Anyone with low Papp a- help?

[Sleeplessem]

Hiya,

I’ve had my 12 week screening results come through last week, but it mentioned nothing about Papp a.

My previous baby was low birth weight and I know low Papp a can lead to smaller babies, so that’s something I want to know.

If your papp a was low- how did you find out? Was it when you had your screening results? Did someone call you? Was it on your letter?

Tia

I had very low papp a with my first and was expecting to see the result with my second when I had my tests. But….Apparently they now don’t test for it at all in the U.K. - it changed between my pregnancies. Both my babies were happy, healthy - and big!

@stealthbanana they don’t? My friend just had her baby a few days ago and they tested her at 12 weeks. I think it’s what forms part of the Down’s syndrome screening, I think they use that plus age plus NT (and something else) to calculate the Down’s syndrome risk?

I had the nipt and was told it was no longer used as part of that screening package (I went private so may be different on nhs but doubt it!). I don’t think the Papp A is particularly predictive re down’s so perhaps they cut it out

I currently am pregnant and low Papp-a. They sent me a letter to say it was low. I don't think they tell you unless it is low. X

I had exactly this picked up on screening bloods. They tested my placental blood flow just on an extra scan- this was outside normal range ie not enough. So they did growth scans each month and I had to take aspirin.

Baby was completely fine! I liked having the extra scans as I knew everything was going ok.

I did end up having an induction as baby's growth slowed down.

Weight was good. Not big not small.

Some hospitals don't even check this. Mine just happened to. The consultant was pretty relaxed about it all.

@Sleeplessem I had my downs results by letter and the same week the midwife rang me to tell me I have low Papp-a. I have extra scans booked in, no aspirin.

@stealthbanana ah that explains it, it’s not done in the NIPT testing. That’s what I had first time around so I always wondered if low Papp a was the missing piece of the puzzle

Thanks for replying

@Lilgemz81, my letter came though Friday so guess I’ll wait a few days to see if anyone contacts me. My friend got a phone call before her paper results came through.

I’m already taking aspirin though, so there’s not much that could be done either way I’m just curious xx

My Daughter is 23/40 and received a call to say her level was low and that she would need fortnightly scans because baby was looking small. They advised her to eat an iron enriched diet and lots of nuts?
They haven't mentioned Aspirin yet.

She doesn't have a bump yet and is still in size 6 trousers

@dalmatianmad they probably haven’t mentioned aspirin because I think it’s only effective if it’s taken from the beginning of the second trimester, so your daughter is probably a bit too far along to have any benefit.

I’m on a few iugr support groups with members from the USA and quite a lot have improved fetal growth following something called the brewers diet .

That’s good your already taking it, I asked the midwife about it and she said it’s only if am at risk if preaclamsia which it’s too early to tell am only 18 weeks!

@Lilgemz81 oh that’s definitely not true, it’s for low Papp a, previous sga babies and if you’ve had pre-e before and some other reasons. Sorry your midwife wasn’t the most helpful!

What does sga mean? This is my 1st so no idea what to expect etc! I have extra scans booked in due to ivf and now the Papp-a!

@Lilgemz81 oh sorry, It means small for gestational age which basically means being under the 10th centile on antenatal growth charts or being born under the 2nd centile in the WHO (world health organisation). It’s different centiles for pregnancy and once baby is born.

Apparently there is a correlation between low Papp a and low birth weight (baby being sga) and iugr (inter uterine growth restrictions). It’s worth calling out that it’s correlation and not causation.

For instance my friend who has low Papp a) her baby measured 50th centile all along until 36 weeks where he dropped (they thought to the 10th) he was born via elective cs at 38+4 (breech not an iugr thing) at 6lb 9oz, so not sga or a low birth weight even though his growth did slow.

They sent my screening results letter with another piece of paper attached with my height, weight, NT, papp-a everything on it

@Needingsupportplease did they arrive pretty much at the same time? I’ve had nothing, just the letter saying I’m low risk XX

Yeah mine came in the same envelope. I'm in West Yorkshire if that makes any difference maybe different trusts do it differently x

@Needingsupportplease I have no idea how mine do it, I don’t have the most faith in their mat services though lol

Thank you 👍🏼

I found out through my midwife appointment (the one which comes after the 12-week scan - it was a phone call one due to high rates of covid) and also confirmed when I got letters for extra growth scans.

Also pretty sure they still test for p-appa in the UK as this was just last December.