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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Nuchal Fold tomorrow- advice needed please

56 replies

Tilberry · 21/12/2008 08:27

Hi, I'm 41 and have been advised to have a nuchal fold test. This will be my second baby and the last was 10 years ago so I've no experience of this. Can anyone please explain what exactly happens?- Also do do you get the results at the time? Thanks x

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CoteDAzur · 21/12/2008 08:35

During ultrasound scan, doctor measures the fold in the back of fetus' neck. Yes, he would be able to tell you what it is there and then.

cece · 21/12/2008 08:37

It is just a detailed scan. The sonographer with take measurements of the back of the baby's neck. Not sure if you get the results straight away. I go mine 2 days later by phone as I was high risk. In our area if you are low risk you get a letter about a week later.

Have you thought carefully about what you will do if it is high risk? As someone who has had a high risk result in the past I can assure you it is a real worry especially if you are not prepared to go ahead with the further testing. This time I have had not had the NFtest doen and I am 41 also.

Just something to consider.

bobblehat · 21/12/2008 08:49

I had one a couple of years ago. There was a scan and a blood test. The scan is just a normal ultrasound one, but they go into more detail and measure different things. I got the result for this straight away. I didn't have the blood test, but they said this came back in about a week (I think...)

Original poster

Tilberry · 21/12/2008 08:52

thanks for the really quick responses....According to my DP nothing bad will ever happen so he won't discuss it until there's something to discuss! It's taken 2 and a bit years to conceive and I can't contemplate terminating. So I'm confused and clueless!
I hope I get the results before Christmas...

OP posts:

cece · 21/12/2008 08:59

I am the same I would not terminate so to me there was little point having the NF test done.

Once you go down that route it can be difficult to stop. If you get a high risk result you will be offered an amnio or CVS test. These will give you a yes or no answer but are invasive and carry a risk of mc. The NF test only gives you a mathematical probability of something being wrong, so if you wanted a definite anwser you would then need to go ahead with the invasive tests...

needmorecoffee · 21/12/2008 09:00

the nuchal fold test by its self gives you a possibilty of maybe something is up with the baby. Add blood tests and you will get a probability.
It doesn't mean something is 'wrong' with the baby and it also can't guarantee the baby will be non-disabled.
If you get a high result they will advise a ammnio with its risk of miscarriage because medical folk think its better to to risk misaccriage than have a baby with a disabilty.
If you wouldn't terminate anyway why bother with the test? Sorry to be blunt but even a perfect result doesn't guarantee a perfect baby.
It just adds to worry IMO.
I've had 4 children and no testing.

Original poster

Tilberry · 21/12/2008 09:42

Thanks for all the advice. I'll discuss it with the doctor when I'm there and then make a decision. I worry regardless, if it isn't that it'll be something else ;)

Thanks!

OP posts:

CoteDAzur · 21/12/2008 10:30

Even if you won't terminate in any case, it is a good thing to have these detailed scans if they are offered.

A friend's baby turned out to have a hole in his heart, which was discovered in an ultrasound scan. She had adapted care at birth and her baby is still being monitored. Maybe will need an operation, maybe won't. But without the scan, they would have no idea and the worst case scenarios of being ignorant of these things is just too horrible to contemplate.

TeaSleepInASproutFartHaze · 21/12/2008 10:51

Morning,
I was carrying twins and offered the test (being'older'). I said that we wouldn't act on any outcome and they took the measurements anyway. The midwife said that would only tell us if they had to in a severe case. WE didn't hear anything and so got on with the important work of being pregnant!
A friend was told that she had a 1 in 76 chancce of a Downe's baby and spent 3 sleepless nights. Eventually went to Harley street and had a blood test and further scanning which put the odds at 1 in 7000. Much happier now.

don;t know if that;s any help at all?

mogwai · 21/12/2008 18:15

If you wouldn't terminate, don't have the test.

Simple as that.

What if they tell you it's a 1/4 chance?

lowrib · 21/12/2008 23:23

I had a nuchal scan, and the blood tests which went with it. We had a high chance of Downs, but the CVS thankfully showed no Downs.

I have since realised that the same blood results are used to look for other things - for example for me they also showed a higher chance of other complications such as a small-for-date baby, a higher risk of pre-eclampsia and the placenta failing. Because of this knowledge, the hospital has been able to give me preventative medicine (blood thinners) and my baby has been monitored closely with scans every 4 weeks. (Am now 39+4 and everything seems to be fine)

Might be worth also discussing this with the DR so you're not missing out on these tests?

Original poster

Tilberry · 23/12/2008 06:05

So, after all the worrying I had my utrasound and I am only 11 weeks and 1 day so they couldn't do it! Having read all the posts I've decide to go for back in 2 weeks to have the nuchal. My niece needed a heart op when tiny and it wasn't picked up for ages so I think I'd rather have technology on my side. Having seen that little thing on the screen lots of my worries have gone and I can think more clearly- I was convinced there'd be nothing there...
Thank you so much everyone x

OP posts:

seeker · 23/12/2008 06:27

And the REALLY important thing to remember is that even if they tell you there is a 1 in 4 chance of the baby having some form of disability, there is a 3 in 4 chance that it won't. I was given, I think, a 1 in 125 chance of a problem with ds and was told that was very hign. I worried, then thought "Hang on - that's odds of 125 to 1 - you'd never back a horse at those odds!" So I stopped worrying.

