Any experience with fetal echogenic abdomen?

[corhorvath]

Hi Everyone,

I've posted before about my baby possibly having a genetic deficiency, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (50% chance). This news was shocking but I read, prayed, and waited and felt better about the whole thing.

Weeks later at my 20-week ultrasound, the radiologist found two echogenic spots in the baby's abodmen (bright spots). These spots can mean the following: nothing, a tear in her bowel, Down's syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, or an infection.

I'm 28, my quad-screen came back great, and this is my only soft-marker for a potential problem with the baby. Some things I read say--don't worry about it if it's the only marker. Some other things say--this probably means Down's Syndrome.

Does anyone have experience with this? The perinatologist I saw was very discouraging yet the doctors I work are very encouraging. My saving grace right now is my faith. But still, when I'm at work, I can't help but scour the internet for new information and it's driving me mad.

Reading about real peoples' experiences rather than scientific research is also helping me to understand things a bit more. So, any experience or information you can share would be greatly appreciated.

[RedOakMomma]

:hug

I don't have any experience with that specific condition, but I know the awful waiting game of a possible disability diagnosed while pregnant. All I can say is be positive...being positive helps the baby and helps you, and if something is "wrong" at birth, it's not the end of the world. If you do have to face a disability, there's a mourning period where you need to let go of some old expectations, but after that you realize you still have a baby--a loving, warm, beautiful baby. Facing a possible disability is horrible when you're looking at the whole future stretching out in front of you, but the secret nobody tells you is that day by day, living with a child with a disability is a _happy_ life. There are tougher moments, true, but most days are just normal, blessed days where you love your child and your child loves you back...they learn, grow, make you laugh, and make your life whole just as much as any "typical" kid. I'd never choose for my sons to be disabled, but I wish I had known back then how normal and happy this life would be. When I was pregnant I was terrified of the unknown future, and now I see that there wasn't so much to fear. Life is different, for sure, but life is _good_. Their lives are good, too....they're loved and happy, and for now that's all that matters.

The other side of this is that you _don't_ know for sure, and it sounds as if you still very strong odds of nothing being wrong. I know it's impossible to banish worry, but do try to remind yourself that things can be okay. Let yourself cope in the ways you need to, but after those moments of darkness and fear, talk to your baby and feel the strength and hope that's growing inside you. He or she is going to have a lovely life, and you'll be there no matter what.

Oh...and a doctor's "honest opinion" can be brutal. So much of what we were told hasn't come to pass, even though my boys have a relatively severe case of TS. If the doctors you're seeing are robbing you of hope, do everything you can to find a different doctor, or at least have your husband/partner talk to the doctor rather than you.

One more thing...my sons both had bright spots on their hearts at the 20 week ultrasound, and that's how we found out they "might" have TS. HOWEVER (this is the hopeful part), when we met with our perinatologist for this pregnancy, she admitted she was surprised to hear that the boys did have TS...apparently, with all the bright spots she's seen on babies' hearts, Ian and James are the only ones that ended up having TS. Back then she couldn't tell us that, because parents have to be warned of there being a "risk," but in her opinion (and I quote) "those spots usually end up being nothing."

I really, really, hope that's the case with your babe. Let's hope for a big case of it being nothing! :fingersx: I'll be thinking of you, and praying for your baby. I hope you don't mind me writing all this....I know it's nothing specific, like you asked, but it makes my heart ache to see you going through this. :hug

Remember, no matter what, it'll be okay. Your definition of "okay" might change (lets hope it doesn't need to), but no matter what, you and your baby will be happy.

[corhorvath]

Thank you so much for your post! I read it twice and loved every word of it. It is very refreshing to hear "happy" and "disability" in the same sentence. We'll have to wait and see what happens at birth and I just realized yesterday that it's only 3 months away!! My due date isn't until the 30th so it may be April, but hopefully not.

I find it very odd to have to wait when so much else in life can be delivered and figured out overnight.

Thank you for sharing your experiences with me.

Take care and I'll keep you posted. Oh, and at our next perinatology appointment, we are meeting with a different doctor. Hopefully, she'll be a bit more optimistic.