Should I even have the triple test?

[Longtalljosie]

I really didn't think I would ever be the kind of person who would avoid something like this...

But I am due to see the midwife tomorrow and if I'm having the triple test I'll do it then. DH and I have already decided that if the baby has Down's we would keep it... I know that's not the only thing it tests for (triple being a bit of a clue...)

But it's the uncertainty it creates that is putting me off. If it could say, yes/no that would be great. But the idea of them saying "You have higher than average odds" and having to deal with that for the rest of the pregnancy despite the fact that so-called "high" odds are actually low in real life (I mean, 1 in 50 doesn't mean it's likely, but it would be enough to really upset me). And since we would keep the baby regardless, I wouldn't consider having an amnio/CVS because of the miscarriage risk.

I managed to avoid numerical odds with the nuchal because they were just starting to prepare for NHS nuchal screening at our hospital - so were measuring for their own benefit (kind of like testing for assessment) and the sonographer told me it was 1.6mm and very good - and that was good enough for me. But if the bloods come back badly, I won't have any formal nuchal results to compare it to, either. Argh...

DH wants the triple test, I should add, and I feel that the decision is 50% his, so I probably do it. I wish I didn't feel so torn about it though...

Coming at this from a slightly different perspective, I did have triple test in my first pregnancy. It came back low risk but sadly my baby actually turned out to have Patau's syndrome (trisomy 13). It was detected at the 20 week scan. So I think that the test is probably not really worth bothering with either. With my subsequent pregnancies I had a nuchal scan and combined blood test done.

I agree with georgimama - I decided that as I wasn't going to terminate no matter what the outcome of the test was, there wasn't any point in having it.

I don't necessarily think your DH wanting to have the test means he'll push for an amnio if that's recommended, I think men like to think in terms of probabilities more than women do on the whole.

A midwife told me that only 2% of high risk results turn out to have any problems. How true that is, I do not know. But given the risk of miscarriage from an amnio, that convinced me not to have the triple test. My DH didn't press for it because he strongly believes that no-one is "owed" a healthy baby, and we would have kept a baby with health problems. But he would never have questioned me over any decision I made about my pregnancies anyway.

I agree with whoever said that in matters of pregnancy, your opinion overrules DH's.

Spicemonster's right - DH is a typical scientist in this respect - all information is good, why would you not give yourself all the info at your disposal. Also, he seems to have been born without a worry gene - so if we did get 1 in 50 or whatever, he'd say, well that's still not likely and put it out of his mind. Whereas I'm a real worrier, and a bit of a pessimist, so would fret my socks off!

And you fretting your sox off would not be good for the baby. Just point that out, and that if you aren't going to act on the info, then there isn't any point.

The 20 week scan will tell you more about any problems that you NEED to know about, than the triple can.

no option here in France, we had the nuchal scan at 12 weeks which was not a problem. Here we have the quadruple test (just one more check that the one you are talking about) as part of the routine blood test at the 15 week stage.

we are happy to have had it as it will help us mentally prepare for anything should something come up on the results.

its a personal choice, good luck x

How do you mean "no option" tigerbump? Surely you can just refuse?

Although I was going to have an amnio in any case, doctor said to have triple test because "it can be a pointer for conditions other than Down's Sydrome".

Well, we talked about it again and I showed him this thread. And we're not having the test. I feel like an enormous weight has been lifted. Thanks, girls. I think what really helped was knowing I wasn't the only person to not want it