My sono results

[jenr]

I just got back from the midwife's and I had an early sono...for dating purposes and to see if this pregnancy was twins (DS#2 started out as twins). So there is only one baby and I am due Dec.2nd. I always deliver early (about 3 weeks with both boys) so I am assuming this baby will be born somewhere between November 9th and December 2nd.

I have to go for a level-2 ultrasound because the tech saw a slightly enlarge nucal fold and wants to have it checked more closely. I scheduled the appointment, but I may cancel it...honestly I am just curious about the level-2 sono and how much more detailed it is.

Jennifer

[hopeful1]

Congratulations on your pregnancy... I'm not sure, you may already know this, but an enlarged nuchal fold can be an indication of Down Syndrome. Most likely why your doc wants to do a level 2. With that, they can measure the nuchal fold and plug it into a formula that includes your age, the gestational age of the baby and determine what risk there is. They can also look for the presence of a nasal bone... babies with Down Syndrome do not show one this early on. They might also want to do a fingerprick to test some of your levels... the three of these tests combined give a 97% accuracy of whether or not your baby will have Down's. I don't want to frighten you or cause worry, I'm sure everything is absolutely fine. Just wanted to let you know.

[jenr]

Yup, I'm a geneticist and I work at a disability center so I know all the risks and signs. The reason I may cancel is that it doesn't matter to us one way or the other. Actually, I'm not the least bit worried because the tech and my midwife said it is really early to even determine if the fold is actually a little enlarged and it is barely enlarged at that. I just really want to see the level-2 sono, but it goes against my personal belief in as few interventions as possible. I will refuse the finger prick and/or triple/quad screening as I have always done before. I think the reason they really want me to go in is that I am almost 35 ( my 35th b-day is 3 days after the baby is due) so they just want to be safe. I am really on the fence about this. Is that weird?

Jennifer

[bc1995]

I totally understand being on the fence. I have always refused the blood test, too. I do like to get an u/s though. I would want and love my baby no matter what. In some ways if something was wrong it would be nice to be prepared (like we wouldn't birth in our local hospital). In other ways it would be nice to be able to not worry about those things until necessary. So I guess it boils down to I don't know if I would want to know or not before hand.

[Twilight]

We have close friends whose baby had an enlarged nuchal fold around 8 weeks as well.. they went in around 11.5 weeks for the official nuchal fold screening, and all was well - normal measurements. Baby was born healthy. I got a feeling from them that what they went through is very common!

[zion]

jenr- I don't think it weird at all. how far are you? I wouldn't do any NT testing until at least 11 weeks. Like twilight said and I'm sure you know, it can be enlarged now but the test only counts when it's done at the right time. I didn't have a quad screen with my last one either. I almost didn't do my routine scan but I changed my mind and did it at 20 weeks. We were shocked when they told us the baby wasn't going to live. She had trisomy 1. I am going to have a quad screen with this one. I just need the reassurance. I wouldn't do anything different if this one has downs either but I would feel better having the reassurance only because of what happened last time.