Forgot to get the AFP blood test

[Woodland]

I was given the paperwork for the blood draw for the AFP 15-20 week test at 19 weeks and then forgot to go get it done. I am now 22 weeks. I called my OB and the office manager said I could come in and get new paper work to get it done. When I got there, the dr. said it was too late to get the blood draw and I would need to schedule a level 2 ultrasound with a specialist. I am 28, very healthy and have a healthy 2 year old son. I am a natural mama, went with a midwife last time and I am not even sure I got this test done before. Should I just skip this test and the ultrasound? Everything looked great with my 18 week ultrasound. The Dr. said it was important but everything is probably fine. Any advice would be great. Thankyou.

[klocke]

I personally did not do the test with any of my pregnancies. They tend to have a high false positive rate anyway. If your u/s at 18 weeks looked fine I would pass but that's just me.

[etsdtm99]

i have not done the test with any of my pregnancies .. i would skip it.

[born2birth]

I don't do them either.

[bananabee]

I skipped it. I'm 30, and this is my first pregnancy. I figured I don't need the extra stress of whatever results I might get. If everything looked good at your 18 wk U/S, I wouldn't worry about it.

[russsk]

I didn't do the AFP with DS 2.5 years ago, and I'm not doing it this time, either. I did have a level-2 u/s last time, but at this point I don't feel it's necessary. I'm also a healthy, 28-year old mama of a 2 year old. I wouldn't sweat it.

[organicpapayamama]

with my first pregnancy my initial thought was not to do it. Especially since I had to pay extra to get it done. Plus DH and I were healthy and young (early 20's) and no history or any problems on anyones side of the family. And I had been taking prenatals for months before trying. But at the last minute something told me to do the test. Its just blood work. I got it done and got a high (positive) result. We then did a level 2 ultrasound to see what was going on and sadly my baby had a fatal NTD. Im glad I found out when I did and not at birth or at an appointment when they would find no heartbeat.

I guess what I am saying is anything can happen to anyone. Even to families with no history of problems so I would always do the test personally.

[megan sacha]

I wouldn't worry about it since your 18 week scan looked good. If anything was suspicious then, they would have recommended a level 2 anyway.

[gradstudentmommy]

I could be remembering incorrectly, but I believe my midwife told me the level 2 ultrasound was more accurate than the blood test, but that some people want to have the blood test because it can be done about 4 weeks earlier than the ultrasound. That gives women a few more weeks notice to have an amniocentesis.

[organicpapayamama]

Originally Posted by megan sacha

I wouldn't worry about it since your 18 week scan looked good. If anything was suspicious then, they would have recommended a level 2 anyway.

my 18 week scan looked "good" too, then my daughter was diagnosed with a fatal NTD.