Older mom question

[Anonymous]

Hi-just got my nuchal results. 1 in 3,600 for downs and 1 in 10,000 for trisomy 18. These results sound pretty good to me but am still torn about amnio. I feel pretty sure that we would go ahead with pregnancy but recently have known some friends who didn't go for amnio and one had a stillborn at 7/1/2 months related to a chromosonal issue that didn't come through the nucal and another who died at birth. I guess if I had known something that catastrophic, I would have liked to know and terminate. Soo I am wondering if any other older moms are torn with this question and if my results are so good that I am being crazy and shouldn't worry.

[Anonymous]

I would go ahead with amnio. It is no big deal and can be helpful. Congrats!

[Anonymous]

I got similar nuchal results as you and decided against the amnio. It really comes down to your personal comfort level. I wonder if I would have made a different decision if I'd witnessed my friends go through what you did.

So far so good, I think, but we won't know for sure if we did the right thing until the kids arrives in 5 weeks or so.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the insight ladies. By the way, I am hoping I am not freaking anyone out because both these cases were one in a million but it just happened that I knew the people and it was beyond devastating for them to go so far and have something like that happen and so it personally changed things for me. Again, I would hate to stress someone out who is about to deliver!! I am an anxous person on this kind of stuff overall.

[Anonymous]

Given the good results of your NT tests, I would say that you have a higher chance of miscarriage resulting from your amnio than from something being wrong with the baby. In your case, I would not have the amnio. I am really sorry for your friends losses.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the last poster. Your odds of losing the pregnancy as a result of the amnio (~1/200) are MUCH HIGHER than the chances that you'll have a child with either Downs or Trisomy 18. Most people I know would be thrilled with your results. I too have had friends who lost children in their third trimester and who had babies die soon after birth.

[Anonymous]

Your odds of losing the pregnancy as a result of the amnio (~1/200) are MUCH HIGHER than the chances that you'll have a child with either Downs or Trisomy 18.

Actually, your odds of a miscarriage as a result of an amnio depend on who your doctor is; s/he should be willing to provide you with stats. If not, find someone who will. In any case, the 1/200 figure is from before they used real-time ultrasound during the procedure; the odds that things will go well are much better now.

Moreover, I don't think you can simply weigh likelihood of good outcome against likelihood of bad outcome. How good would the good be? How bad would the bad be? If you really want to know, either to act to or to prepare yourself (mentally or by lining up doctors to deal with a special situation), that's a greater pro than it would be for someone who would never terminate or can't choose doctors or whatever.

FWIW, I've had three amnios. I've had plenty of miscarriages, but none of them was the result of an amnio.

I've also had to deal with Children's Hospital, and if I knew my baby would require special attention, I'd be scrambling to find alternatives to dealing with the administrative nightmare that is Children's.

[Anonymous]

don't do ammio, you gonna love it anyway. just follow your heart and in jesus name every gonna be all right.

have a happy and healthy baby.

[Anonymous]

I did amnio as a matter of course. I was 36 and 38 at the time of my pregnancies. I had to know. In the case of certain outcomes, I would have terminated; in other cases, I wanted to be prepared. In both cases, I found amnio to be a very simple procedure.

Everyone sees risks differently. I perceived the chances of miscarriage as being very low, but in any case, I was willing to take that risk.

Good luck with your decision.

[Anonymous]

I had similar results but did the amnio. I was AMAZED at how relieved I was when the results came. I was more worried than I had realized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with the last poster. Your odds of losing the pregnancy as a result of the amnio (~1/200) are MUCH HIGHER than the chances that you'll have a child with either Downs or Trisomy 18. Most people I know would be thrilled with your results. I too have had friends who lost children in their third trimester and who had babies die soon after birth.

Ditto

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess if I had known something that catastrophic, I would have liked to know and terminate.

OP, Don't feel bad about being anxious. That's our job as parents, no? I was super anxious about having amnio. Go figure.

I was 37 yo w/twins but no other risk factors. DH and I just couldn't come up with clear criteria for termination, meaning how bad would it have to be to go there. And I could not handle the thought of 2 needles!

Anyway, OP - glad to hear the numbers are in your favor. And whatever you find reassuring is the right thing, IMHO.

[Anonymous]

There is no sure thing either way - I lost a pregancy at 21 weeks - no amnio, had friends who lost baby at birth...and knew they would due to chromosomal issues...but decided to carry to term versus abort early (found out late in pregnancy) and one who lost twins after amnio.....all of these fall in the very, very rare category. While it is difficult to accept, there are no perfect tests or sure things either way. Much depends on your thoughts / beliefs and where you place the greatest risk. How far along are you now? They can determine quite a bit re: potential problems by US at the 18 week mark.

[Anonymous]

I had a CVS (I was 42 when I conceived), and right before the procedure, the dr. did a nuchal fold. It didn't come back very promising, it was a good thing I had a CVS. The nurse called me 2 days later with the most wonderful news-of course I was SOBBING-that our little boy had 42 chromosomes. I never felt so much relief! I had lost a pregnancy at 12 due to age related DS-so when I got pregnant again 6 months later, we knew we had to find out through an invasive test.

[Anonymous]

I had amnio with my daughter (I was 37) and again with my present pregency (I am now 41). My husband and his ex-wife had chromosomals problems with a stillbirth (boy on outside, girl on inside) so I wanted as much reassurance as possible.

When deciding whether to have amnio, you need to ask yourself the question, "Will the results change whether I will continue with this pregnancy?" Even if the outcome will not change your decision, some people would prefer to know if advance so they can begin making preparations.

I know there are risks with amnio, but I decided if my mother could do it, so could I My mother had my youngest brother when she was 42; he is now 28. She had amnio with him. In those days, the needles were much larger and there was no ultrasound; they had to feel where the baby was and hope for the best.

Good luck in whatever you decide. For us, it was the amnio.