Bad news from nuchal translucency

[juneau]

Hi mamas,
I had a nuchal translucency scan yesterday because of my advanced years (43 when I am due) and I got bad news. My trisomy risk is now double what it was going in, and now I have about a 2 in 10 chance of having a baby with Down syndrome, other triploid chromosome, or serious heart defect. I am moving on to CVS Tuesday. It's going to be a LONG weekend and an even longer wait for results. I hate having to do this.

But (please no flame) I have one perfect dd after a difficult pregnancy and never expected to be pregnant again, so I will probably terminate if chromosomal abnormalities do show up.

I am really down in the dumps right now because I was looking forward to finally telling my family and friends that I am pregnant. I suffered through five years of infertility before conceiving dd naturally at age 40 (!) so another child would be a real miracle.

Thanks for hugs and prayers,

[Twilight]

there is still an 8 in 10 chance of a perfectly healthy baby, so hang in there. The CVS will tell you what you need to know, and you can go from there.

I'm sorry for the waiting though... I know that is the worst, most excruciating part.

[Owen'nZoe]

Sorry the results weren't reassuring, and I can't imagine how hard the wait must be. I hope that the results from the CVS are positive!

[Naughty Dingo]

Hi Mama, sorry about the stress you are going through. Have the bloodwork results come back yet? I know several Mamas who have had an ultrasound which indicated increased risk, but then the bloodwork dropped it back down.

Also, as I am sure you know, these tests, while they are better at detecting more babies with problems than the quad screen, still do have false positives (indicating increased risk when there really isn't).

I think it is good you are pursuing chromosomal analysis. You will get an answer one way or another and you will be able to move on from there. I have BTDT and it is a scary thing to be flagged by a screen. You get all the fear and worry without the answers.

I hope your baby is just fine and that you get your answer soon Mama.

Take care, ND

[chrfath]

Sending you warm wishes.

I will add that my DD has down syndrome and has had two open heart surgeries. She is the light of our lives. I also waited 5 years for her.

Follow your heart only you know what is best for you and your family.

[Fuamami]

My SIL had similar results on her third child. In fact, I think throughout the whole pregnancy they kept telling her the child would have Down Syndrome, but she didn't. She was, and is, perfectly healthy.

Just be sure and do A LOT of research on the reliability of those tests.

[miranda]

I'm thinking of you and hoping that the further screening will bring you the results that you want. Take care of yourself. I hope that you don't have to wait too long for the results.

[sweetfeet]

I'm from the Oct ddc but saw this post on the new posts search. First of all, . These tests aren't 100% accurate. I was at my ob's the other day and the nurse was telling me about a woman whose afp and nuchal translucency both came back negative for any abnormalities. The woman had a baby with downs.

[juneau]

Hi everyone,
Thanks for all your posts, especially Christi's, which brought tears to my eyes. I've been having terrible dreams about abortion. I believe in a woman's right to choose but never thought I might be facing that choice myself. Hah! I never thought I would be pregnant -- let alone twice over age 40!

I have done some reading. If I were under 30 and had a fetus with a thickened nuchal transllucency, my chances of still having a normal baby are pretty good. But at my age, even if the chromosome analysis turns up normal, my chances of having a healthy child are dramatically reduced.

I was so looking forward to a pregnancy without WORRY--the last one was fraught at every turn. And here I am, 11 weeks along, and terrified.

[milk_maker]

[logan&jordansmommy]

I know you will but please think long and hard about your decision. These tests aren't 100 % accurate. Plus I know many people with children with special needs that are wonderful kids and the light of their parent's lives.

[Sophiasmomma]

HUGS to you and your bean

[Charles Baudelaire]

Originally Posted by juneau

Hi mamas,
I had a nuchal translucency scan yesterday because of my advanced years (43 when I am due) and I got bad news. My trisomy risk is now double what it was going in, and now I have about a 2 in 10 chance of having a baby with Down syndrome, other triploid chromosome, or serious heart defect. I am moving on to CVS Tuesday. It's going to be a LONG weekend and an even longer wait for results. I hate having to do this.

But (please no flame) I have one perfect dd after a difficult pregnancy and never expected to be pregnant again, so I will probably terminate if chromosomal abnormalities do show up.

I am really down in the dumps right now because I was looking forward to finally telling my family and friends that I am pregnant. I suffered through five years of infertility before conceiving dd naturally at age 40 (!) so another child would be a real miracle.

Thanks for hugs and prayers,

I completely, utterly understand. We had a bad AFP and were so worried that we got an amnio and thankfully everything was fine -- but those two weeks waiting for the amnio results were sheer hell, confronting exactly those same issues you are now, whether we could be parents of a special-needs child, and like you, concluding that we could not, not with the kind of forebearance and grace that a child with special needs has to have every day. We knew we couldn't do it. We would have terminated also.

There's an 80% chance everything is fine. Wouldn't you love to be in a Vegas casino with an 80% chance of winning? Look at it that way.

Best, best, best to you no matter what happens.

[juneau]

There's an 80% chance everything is fine. Wouldn't you love to be in a Vegas casino with an 80% chance of winning? Look at it that way.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's hard not to focus only on the 20 percent and forget that 80 percent is much better odds.

Actually the weekend has gone much better than I had feared. I actually slept last night, so deeply that even the strolling loud partyers outside my window throughout much of the late night didn't disturb me from my slumber. Today we are going to find a beach somewhere, anywhere, and escape the heat. Tomorrow, my dh will be with me all day--I have a completely unrelated dr appt. in the morning, and CVS in the afternoon--and we will get through it.

Yesterday in church I asked for prayers: first, that we not have to make a difficult decision, and second, that if we do, we make the best decision possible, with God's grace.

[Britishmum]

Just wanted to send you some wishes for a peaceful day.

I was in the same position about two years ago. Here I am this morning, up at the crack of dawn with my lively, wide-awake, loud toddler, who is completely normal (and trying desperately to wake up his siblings LOL)

The waiting is tough. Try to focus on the positive side of the odds. Mine were even worse than yours, but we were fine.

[bc1995]