how do people feel about getting an amnio? I am planning ahead assuming I have no issue get preg #2

[Anonymous]

I did not have one the first time and although I had the nuchal fold test and blood work and they said my chances were 1 in 4500 I still worried the entire pregnancy. I was 37-this time around if all works well I'll be 39 during second pregnancy. thoughts? Anyone who has had one-was it really painful, scary? Do alot of people miscarry from them ?

[Anonymous]

Had it twice. Not scary at all, not particularly painful. The hardest part is waiting for the results. Your doctor can give you the statistics on miscarriage. I thought the risks were completely worth taking, but everyone will differ in his/her evaluation of the different possible outcomes. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I had one this time around - I was 35 when DS was born but the OB recommended it because of a reading on the nuchal translucency test. (Side note - my son has a very thick neck - I can see why they were concerned - but he is normal thankfully!)

It was not painful, not even that uncomfortable, but the waiting for results was a bit stressful. Still, since my OB had that concern from the NT test I would not have been able to stop worrying without doing the amnio to prove that everything was fine. I was glad we did it.

[Anonymous]

Not painful but, of course, scary. Greater Washington Maternal Fetal Medicine is considered really good (http://www.gwmfm.com/) -- meaning, they do amnis a lot so their miscarriage rate is supposedly lower. The question comes down to this: would you terminate a DS or Trisomy 13 pregnancy? If no, forget the amnio. If yes, then I would do the amnio.

[Anonymous]

Had one with pregnancy #1 - it was painless and very easy (and I'm a real wimp about these things.) With my current pregnancy, I got good numbers on the NT and opted not to do the amnio or CVS. I'd had a m/c in the middle and didn't want to do anything that could risk another m/c. The risk is quite low - reportedly 1/400 or even better with doctors who do them routinely (and ultimately the reports I read always included the caveat that some of those women might have miscarried without an amnio.) Still for me it just wasn't worth it. I thought I'd be a total wreck but surprisingly I'm not. The detailed 20w u/s totally reassured me. Do what feel right for you - but you don't have to fear the pain factor with an amnio.

[Anonymous]

Even if you would not terminate, I think you should still consider the amnio because in the worst case, having information about your child's condition ahead of time could help you prepare for the future.

[Anonymous]

I would strongly consider CVS if that is an option. I loved having it done much earlier in the pregnancy than amnio - and getting the clean bill of health based on the factors they can check at that time. Search this forum under "CVS" and you will see a lot of input about it and the differences.

[Anonymous]

Had one about a month ago. Decided to do it because I'm 37 and high-risk (don't know the latter actually matters for genetic issues, but it makes me a bit more nervous in general). From my reading, and from talking to SIL the OB, I got the impression that the miscarriage rate is actually lower than the statistics that are usually reported -- i.e., not even as high as 1/200 or 1/300. Not a consolation if it happens to you, but the chances are *really small*.

As for the pain, I was a nervous wreck for 24 hours beforehand and it was totally unwarranted. I'd compare it to a flu shot -- a few seconds of needle stick, but not worth all the fretting. I also got a bit crampy afterwards (totally normal), but at worst that too was similar to how my arm feels after a flu shot.

Also a note on results -- had a regularly scheduled OB visit about 6 days later, and the results were already in my chart. So she told me then, but it took another 48 hours for the regular person to actually call me with the results. So if it feels like you're waiting forever (say, more than a week), they may have them sooner than you think, don't hesitate to call and check.

[Anonymous]

Did not do it, 37 with first, 41 with second. Did not do the blood test either, only the ultrasound at 11 weeks which was normal. My very good friend lost a baby doing an amino, healthy baby. Too sad for me to take the chance. But that said, I would not abort a down baby, others would. Very personal choice.

[Anonymous]

1 in 350 mis carry after an aminio. Do not have one unless you plan to do something with the information that you get from it. Too risky. CVS should be enough.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for posting your question. I am in the exact same position. I want the peace of mind that comes from the actual results of amnio, rather than the odds that they give you with the screening test. I will also be 37 when the baby is due. However, I also don't want to take unnecessary risks with what seems like a perfectly healthy pregnancy. I think I am going to go ahead with the amnio next week. I have to see how dh and I feel after seeing the genetics counselor.

As for the PP who said that CVS should be enough, I understand that CVS actually has a higher rate of miscarriage - approx double that of amnio. the trade-off is that you get the results sooner.