echogenic focus

[quietmim]

So, I had my anatomy scan today.  I do tend to lean towards minimal intervention but because of health problems and the need for medication during my pregnancy, I did agree to to US.  Anyway, they saw an echogenic focus in the heart, which is a "soft marker" for chromosomal abnormality, specifically Downs Syndrome.  It is a calcification, I guess.  Apparently, it is not an abnormality in and of itself.  Some websites are saying it doesn't even signify increased risk with someone like me, who has no risk factors or other markers.  Others are saying that in the presence of this, the risk of Downs is increased to 1%.

I was pretty comfortable declining further screening.  I wouldn't consider terminating.  They offered me another scan with a perinatologist.  DP wants me to get it, he feels it can only be helpful to know in advance if this baby does have Downs Syndrome.  DP's reaction actually has me feeling fragile and more unsure about all this.  My first thought is that I do believe the baby is healthy.  You know, I was more nervous because the US tech made a comment that the baby hadn't changed positions the whole time she was scanning.  I also have only felt isolated movement even though I am around 19 weeks.   DD she was spinning around like pinwheel during the US.  I am wondering if this kiddo is lethargic for some reason.

So...  anyone else been through this?  I can see how the US can cause needless worry as the result in this case doesn't change anything and the likelihood of Downs Syndrome remains quite small.  I didn't even tell my mother because she is worrier, and I'm not sure that is warranted here.  Am I minimizing the significance of this?

Oh, and.......   It's a girl!!!  I know DP actually wanted a girl.  I was on the fence this time (last time it had to be a girl, so I was a lot more excited about learning the gender).  I will be able to reuse all my favorite little outfits.  Also, I think it is easier to name a girl.

TIA for any comments. 

[StarCat]

My babe didn't move a whole lot dueing my last u/s either but I am pretty sure it was just his sleepy time because I know he moves a lot. 

I think you have to do what you are comfortable with.  If it were me I would get an additional scan but probably not something as high intervention as an amnio.  But I would rather know whats going on than worry about it.  And I know I would worry.  SOme people say the additional scan would be likely to cause you more worry for relatively little risk and wouldn't be worth it.  SO it just depends on what you are most comfortable with.  For me personally - I would want to know. 

[midwestmeg]

Argh- why is it so hard to reply to threads now?!! Often I can't get a cursor in the reply box to use, strange.

Anyway, big hugs, mama, any news or doubt like that is hard to work through. I know with my 2nd pregnancy I got a big 'you are too small this could be an IUGR baby, we really want to ultrasound/start weekly testing.' It made me worry and cry so much! But in the end, I did my research, looked for support, knew I wasn't going to do anything differently and declined it all.

Pregnancy and parenting is my version of bungee jumping. I just let go and enjoy the thrill/ride/shock-and-awe of it all. I have decided that I will trust my body, trust the process and accept what I am given. I can handle it, I WILL handle it, even if I don't know how right away.

Downs is something we all think about, I think, whether we test for it or not. However, whenever I think 'how/what/etc' I just look around; there are Downs kids at church, at the Y, in our community. If I have a baby born with Down's we'll get the help we need when he is born. I don't need to worry about it sooner; I don't want that to be what I focus on during my pregnancy.

There are a million 'what if's' and 'but you could...' responses and I just don't buy them. I guess I don't want to! I need to stay upbeat and positive for myself and the rest of my family and if a little bit of 'head in the sand' is how I do it, so be it.

But another helpful thing is to look/ask around your online communities and find out how many other mamas have had something like that come up only to find out it is an incorrect diagnosis. I have certainly seen threads of mamas who were told definitively to terminate, chose not to and it was a misdiagnosis.

All those 'false positives' and 'it could be's'.... process the situation, sleep on it and follow your heart.

Hugging smilie here!!

[quietmim]

That's kind of the way I feel about Downs.  I will deal with when I have to (if), but what can I do now?  Another US would probably be as inconclusive, unless the perinatologist saw something else indicative of a chromosomal abnormality.  I am not sure that DP understands that another scan will likely just confirm the presence of this marker in the absence of any others.  They will probably offer me an amnio at that point, which I would say no to.  Yet, I am not someone who is overly concerned about one or two US's...  I am still thinking.

[mclisa]

The two of you need to have a good discussion about what you both feel comfortable with as far as the next step goes. 

If you decide to go for the next u/s, then maybe have a plan in place of what you two feel comfortable with when they offer to do an amniocentisis.