How important are nuchal scans? Should I persuade friend to NOT opt out of it?

[fruitsalad]

My friend is around 10 weeks pg. She has had an early scan and there is a heartbeat so all going well. A few yrs ago she had a termination and a few months ago she had a m/c which really tore her apart for a while. Anyway, with this pg she is refusing a nuchal scan as she says it won't affect anything. She mentioned it being fine if the baby is Downs Syndrome etc. I don't know if it just me (that's why I'm asking!) but I just want to say to her that it's better if she did have the nuchal (she just wants a dating one). Not sure if she's aware of conditions such as Edward's syndrome etc. She has not told any of our other friends she is pg so I need some opinions! But out or bring it up again?

boot oot.

Boot oot. Most women don't have nuchals in this country.

if she has the 20 week one that will show if there are obvious problems anyway so would leave her to it.

Message withdrawn

Butt out.

Butt out definitely. Plenty of people don't have nuchals. Anyway Edwards and Patau's aren't quite the 'incompatible' with life that doctors state (it is rare for children with Edwards to survive infancy but not that unusual for them to survive for a short time).

One of the most moving websites I have come across was dedicated to the life of a child with Patau's. He was born after many years of fertility treatment and was so loved in his short life. It totally changed my view of what I what I would have done with a positive result for trisomy 13 or 18.

This is a toughie. Personally I would not say anything

My closest friend made a similar decision which she reversed last minute. She then had the nuchal and it came back with a high probability of downs. She then spent the remaining 6 months worried and vowed she would not do it again becuase it did not prepare her as she had anticipated. She is now pg with number three and both this and last one have been happier pgs because she is not stressed.

Butt out. She's made her decision.

I didn't have nuchal scans with any of my pgs because they weren't/aren't offered routinely in my PCT. It's not a vital test in pg.

If she knows it wouldn't affect anything then there is no need for her to go through the addtional stress of having it, possibly not getting the all clear then having to make a decision on whether to have CVS with it's attendant risks of (another) miscarriage.

You only have to look at the threads on here to see the amount of stress and trauma women go through when their nuchal results are not what they were expecting, is it really fair of you to pressurise her into that situation?

butt out.

have never had a nuchal. am aware of other risks and conditions that can be picked up, but its my choice. no-one elses.

Why would it be 'better' if she has the nuchal? It isn't diagnostic, could cause a lot of anxiety and most importantly she has already told you that she has made a reasoned decision. You are obviously concerned for her and thats commendable - but you should most definately butt out!

I really think you need to support whatever choices she makes about screening. There are good arguments both for and against antenatal screening, and given her history I'm not surprised she's not wanting to go for it. Personally I would always opt for screening, but I have two SILs who both refused any screening whatsoever (for very different reasons) and I completely understand why.

Butt out. I find it difficult to see the way in which these sorts of tests are increasingly being seen as a routine part of pregnancy - a sort of 'pregnancy insurance' that 'all will be fine', which of course they aren't anyway.

Just to add it is better to say 'has' rather than 'is' Down's syndrome etc.

have just noticed that she said she wants a dating scan. they'll look at the nuchal measurements anyway and have a quiet word with someone higher up if they're out of the ordinary, as i understand it. my hospital doesn't do the combined test but i know that they check the nuchal anyway.

Butt out. I had the 20 week anomaly scan for both DDs, but declined the triple test/nuchal scan, knowing fully the implications of my choice.

berolina - I totally agree with you about tests being seen as 'routine'. I was shocked to be offered the triple test in my third pregnancy, hadn't had it with the other two. I didn't have it but tbh just thinking about it caused me a fair bit of anxiety. I don't think enough information is given about the anomaly scan either. I suspect many people - myself included - hear the word 'scan' and forget about the anomaly bit.

Having said that, it has only become routine in my hospital last year, and I did say that I was willing to have one for staff training purposes if they needed volunteers. I personally wouldn't act on a result from it, but I think that if women are going to have them, it is best for the staff to be as competent as possible.

I've just been through a very scary 11 days between the results of a combined screening test (nuchal fold and blood tests and age - of which my nuchal fold was ok but the other two put the risks up), and the results of a CVS diagnostic test. After that experience, I'm in favour of everyone being offered the tests (not what happens at the moment) but of it being a woman's right to choose - at every stage including this kind of testing.

look at it this way - what has she to gain by having the test.

If there are markers that may indicate other conditions - it would probably show up at the 20 week scan - as ours did.

If it is not going to make a difference - why should she have the test.

A big butt out from me.

Many thanks for all your posts, really appreciated . I will DEFINITELY but out and think no more of it. I am maybe quite extreme in regard to this issue and have gone the nuchal route and am pretty sure I would have then done amnio had I been high risk. Thus really needed some input here.