are average.
It can mean anything. It might not even be correct.
The percentage of 0.1% of 4% of people is very very low though ❤️

I think that anything that’s quoted as MoM means that the average is 1. So when I had my HCG taken for my 12 week screening it was 1.4 MoM which means 1.4x the average. Try not to worry too much, there is a cut off for a reason and these hormones are all just markers. My 12 week screening came back as high risk 1 in 14 because my NT was high and my Papp-A was low, my HCG was normal. in the end I had an Amnio which came back as clear. Both markers can be a sign of Down’s syndrome but both can also just occur in totally normal pregnancies. I’m 31 and my background risk was 600 I think so you can see how the markers can totally increase the change. 1 in 250 is 0.4% chance which is still very very low. Try not to worry - the NIPT looks at fetal DNA and is VERY accurate so should reassure you xx

@LadyBillyBon oh my gosh please don’t be sorry, I really appreciate you helping me out and looking things up it means a lot!
I’m hoping that’s the case, I seen that low UE3 can mean that baby has other abnormalities too, I just not feeling hopeful at all at the moment I sound so horrible I know but we’ll find out soon I hope, if they come back high from the NIPT I’ll have an amino then and I’ll know for sure, thank you so much 🥰

[quote findinggold]@LadyBillyBon oh my gosh please don’t be sorry, I really appreciate you helping me out and looking things up it means a lot!
I’m hoping that’s the case, I seen that low UE3 can mean that baby has other abnormalities too, I just not feeling hopeful at all at the moment I sound so horrible I know but we’ll find out soon I hope, if they come back high from the NIPT I’ll have an amino then and I’ll know for sure, thank you so much 🥰[/quote]
My friend had a 1 in 18 result for Down syndrome. Using the same test as you at 16 weeks.
She has a perfectly healthy 3 year old now with absolutely no issues.

I had a 1/153 chance. I was young, extremely fit and healthy with no risk factors. My first, I'd had a risk of 1/17,000 so I was slightly surprised. However, it was low risk, 99% chance that DS was fine and I didn't give it a second thought.

@LadyBillyBon that is really hopeful, thank you! X
@ShowOfHands thank you for sharing! I’m going today for an NIPT test, I’m hoping they can pick up today on the scan if there is anything else that might have caused a higher score, I’m just really worried about how low my UE3 is and how it can affect her in other ways.

@findinggold your UE3 is slightly above average (but only slightly and remember nobody is average!); it isn’t low at all. I am no medical professional but I understand scientific papers somewhat do to my work and I’ve just read one that states levels that at 75% of average (so MoM near 0.75) are indicative of DS. I don’t want to fill you with conflicting information but I think definitely speak to the screening midwife at your hospital as she’ll know what’s classed as high/low. But 1.19 MoM is above average level. MoM stands for multiple of median if you want to Google how it’s calculated.

@KTF367 no thank you for letting me know! I’ve been looking things up but I don’t have a clue what I’m looking for and what’s the right information! 😩
Why do you think I could have got a high score? Is it because my hCG is raised or is there something else that looks really off?
No the more information the better thank you for spreading some more light on it, I’ll ask the dr today about all my results and things, I’m just so confused how I’ve got a high score because I’m 26, I’m healthy never had health problems (expect being overweight but it’s never impacted me before) and nothing has been found on any scan I’ve had so I’m just really confused...

Just an update, we went for our NIPT today, they couldn’t get blood out of me (typical my veins are awful) so I’ve had to bring the pack home with me for my GP to do it instead, we had a scan and she said everything looked good and send measurements off and things so got to wait 10 days now from Tuesday when I have them done, I’ve asked my midwife and the person I saw today and they’ve both told me they can’t makes sense of my hormone levels because they aren’t trained in that, so I don’t have a clue who I’m going to speak to about my results now but I’ll have to wait until Tuesday now to do anything so the weight is even longer again, just feeling so deflated with it all now..

@findinggold Just to reassure you my combined test results were much worse than yours, NT measurement too big, raised hcg and a chance of 1:80 and it all came back fine so the odds are definitely in your favour. Try not to worry (easier said than done) but if they had thought anything was worrying you’d have had a much higher result back. Fingers crossed for your NIPT

@findinggold I would phone your midwife on Tuesday and ask if you can speak to the screening midwife. She will be able to tell you what your levels mean. I chatted a lot with mine when I was going through a similar thing and she was very helpful. Alternatively if they can give you a few min phone call with a consultant (imagine they won’t want to do this because you’re not high risk in their eyes). So sorry about the blood test.

@LaceyMermaid thank you for sharing your sorry too, I’m so glad everything came back fine for you, just feel like I’m waiting forever at this point as I can’t have my bloods until Tuesday, results take 10 days I just feel like it’s going to drag, I just wish baby was on her back during my 12 week so they could have measured her neck, thank you again!
@KTF367 I will definitely give her a ring on Tuesday, I just want to know why my hCG and inhiblin are high and just how I had this reading at 26 I don’t know just feeling lost at the moment and the waiting in limbo is something else already and I’ve only done a day and a bit..

@findinggold I'm in the same position, do you have any update? Xxx

@bethxanne heya! Either my username has changed or I can’t log into this mumsnet account anymore now I’m not sure! (It’s been so long I’m useless with all this stuff)
I had my little girl in September 2021 and she was completely fine!! My results came back from the NIPT and I had one 1/10,000 chance on all of them so was really happy with that, my heart really really goes out to you because it’s one of the most nerve wracking times I’ve ever been through, I hope you’re okay ♥️