Nervous About Amnio :(

[Scotia]

I just had the midwife on the phone - amnio is arranged for Thursday. DH is at work, DPs not around just now (dad not speaking to me since I told him about pg anyway) so just needed to bounce it off MN.

It's all happening so fast. I only had the pregnancy confirmed on Friday, and scan today shows I will be 16 weeks tomorrow. It was my decision to go ahead with the amnio, and I know about the risks so it will be awful if anything goes wrong because of my need to know.

DH will be with me and hopefully we sould get the results fairly quickly.

I'm just feeling so nervous and needed to share with someone.

[elkiedee]

Scotia, you may be too busy, I realise that, but do you know about the antenatal threads? Come and join "due in January 2009" if you feel like having a chat with others at your stage of pg.

[Scotia]

DS1 (seems funny saying that!) will be 5 in January, he's starting school in a couple of weeks.

[mslucy]

I'm 4th Feb.
How old is your other little boy?

[Scotia]

Due in January, so just time to get Christmas out the way first

[mslucy]

hurray!
same as me
when's he due?

[elkiedee]

Thanks for sharing your good news with us.

[Scotia]

Thanks for the support on here, it's really appreciated. I had a call this morning to say the baby does not have Downs, Edwards or Patau, and I'm having another little boy

[elkiedee]

That sounds really scary, but it may well be extra discharge and nothing to worry about, I hope so for your sake. However, I'm sure you'll worry about it, anyone would. Would it be possible to get a local GP's appointment? My GP has the equipment to listen into the baby's heartbeat, though I don't know how common that is - she has extra training/qualifications in maternity related areas of medicine.

[mslucy]

go to hospital tomorrow and get yourself checked out.

otherwise you will drive yourself nuts with worry.

[Ledodgy]

That's terribel you have to wait a fortnight. I think they really need to scan you to make sure your waters have not gone. get yourself down to your local EPU first thing tommorrow.

[Scotia]

I had the amnio on Thursday, which was not too bad in itself. However, I woke up through the night in a wet bed - clear liquid, so had to go to hospital to have things checked out. The midwife heard the baby's heartbeat, and a doctor did an internal examination and was reasonably confident that my waters were not leaking, so I was sent home on Friday morning.

I'm left in limbo now until my next a/n appointment in two weeks time. To be honest, I don't feel too confident that I have not lost my waters or that the baby will be ok.

[mslucy]

if the amnio is done by someone who knows what they are doing, the risks are much lower.

I had CVS done at 12+6 on Tues after a dodgy nuchal and it was fine.

The average risk of miscarriage is about 1:100 but the guy who carried out the procedure - the Professor of Fetal Medicine said that for that hospital, the risks were 1:700, because they only get very skilled people to do it.

CVS and amnio carry similar risks.

If you are worried about Downs syndrome and how you would cope, you should have the amnio.

It is always best to know the facts.

[elkiedee]

Scotia, did you go for the amnio? How are you?

[elkiedee]

Scotia, did you go for the amnio? How are you?

[bundle]

talk to your dh about it before you make any decisions, write it all down if you need to, x

[MamaGLovesMe]

I think you need to make some more decisions before the amnio tbh.

[Scotia]

I honesty don't know what I would do. My worry if baby did have DS, is what will happen when DH and I are not here any more? That really scares me.

[bundle]

but you may get a "normal" (or even "better") result for 42 yr old woman.

Mine was fine for DS and spina bifida risk (at 38) but high for Edwards syndrome, so I opted for an amnio.

what would you do if you got a result that said DS was definitely present?

[MamaGLovesMe]

You seem very worried that you might miscarry. That is an understandable worry and a potential reality.

It seems to me you have decisions to make -

Have amnio, miscarry healthy baby.
Have amnio, miscarry baby with extra needs.
Have amnio, baby has DS.
Have amnio, baby is NT.
Don't have amnio, wait and see what happens at the birth.

Which is what you can handle the most?

[Scotia]

No I haven't had the blood tests this time - midwife said my risk would much more than likely be higher than the cut-off for 'normal' risk (sorry, not sure how else to put that) because of my age alone.

[bundle]

scotia, have you had blood tests this time too?

[Scotia]

Thanks everyone for replies, am feeling a bit tearful atm.

I should have explained, I have had an amnio when I had my DS, and it really wasn't too painful, so I'm not really worried about that side of things (although I am a bit of a coward about needles).

I'm having it done this time because of my age (42), and didn't have the blood tests because I will never forget the phone call from the midwife last time telling me about my 'increased risk' of Downs after blood test. My midwife (today) said I was doing the sensible thing - but am I really? I could be putting this baby at risk for purely selfish reasons.

I'm lucky DH is in a job where he can take time off to come with me, and my older (adult) DDs will look after DS for me, so I will have plenty opportunity to take things easy.

at legalalien walking home afterwards

We have also been invited to a family weddng (evening only) on Friday. Will I be ok to go or should I give it a miss? My cousin will understand if we can't make it, but I'm not sure if it's taking resting a bit far not to go along and show face. I won't be doing any dancing!

[MamaGLovesMe]

Can I ask why you are having the amnio?

[Sassafrass]

I had an amnio a couple of months ago and was very very nervous. The procedure doesn't hurt but it is a little uncomfortable. Do make sure you have 3-4 days of resting afterwards. You'll probably get a bit of cramping so just try to relax.

[legalalien]

I walked home afterward (what the hell was I thinking?)!!!!