First appointment.

[etoilech]

Mine isn't till 12 weeks, which will be the week of the 30th of August. We are declining the triple screen and NUPP. My midwife doesn't generally recommend it anyway. We may have an ultrasound at 18-20 weeks. We're undecided.

What are you guys doing as far as testing?

They generally very laid back here with testing and such. Just wondering how it is for you guys.

Olivia

[Two Spunky Monkeys]

Hi there - my edd is 4-2-06 - my first appt is 9-7 (I'll be 10+w). I have never done the triple screen, so I am not even considering that this time. We will most likely have the 20-week scan. The only other test I see that we will do is gestational diabetes screening - but my midwives don;t make us drink that HORRIBLE glucola stuff - just eat a nice breaskfast and have levels drawn. pretty laid back here too. :)

[nubianamy]

My bf is really uncertain about not having the triple screen, even though the midwife we interviewed suggested not to have it. I think I will go along with it. He's having a hard time with this whole trust-me thing. =/ Maybe once we hear the heartbeat he will relax.

[hrutledge]

I'm due 3/36. My first appointment is 8/2. I will be 6 wks. I would highly recommend not taking the triple screen. The have a huge false positive rate. 70/30 is what I've heard. I know of at least three people who have taken the triple screen and it appeared they had problems so they were sent to have a lot more testing done not to mention the fact that they were worrying themselves sick and the babies all turned out fine. I also know a woman who took the triple screen and it can back fine and her child was born with Downs not to mention a ton of other health concerns.

[Tine]

We declined the triple screen with DC#1. We'll probably do so with this little bean, too.

[Knittin' in the Shade]

we've always declined the triple screen, and with my second two I also declined the glucose test. We'll have routine ultrasounds to check placenta placement and cervical changes (I have serious preterm issues and all 3 of my others were preemies) My first appointment is 8/18 and I'm praying that they don't put me on bedrest right then and there, LOL!

[RedOakMomma]

We plan on declining any testing (other than the 19wk ultrasound). Our OB has a philosophy we agree with....he always says "if you found out something was wrong with the baby, would you terminate the pregnancy?" If the answer is "no," then there's no point in getting screened. Plus, as a previous poster said, the false positive rate is really high. Our friends got a false positive for Downs just a few months ago and were so frightened they went ahead and had an amnio. Amnio showed things were fine, but then they worried about the amnio causing a m/c. Tests just cause worry, in my opinion.

BTW, our twins have a non-inherited genetic illness (one that doesn't show up on any of the typical fetal screenings), so we've been up close and personal with the "something wrong with the baby" issue. I found with this pregnancy (personally) that it's a lot more reassuring to meet with a genetic counselor and discuss the risks than it is to submit to a hundred different tests and fetal screening. Talking to a counselor, we found out there's a 1% chance of the same illness affecting this baby. 1/100 odds are something I can live with.

[Metasequoia]

I'm due 3/36. My first appointment is 8/2. I will be 6 wks. I would highly recommend not taking the triple screen. The have a huge false positive rate. 70/30 is what I've heard. I know of at least three people who have taken the triple screen and it appeared they had problems so they were sent to have a lot more testing done not to mention the fact that they were worrying themselves sick and the babies all turned out fine. I also know a woman who took the triple screen and it can back fine and her child was born with Downs not to mention a ton of other health concerns.

With Dd1 I had a high triple screen (or low, not sure which) & some idiot nurse told me that my baby either had Down's or I was having twins - she did NOT say that maybe my dates were just off!! So TWO WEEKS later, after an u/s, my dates were recalculated & everything made sense. With Dd2, I declined all tests. Both Dds are healthy. I'm not going to have any tests with this one, except an u/s for a date - I walk around 4cm dilated for 2 or 3 weeks & pop 'em out in an hour with no warning, so I'd like a bit of a window so I can at least try & be prepared!

[Mrs Dimples]

I will be having an ultrasound at 18-20 weeks, and I'm not sure about everything else yet. Still doing my research. :)

[InochiZo]

I will be getting a u/s due to increased risk of placenta previa with a VBAC. I did get my glucose tested last time. I think that was it. I just had my 1st appt and skipped the tripple screen. "if you found out something was wrong with the baby, would you terminate the pregnancy?" If the answer is "no," then there's no point in getting screened.
This is my thinking too.
I also will skip the group b Strep test.

[Mariposa]

My first appointment is next Friday. I didn't do any tests with DD, just an ultrasound at 20 weeks. I am planning on the same for this pregnancy.

Actually, come to think of it, I did get cultured for GBS with her and will probably with this baby as well. Will have to discuss it with my midwife and get her opinions about it. Not sure if they can do antibiotics IV at home or not. I know my cousin in another state who has had 3 homebirths had GBS with her first and had IV antibiotics, but not sure here.