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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

amnio versus no amnio

10 replies

lola16 · 21/05/2009 23:14

hi everyone,
I am new to this site and have taken the plunge by writing a post. Can anyone tell me about their experiences with an amnio. I am 17 weeks pregnant and my results at 12 weeks were ok and my doctor says there is no reason for conern. I am 39 though and keep reading that after 37 the risk is ver high. This is my first baby and i could not bare anything happening at this late stage but also cant relax either.
any help would be appreciated please please please.....
thanks x

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Mole007 · 22/05/2009 09:41

I am also 39, and had an amnio after the 20 week scan came up with 3 soft markers (the nuchal scan came up all clear at 12 weeks so the 20 week result was a bit of a shock). We would not have had the amnio just to check things were ok, but felt we had to given the results of the scan. Thankfully, the results came back fine, and we're now waiting for the 26 week scan and hoping that everything is back on track.

The amnio itself was fine, and less painful than the CVS (had to have that last time after a poor nuchal), but I would really recommend that you only have it if something crops up in later scans, and not just for the sake of it - there is a risk with the procedure.

And don't worry about your age.....yes the risk is higher at our heightened years , but my own mw doesn't seem to think its a major issue til mid 40s!

Bucharest · 22/05/2009 09:48

I was almost 38, didn't have the Nuchal fold or anything- went straight for the amnio- (standard procedure for elderly ladies here in Italy lol)

It was fine- needle hurt like feck when it went through my blubber- but didn't once it had gone into the uterus. Results 10 days later, all OK.

No regrets, would definitely do it again. (It was my first - and probably only baby too, and I needed to know one way or the other IYSWIM?)

Be warned- you will get lots of answers to this post saying that the amnio is the divil's own work....do what's right for you, and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy.

Original poster

lola16 · 22/05/2009 09:51

thank you so much i appreciate your honesty - its such a hard decision as the doctors here seem very anti! xx

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Original poster

lola16 · 22/05/2009 09:54

thanks Mole007, i am so pleased all worked out ok for you.

OP posts:

haraslou · 22/05/2009 09:56

Hi Lola
Just wanted to say that before your scan your risk would have been high. I think mine at 37 was 1 in 200 or something and my sisters at 39 was 1 in 140. But after the scan the odds will have changed. Both mine and my sisters went down to 1 in 3000. While the risk for amnio is between 1 in100 and 1 in 200 depending on the skill of the doc. Just something to think about.

peachyfox · 22/05/2009 13:15

Hello, the way we went about taking these decisions about tests was to talk about what we would want to do if the results came back indicating a problem.

We decided we would still go ahead with the pregnancy. On this basis, we decided not to have invasive tests (we still had scans of course) preferring not to worry and enjoy the pregnancy. I'm 41.

And is 1 in a 100 so high? I'd put a lot of money on a horse that had a 99% chance of winning...

peachyfox · 22/05/2009 13:22

I only post this to add to your pot of thoughts, by the way - everyone needs to decide for themselves. The tests are a bit of an ethical dilemma and we were thrown for a while. I just believe deciding how you feel about certain issues will help you make the right decision for you.

mloo · 22/05/2009 13:28

Hi Lola, I hate to break this news to you, but the truth is, worries of all kind will be with you the rest of your life: Welcome to Motherhood!!

As for the amnio, yes it can give you peace of mind to a limited extent. But it doesn't provide absolute certainty, I'm afraid nothing will ever do that. And amnio in itself is a risk, undoubtedly.

You should educate yourself about what a baby with a chromosone defect really means, many parents find their child thus affected to be the light of their life.

I'm not anti-amnio, btw, I had one myself. But you sound in OP like you don't want one -- so I rather suspect that you shouldn't worry about it any more: you would have to come to terms with the many things out of your control in pregnancy and child-rearing, instead.

babyblue3 · 25/05/2009 15:24

Hi lola. I am 36 and pg with baby #4. I had an amnio at 18 weeks after my triple test scores and nuchal gave me a 1 in 35 chance for Downs. The procedure scared me more than it actually hurt. It was over in 5 minutes and I went home and rested for the remainder of the day. I had very mild af-like cramps and that was all. The amnio came back showing all was well with my little bean. Even though DH and I were not prepared to terminate the pg, we still wanted to know so that we could prepare ourselves (put support system in place, educate ourselves, etc). Its a personal decision... but the risk we were facing far outweighed the m/c risk. Just make sure that if you do decide to have the amnio, choose a hospital/doctor that has a lot of experience. My doc said they conservatively tell you the risk is 1 in 200 for m/c, but here in Canada, the risk is far closer to 1 in 400. Good luck!

marmitemonster · 26/05/2009 14:12

Message withdrawn

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