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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Declining the screening tests in pregnancy...

45 replies

santabringmeababy · 29/12/2009 19:02

Hi All

I have only just found out that I am pregant-it is early days and I am keeping my fingers (and toes) crossed!

I have been surfing the net as you do when you first find out you are expecting and am feeling a bit down to be honest. I am 36 and nearly all the websites seem to go on and on about the high risk of downs syndrome etc and it seems totally normal (a bit expected even?) to get all the tests done, some of which seem frankly scary1

I declined the triple test when pregnant with ds (3) and also the nuchal fold test (but they blooming did that anyway- the cheek!) but am now getting really worried and paranoid about declining the tests again.

Anyone else declined testing?? was it a mutual decisiosn between you and your dp/dh, what were the reactions of other people who may have known you were declinign the tests?

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Original poster

santabringmeababy · 29/12/2009 20:29

nanciedrew and gracie so so sorry to hear of both your losses.

OP posts:

tackyChristmastreedelivery · 29/12/2009 20:32

Gosh yes, I didn't read the whole thread.

I'm very sorry too, nancydrew and gracie.

NancyDrewRocks · 29/12/2009 20:58

santa sorry didn't mean to make this thread about me.

I just feel strongly that you should make your choice. Sometimes I get a little bit irritated by the seemingly romanticised notion that all testing is bad because, you are a bad person if you don't do anything other than go ahead with a pregnancy which can be enormously stressful painful and may end in devestation.

I find it difficult to articulate this without offending someone and that is never my intention but whilst for some people the experience of having a baby with downs is a bright beautiful little baby who has brought joy and happiness to all around that is not always the reality. Sometimes it means a (tragically short) life of invasisve and exstensive medical care and for some people you don't even get that.

Anyway once again my apologies for hijack. I really do wish you all the best for your future pregnancy. Make your decisions and stand by them

HappySeven · 30/12/2009 17:11

I'm 35 and 23 weeks pregnant with my second child (had a MMC in between). I declined the test for two reasons: I wouldn't terminate (I don't have a problem with anyone else doing so but it's not for me) and it has a high rate of false positives (plus some false negatives) and I wouldn't want to risk a miscarriage by having an amnio. I have a friend with a child with Down's Syndrome and I know it's not an easy life but I personally couldn't choose not to have such a child. It's really up to you but most health professionals are supportive if they think you understand the decision you have made. Good luck!

GracieW · 30/12/2009 18:02

Nancy I wasn't stronger than you, sounds like we both had a crap time, I think you do whatever it takes to get through both then and in the future.

Anyway.

santa apologies for the hijack, hope other answers helped!

sarah293 · 30/12/2009 18:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

midori1999 · 30/12/2009 18:42

I am pregnant for the fourth time, and DS3 has Downs. (he is 5 /2 now). I have declinded screening tests and absolutely declined an amnio. I would not terminate if I had another child with Downs, unless there was also some serious physical probmlem, which would show at my anomoly scan anyway.

I had a nuchal scan and triple test with DS3, and was low risk on both. Most of the people I know with children with Downs also had the tests and also got a 'low risk' result... so I simply don't see the point.

mvemjsunp · 30/12/2009 18:50

I declined all the screening tests except for ultrasound with my DCs.

I have heard of so many horror stories with the triple test overestimating risk and the weeks of stress and anguish that follow.

I figure that they are basically screening for Downs and Spina Bifida, and these are simply not the worst things that could happen to you. I think if you were to screen positive, the pressure would be immense to terminate, and if that is something you would not consider, then it is better not to have the screening until it is too late to do anything about it (ie the 21 week ultrasound).

When I had babies in the UK, the midwife was fine with my decision and supportive. When I was pg in the USA, I had to sign all sorts of legal statements and there was a definite judgment frm the OB and his nurse, not from the midwife.

tackyChristmastreedelivery · 30/12/2009 19:00

The anatomy scan is a much wider screen than the triple or similar. It looks for a huge number of abnormalities and markers for conditions including Down's, whereas the nuchal and triple are geared up to look for Down's only.
I think it is important to know that as a pregnant woman.

Babies can be terminated at any sage of pregnancy in the uk, where a disability or health problem is considered reason enough. Is that the same in the US mvemjsunp? Just wondered from what you say about 21 weeks being too late, that isn't so here in the UK

MumNWLondon · 30/12/2009 19:07

And as Midori points out there will be some people who screen negative (or low risk) for nuchal testing who will go on to have a downs baby... thats the nature of a screening (rather than diagnostic) test.

mvemjsunp · 30/12/2009 19:09

I never looked into it enough, tacky. I know that there is a big issue in the US about 'partial birth abortion', which I think means that you give birth to a live baby and they kill it on the way out.

When I had my baby in the US, they only did ultrasound at around 20 weeks, with the blood tests before that. In the UK, there was the early ultrasound with the nuchal scan, blood tests and then the anomaly scan.

One of my arguments for declining tests in the US was that ultrasounds were so good - that was my experience in the UK of a hospital scan. The one I was given in the US was rubbish on an old machine - the vet probably had a better one! The sonographer there just recorded the images for the OB to review, and she wouldn't say a word to me other than to sex the baby. In the UK, the sonographers were the experts and gave a full commentary on what they saw.

JaynieB · 30/12/2009 19:10

Best wishes with the pregnancy!
I too was pregnant at 36 and declined tests, all for the same reasons as other people have said - I felt that a positive result with a disability such as Downs would not change my decision to have the baby (although I knew my partner would not be happy with that decision).
My midwife was very supportive of my decision too, and I felt that she wasn't too keen on the triple test as it does have some elements of false reassurance.
Either way I hope you feel content with your decision.

jaquelinehydeThePresents · 30/12/2009 19:14

I refused all tests. No bother from anyone.

LittleSilver · 30/12/2009 19:59

I declined all tests including ultrasounds.

Results would not have affected my decision to continue with pregnancy
My husband would have heavily pushed me to have an abortion should I be shown to be carrying a disabled child. I didn't want the stress that would have placed on our marriage (which probably wouldn't survive it)
I think the (blood)tests are a bit iffy in terms of reliability.

LittleSilver · 30/12/2009 20:01

Oh yes, and I was fully supported by my mw (deliberately didn't book in til 14 weeks anyway). Most aggro I got was from arrogant idiot GP at church

LittleSilver · 30/12/2009 20:01

Oh WHY can't I strike out words?

tackyChristmastreedelivery · 30/12/2009 20:05

You need to strike each word litleSilver

tackyChristmastreedelivery · 30/12/2009 20:06

Did you scan for placental site? If you don't mind me asking?

LittleSilver · 30/12/2009 20:09

Ah thank you tacky! Are you asking me about placental site? If so, no, I didn't. I highly recommend "Ultrasound, Unsound?" by Beverley Beech (available through AIMS) which has a discussion of the rationale

tackyChristmastreedelivery · 30/12/2009 20:10

Cool, cheers.

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