CVS Testing

[BEloveDisney]

Hello all!

I've done some google research and have done nothing but freak myself out. So, I'm asking the disfolks!

Has anyone had CVS testing done? I'm going to have it done at almost twelve weeks. I'm thinking it takes about two weeks to get test results, right? At that time we'll have to make some hard decisions. Actually, I think the decision is already made if there is a specific problem that our last baby (who ultimately didn't survive long after birth) had.

Anyone have any experience with this?

 

[brittsmum1998]

I had the CVS testing done. We now have a beautiful and healthy 13 yr old dd. PM me if you have any questions.

Kim

 

[Hannathy]

I did. I'm thinking it was at 10 weeks but seriously I can't remember. My DS who I had it with is going to be 13 this summer so quite a while ago and as you can see I had no problems with it.

I didn't want to wait as long as you do with an amnio so we went with this, because if a hard decision as you put it had to be made I wanted to do it as soon as possible.

I had it done at the specialists suite at the hospital. I drove myself, it was about 40 minutes away. had the procedure done waited the time you had to and then drove home. No one except my DH knew I had it done, and no one knew I was pregnant because if we had to decide something I didn't want to have to explain anything, this was just easier and it was only our decision anyway. I had no problems with it no complications and my son was absolutely fine. It hurt a bit when they insert the needle but not unbearable or horrendous and that was all there was to it. when the results came in they called us with the immediate news, in our case good, and then at a later appointment had an ultra sound and received the full report.

I would do it again (except I'm fixed now! lol) if I was pregnant because I really don't like waiting as long as you have to for an amnio because to me that is to late into the pregnancy if a decision needs to be made. I won't do anything that far along. that is of course my opinion only.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I hope everything goes ok for you

 

[BEloveDisney]

Thanks everyone!

I had an amnio with my last pregnancy and got results in two weeks. I was already long past the time that I would have been able to terminate anyway. I was at least twenty three weeks. We know the risks we're taking by having another baby, but felt we needed to try.

I need to stop googling because one site I read said it can take four weeks to get results!

I talked to the nurse at my doctor's office and she said he wants to schedule it around 12 weeks. Which would mean decision time would be at 14 weeks or if that one website was right 16 weeks! And, not that this really matters that much, but I'm going on vacation around that time too!

 

[j's m]

Can't help you with CVS, I had an amnio. But I wanted to offer prayers and hugs that everything turns out ok.

 

[Hannathy]

I know it didn't take 4 weeks! I am thinking 10 days to 2 weeks. Could you schedule it a bit earlier than 12 because I don't think I was that far along either. And I would think a decade later they should be more efficient not less.

 

[RachaelA]

Did you/are you have the NT scan done? Its not invasive like CVS testing or an amino. It needs to be done between 11 weeks and 13 weeks 6 days.

I personally don't plan on having CVS testing done unless the NT scan/bloodwork comes back with concerns.

 

[BEloveDisney]

I just called the doctor today and haven't even been seen yet! I'm hoping that if I go to my appointment and tell him what the plan is that he'll do it sooner. I might call later in the week to ask about how long it takes to get results. I'm too freaked out now to do it and I have to go to work soon. MUST STOP CRYING BEFORE WORK! I just found out I'm pregnant and have told no one (My DH obviously knows) so I have to look fine/not upset when I go to work!

And thanks for the hugs/prayers/good thoughts!

 

[AKL_Megs]

No advice, as I turned down both the NT and CVS testing, but I truly wish you the best and send prayers to you and your little one!

 

[lemondog]

Can you get the FISH results with CVS like you can with amnio? They are rapid...I think you get some answers back in 48 hours?

If you don't mind me asking, which condition are you testing for? If it's a trisomy then I would also recommend the NT scan + bloodwork (can be done 11w0d - 13w6d). It supposedly has a 90-98% success rate in detecting possible trisomy 13 and 18 without any invasive testing (success rate is slightly less for trisomy 21). If you have it done at 11w0d and the results show increased risk for one of the trisomies then you will still have time to get the CVS. I am currently pg at 39 years old (unplanned) and I am going with the NT scan before I decide if I want an amnio. I would not terminate but I HAVE to know if something is wrong so I opted for the amnio. The other benefit of an amnio is that it can test for neural tube issues and the CVS cannot.

I am a NERVOUS WRECK about all of this! Thinking of you!

 

[Normangirls]

I had it done with our youngest (DD5). Hannathy gave a good description of what to expect. What really concerns you the most about the procedure? PM me if you like.

 

[BEloveDisney]

You can get FISH results with CVS testing and with an amnio.

We're looking for abnormalities on specific chromosomes (1 and 4 in case you were curious). When my son was tested last year it took at least two weeks to get results after he was born. I'm assuming they can't do FISH on those chromosomes because I think they would have done it then. (They were questioning whether or not to do surgery and life expectancies and such)

I think I probably need to call the doctor tomorrow or in a few days and ask some questions.

 

[NotUrsula]

Yes. The only real difficulty was having to lie on a table for a fairly long time with my legs in stirrups, and not moving them -- it is typical to leave the tube in place while the doctor goes and checks on the viability of the sample. In my case that took about 25 minutes. You can't move your lower body with the tube in place because you might jar it loose. (I took DH with me and made him talk with me for distraction while the doctor was out of the room.) As for the timing, the rule is between 10.5 and 12 weeks because that is the window when your are past the risk of possible resultant limb amputation, but before the cells that they will be harvesting deteriorate too much to be useful.

It's not clear from your post whether you are dealing with a translocation or deletion, and I'm afraid I don't know about whether or not FISH works for those. I was dealing with a trisomy, which FISH *can* detect very clearly. In any case, if a termination is at stake, I'm fairly confident in saying that your physician probably would not be recommending the CVS over an amnio if he or she did not think that you would have the initial results back before 15 weeks. (Also, the insurance companies often won't pay for FISH on a postnatal test unless it would make a material difference in the treatment strategy; if hurrying won't make a difference in the outcome, there isn't much point in paying extra for it or moving you to the head of the queue. When my child was stillborn the tests took eight weeks to come back; living patients who did not have a dismal prognosis naturally took priority at the lab.)

As to the NT test, I can only speak for myself and DH, but having dealt with a fatal trisomy before, we didn't want to fool around with tests that could not give us a definite yes or no answer; the issue of invasiveness was irrelevant. For us, getting the answer as early as possible and dealing with only one wait was tbe most that we were prepared to have to handle, because we really did not want to spend the bulk of the pregnancy dealing with the stress of not knowing for sure. (At the time I joined a support board for people who were dealing with this decision for this reason, and this seemed to be the general consensus there as well; most people opted to go straight to CVS the second time.)

For us it turned out well and we dodged the bullet that time; our healthy DD is nearly 4.

 

[BEloveDisney]

We're looking for a translocation that includes a deletion and a duplication. What worries me the most (aside from the potential for bad results) is not being able to make the decisions we need to make (and have probably already made really) because of time restraints.

Honestly, I think that I've decided to be worried about the CVS testing specifically so I don't have to worry about all of the other scary stuff that will come after it (maybe) and the risk of miscarriage.