Amniocentesis

[naomi83]

I live abroad and just had a full systems scan at 16 weeks pregnant. The doctor said everything looked great on the ultrasound, but there was a slight echogenic focus on the left side of the baby's heart. Apparently, when combined with other high risk factors, this can be a marker for Down's syndrome. I'm low risk (26, good weight, one healthy child) but I'm now considering if it's worthwhile doing an amniocentesis test. I'm looking for anyone with medical training to let me know if it's a good idea or not to do the test, or anyone who has had it done who can tell me if it hurts, if the baby was ok after, etc.
Thanks for your help in calming a very worried mummy!

I was very high risk for chromosomal abnormalities with DC2 and went to talk to the consultant about the amnio. I wasn't worried about Downs but I was worried about the affect on my other DC if the baby had Edwards syndrome or some other condition which was incompatible with life.
I had the amnio, relatively pain free, 3 days at home then to milk it with dh and all was well.
The waiting for the results was the absolute worst part of it all.
Baby was fine

I had an amnio last week. It stung a bit, but wasn't too uncomfortable. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing. You have to stay very still.

My results came in 2 parts. The first gave the Down's/Edward's/Patau's results which took a couple of days, the second takes about 2 weeks and gives the sex (if you want to know) and the rarer genetic conditions.

I can't give you a medical opinon on whether to have one or not, but I really didn't find it as bad as I thought.

I dident have a great experience with it. I had 1/20 chance of a child with downs syndrome so had the amnio, it was a slight stinging sensation but my problem was they never took enough fluid so it took a month to get the results. It was the longest month of my life and all turned out ok and now my lovley ds is 5. Had a 1/100 chance with dd and opted not to do it and again my dd was fine. Its your decision hope all is well.

I think the answer is only you can decide but perhaps the most important consideration is would you continue with the pregnancy if the baby had downs?

If you would then absolutely no point having the amnio. If you wouldn't or are unsure (and I understand how unsure you can be before you know for certain) then you need to consider whether the 1% rate of miscarriage is an "acceptable" risk to you.

Where overseas are you? Do you trust the medical advice you have been given so far (is the care where you are generally considered to be good?)

I have had the CVS which is very similar to the amnio but takes the sample from the placenta rather than the fluid. It carries a higher risk of m/c than the amnio but is otherwise the same procedurally.

It was uncomfortable rather than painful (you are given a local anaesthetic so tummy is numb) but I did feel a tugging sensation which was a bit grim (but then I am very squeemish!)

The CVS was sucessful but unfortunately my DS later died in utero as a result of Downs (we knew he would before the CVS which was carried out for diagnostic purposes at 21 wks)

I am now pregnant again and facing the choice of whether to have a CVS/amnio this time. I am not in UK so will have to travel back for it if I do go ahead so I understand how hard the choice is.

Its not a medical opinion, but I'd consider how you'd act with different results. If you would be very uncertain about carrying to term if you knew for sure the baby had Down's, or if you'd far rather know before the baby was born so you could be prepared, then you might want to get the amnio done. If you feel the other factors mean you're still low risk and you wouldn't consider a termination regardless then not getting it might be a better plan.

Either way, amnio does carry a small risk of miscarriage (although I think this can vary by consultant, so would be worth asking for individual statistics), so I would want to be sure that I knew what I would gain from the result before agreeing to have it done.

At the end of the day, though, its a very personal decision. Fingers crossed for you.

I had an amnio after a very high risk triple test. It didnt hurt as such, it was a bit uncomfortable (sort of sharp intake of breath uncomfortable but only when the needle went in, after that I felt nothing) and to be honest I was anxious about having it done.

The doctor was great, and I was extremely fortunate in having the results in two hours which I think is pretty rare.

The result was negative, I had no after effects, bleeding or anything and my beautiful, gorgeous DS is now 4 !

I had an amino when pregnagt with DD also due to a high risk triple test result.

The actual procedure was fine, no pain and not at all uncomfortable.

Afterwards my Consultant was a little worried as blood was appearing where the needle went in so I had to rest for the rest of the day, but she called me back for a scan later on that evening and everything was ok.

Because I'm in the Caribbean and the fluid had to be sent to Miami for testing I had to wait 2 weeks for the results and I tell you what - it was the longest 2 weeks of my life.

But everything was fine and I found out (for sure) that I was expecting a little girl.

I'm not sure if I would have one again, just because of the agony of waiting for the results, but both myself and my dh were united on the fact that we would terminate if things were not right just because of the ppeople we are.

If you know that you would carry on the pregnancy whatever then I wouldn't suggest you have an amnio.

I'm pretty sure I would carry on the pregnancy no matter what. My friends have the most beautiful, sweet natured little girl with Down's, and we know another women with DS in the community who works and has a boyfriend (also learning disabled). I think it's just a question of being prepared.