Preggo over 40: Did you have amnio?

[LROM]

Hi all, when I was pg with DD I was 42 and once I had the triple screen and the #s were promising, I opted for no amnio and no CV testing. DD was born healthy and wonderful, it worked out.

Now I'm pg with #2 and wondering how many of you had amnio, CV, something else, or nothing?

[lillymonster]

I will be close to 40 (by 2 weeks) when #2 is born. I am having NT blood work and u/s because my midwife is a little freaked out by my age, but nothing else. Even if it shows something, I don't feel comfortable with amnio or cv.

The thought of CV or amnio creeps me out, just the whole puncturing thing, I don't know, I don't like the idea. I am not too concerned about the NT testing either, but my family, having babies past 36 is normal, my grandmother had my mom when she was almost 45 (my mom corrected me this week, I thought she was only 42) in the 1930s, she had a large family with lots of children, I have 9 nieces and nephews a few born after the magic "36" age, no genetic issues at all. I guess anything can happen, but I am more worried about other things I guess.

[jjnoho]

i am just 40 now and waiting for our first to make his arrival. after the early screen, we had decided not to proceed with any further testing. but then some concerning results that were found on the u/s at 18 weeks and we decided to have an amnio after genetic counseling. the procedure was much less than i had expected it to be and very quick. i decided to do it because i was concerned that my anxiety would be a problem for the duration of the pregnancy if i didn't know what was going on in there. we would not have terminated but i needed something to wrap my head around so my anxiety decreased.

good results, no complications, and a healthy little one we can't wait to meet

[VillageMom6]

I just turned 40 and turned down all testing with this pregnancy, except for a 20 week ultrasound.

To me, the tests are too risky... the results are often misleading... the odds of a problem are still extremely small... and any information gleaned would not change how we managed the pregnancy.

I wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy! Congratulations!

[Caryliz]

I think much has to rest on your family situation and how you feel about the possibility of (even very unlikely) unforseen complications. I had DS when I was 38 and had every kind of test out there - but it was because DH has a number of first cousins with genetic disorders and we felt we had a high risk factor, NOT because of my age. I am planning to undergo the same battery of tests, for the same reason - but again, not because I'll be 44 when the babe arrives, but because there is a very real chance for us that I may be carrying a child with a genetic disorder, and that is something that we both feel strongly we need to know about, sooner rather than later.

If you DO undergo amnio, be prepared for it to hurt like hell when the needle goes in. I understand that it doesn't bother everyone, and the doc who did mine expressed real surprise when I started yelling during mine because, as he said, "but this doesn't hurt" (Yeah, buddy, like YOU'VE ever had one). So - it may not hurt at all. On the other hand, YMMD.

[2goingon2]

I'm pregnant with my 5th child - 3rd in as many years and I'm 42. Have never had amnio and doubt I ever will. I will have the level 2 u/s and the quad-screen bloodwork.

[mommysaurus]

41(42 in Aug.) and didn't do any testing except for the 20 wk U/S.

[Cassaba]

I'll be 42 on Monday. I have had a number of ultrasounds to check my cervical length, and I'll have the 20-week anatomy one. But that is all the testing I am planning to have.

[LittleBattleAxe]

Will be 41 when baby is born and I'm not doing any tests. It will be my 4th and I didn't have any tests done with #2 and #3. I wouldn't do anything differently (ie terminate pregnancy) regardless of the tests, so I haven't ever thought it important to have them done.
BTW is there a support thread for moms 40+?

[karen1968]

I am 41 now and will be 42 when babe arrives, unless s/he is early. We are doing the "20 week" scan (tomorrow!), but will be declining any amnio or other invasive tests (we skipped the NT scan and related 12 week bloodwork).

This is my 4th pregnacy, and will be my last regardless. I've had 2 miscarriages, and am unwilling to risk my child's life just to find out a few weeks sooner about a problem. I know the risks are small, but to my mind and with my history, they are too large for me.

We did have the NT scan, etc. with DS, and I was open to CVS at that time. But I'd just had a friend whose scan and follow up testing revealed a t16 (?) "defect" and I was scared of that and wanting to get to the result of a healthy child ASAP (I was 37 at the time). My attitude and perspective has changed a lot since then!

[umsami]

I'm 41 and pregnant with #4. With #3, I had the NT and quad scan... but with this little guy, we didn't do anything. Main reason being both of those tests are screening (vs. diagnostic like amnio or cvs).... and that we wouldn't really do anything differently. I did have a 20 week anatomy scan (well 24 weeks).. and everything looked fine.

[LROM]

Thanks everyone, it's really helpful to hear your thoughts. I realized reading through them that another reason I was ok in the 1st pregnancy with just the quad screen is that, both because of age, prior miscarriages and also an issue in the uterus that developed during the pregnancy, I was managed as high risk and had an U/S pretty much every other week almost throughout the whole pregnancy. This meant that aside from monitoring the condition we were watching, I also kept getting reassurance each time that otherwise, baby looked great.

This time I'm of course hoping there is NO issue that we have to monitor, but that also means I'd have just the basic U/S's and I can see being really anxious and worried about what I do NOT know because of that. On the other hand, if we wouldn't do anything different regardless of result, I suppose I don't want to risk even the small chance of m/c so I guess I have my answer. I am usually the kind of person who wants as much heads up notice about anything important as possible... but I wouldn't want to risk the health of the pregnancy for that notice I guess, even though I TOTALLY understand needing to know ASAP.

Thanks again for your thoughts!