Bonkers123 · 23/12/2008 07:12

I had an elevated risk from 1:350 to 1:120 of downs syndrome.

Baby arrived saturday all ok having declined all invasive testing due to risk to the pregnancy.

Good luck and follow your heart.

Astrophe · 23/12/2008 07:19

On the other side of the coin, I have had the test for my last 2, and will have it again for this one in 2 weeks.

I woulnd't consider terminating, or doing any tests with a chance of injuring baby, but would see a 'high' risk as a chance to get informed about the possible disability that my DC could have.

Original poster

Tilberry · 20/01/2009 16:36

i just wanted to thank everyone for taking the time to reply. The test was a waste of time as they said I had a 1:267 chance of having a Downs baby and which is high risk, but normally for my age it should be 1:51. I was on my own and was really upset when she tried to persuade me to have further tests- the Dr then asked me if I knew what Down's Syndrome was! She thought a 1:50 chance of a miscarriage with an amnio was low but 1:267 chance was low. Who can make a decision based on that logic?

So I'd rather be blissfully ignorant. Hope your test went well Apostophe and congrats to Bonkers. 24 weeks to go....

OP posts:

Nekabu · 20/01/2009 17:38

Tilberry, I am very surprised you were told 1:267 is high risk! The NHS hospital I had my test at a couple of weeks ago said that 1:150 (either than or 1:160, I can't remember which) and below was considered high risk (and they would advise further tests) but anything over that is low risk. The nurse also said that it used to be 1:250 but had been reclassified fairly recently.

SalBySea · 20/01/2009 17:47

takes about 10 days to get the results (in the post) in the hospital I had my scan at.

bundle · 20/01/2009 17:49

1/267 is low risk for woman of your age

bundle · 20/01/2009 17:52

The likelihood of having a baby born with Down's syndrome increases with the mother's age:

20 years - 1 in 1,500
25 years - 1 in 1,300
30 years - 1 in 900
35 years - 1 in 350
40 years - 1 in 100
45 years - 1 in 30

SalBySea · 20/01/2009 17:59

nekabu my hospital determines your risk catagory relative to the average risk for your age IFKWIM so what would be high risk for a 25 year old would be a lower than average risk for a 45 year old

barkerbird · 21/01/2009 09:58

I had my 12 week scan just before Christmas and the nf was 1mm. I had blood tests and the results came back with a very high risk - 1 in 3. Looked everyon on websites and couldn't find anyone with such a high risk. On positive side, 70% change all was OK, but I was gutted and was told by midwife on the Sunday after Christmas (she came round to my house to tell me personally). I went for CVS the next day - not too much time to think about it and probably just as well -and the test is not pleasant. Then had to wait 2 weeks (new Year in between delayed work done in labs and they are very thorough with the checking of results etc). Found out at the end of 14 weeks. All fine, and now focussing on enjoying pregnancy. Discussed this prior to getting pregnant with hubby as due to my age (39 in 2 days time) I would be at higher risk. It was very stressful and I've aged about 10 years in 2 weeks but all OK and I know that for a fact. For me it was worth knowing. One point to think about but can't find any other evidence or proof. NF scan fine, but blood test made the results higher risk. i was very poorly with a chest infection which lasted for 2 weeks and very stressed at work finishing the year end. A friend told me that my blood tests would have shown 'dirty blood' (think she meant cost i was so ill) and this would have affected the results ??? No idea but makes me feel a bit better.

Original poster

Tilberry · 26/01/2009 17:01

That's interesting, in my hospital (Norfolk and Norwich) they class anything under 1 in 300 high risk. I've now stopped worrying about it as there is really nothing I can do. I did feel like I was being pressured into further tests which I didn't appreciate. I knew before I got pregnant I was old and the risks associated so we'll take it as it comes.
Barkerbird, that sounds terrible and it's put my petty worries into perspective. Hope you're OK now.
Thanks everyone

OP posts:

Nekabu · 26/01/2009 19:06

SalBySea, that's interesting. I'm fairly sure mine do a 150 (or 160) and you're low risk regardless of age. My dh did a fair bit of net research before I had mine and he'd seen lots of stuff indicating that there was a standard figure (1:250) but not 1:150/160. It does seem to vary & get confusing!

mogwai · 26/01/2009 20:14

It's about funding, unfortunately.

Used to be anything higher than 1:250 but now they've changed it to 1:150.

The NHS just can't cope with the number of older mothers coming out high risk - there aren't the resources to carry out that many CVS or amnio tests.

Nothing has changed in terms of risk or perception of risk.

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