OT: 37 and pregnant again with #5

[homemaker]

Here's the question. Would you or have done the extra testing for things like down syndrome? I will be 38 a couple months before I am due. I guess any age over 35 puts you in a higher risk group. The results wouldn't change anything. Planned or not we will still have this baby. I think I would just like to be prepared, but are you ever really prepared for something.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

My dear. If you truly won't abort no matter what then my recommendation is to just wait to worry if there is indeed anything to worry about once your baby is born. Chances are she/he will be just fine. Carrying the knowledge with you for months and months would be so very hard. However, you know what you need to do. Do exactly that.

Sending you good thoughts, good wishes and a ton of pixie dust.

 

[Nicolepa]

If the results wouldn't change anything, then I wouldn't do the testing.

I have a friend who's daughter has downs. She didn't know until 2 days after her daughter was born, when they found a heart problem. She says that she is glad she didn't know, because she got to enjoy her pregnancy and not worry about what if's.

 

[Nom]

I disagree. I was always of the mind that I would never abort, so why do the testing?

Well, I did not do the quad screen (I was 29) for that reason... then they found something on a 28 week ultrasound. The first thing they asked me was 'did you have a normal quad screen?' I waived that test, so I did not know... and it was too late to do it. It was also too late for an amnio. So I lived through 14 weeks of worry for nothing. If I had done the quad screen, I would have at least had some reassurance that she was ok. All I had was a big question mark.

Next baby: I will do the recommended testing for my age bracket, because I never want to be in that position again.

And here is something else to think about: (PLEASE NOTE BAD PREGNANCY OUTCOME INFO AHEAD) my friend was 40 when she got pregnant. She did not have the amnio, but again ultrasound found something. ANd it was bad, really bad - incompatible with life bad. She chose to interupt the pregnancy, and she really wishes she had had the amnio so that she could have done that sooner (prior to 20 weeks).

So for me personally, I say do the testing. It's worth it for peace of mind.

 

[doulacandice]

Personally, I would not get testing done..

As you know the AFP test isn't reliable anyways and there have been a ton of false positives.. As far as an amniocentesis, there is a chance of miscarrying and personally I wouldn't abort my baby if something was wrong with them anyways.

Good luck hun on whatever you decide!!

 

[Aliceacc]

Congratulations!!!!

We adopted my oldest when I was 40; his younger sisters were born when I was 41 and 44. Everything is fine.

I had the amnio with my older daughter for the reasons you mentioned: I wasn't going to abort, either way. But knowledge is power; I wanted to know if there were forseeable problems ahead. I most certainly would have quit my teaching job immediately and not hung in until the end of the school year.

I didn't do so with my youngest. I was a SAHM by then. I pretty much figured that we would handle whatever happened to the best of our ability. And that small miscarriage chance bothered me more that time, I'm not sure why.

Ultimately, the best advice I can give you is to go with your gut... do whatever will make your life easier over the coming months!!

 

[Colinsmom]

I'd personally do the testing for a reason suggested to me by my midwife: it may affect where and how I would plan to deliver (e.g. would you want certain specialists available shortly after birth). If you are already delivering at a top-notch hospital that could provide the baby with any necessary care, then perhaps this reason wouldn't be enough for you.

 

[Sophie_2003]

I would do it..but I am a worrywart, and if you are going to worry ANYWAY, might as well get the test and have the information. Today's amnio's are much much safer than just a few years ago.

But s a prior post says, you need to talk it over with your partner and go with your gut!

Sending positive vibes your way!

 

[middleofamerica]

I did the testing, not amnio, just the extra tests that we didn't have to have done to rule out problems so I could stop worrying! I would also want to be prepared if there was something wrong, I really wanted to just have it done so I could breathe easy! It would have not changed if I would have kept any of the babies, but I wanted the reassurance that everything was as fine as we could tell. I figured that the chances of there being a problem were low, so this way I would know and not have weeks of worry and what ifs. Good luck to you!

 

[tink76]

My best friends SIL had the test done when she was pregnant and it came back positive, she had the baby and he is fine! He is a perfectly healthy little boy. It was a few years back but I don't trust the tests anyway.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you know you wouldn't do anything, why put yourself through it? Especially an amnio, which increases the risk of miscarriage.

 

[npmommie]

the screening blood work they do it just that screening, it is NOT diagnostic, it has far more false positives.........it only tells you the increased risk/chance of something being wrong,
the amnio is the only diagnostic tool.....for sure. the ultrasounds they can do.... look for certain markers, and can tell certain things, but as far as all the genetic possiblities for something wrong only an amnio will tell that. or cvs testing which can be done earlier, but has a higher risk of miscarriage than amnio. and done properly with a doc that does amnio regularly.... the risk of miscarriage with an amnio is sooooooo small.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

I had what early tests available at the time (20 years ago) and they seemed fine. Then a later ultrasound showed a condition that would never allow the baby to survive or leave the NICU. Tests have gotten better but they're not infallable.

My DIL had the quad test, it came back positive for Downs. She then had an amnio and the super duper diagnostic sonogram. They found the baby didn't have Downs but had only one kidney. Turned out she has a second kidney, just not in the 'usual' place. She's a fine healthy one year old now. Her momma worried herself nearly ill with first the Downs scare and then the renal worries.

OP, do what you feel is the right thing to do.

 

[ptcruisermom]

Go with your gut like other posters have said. I was 2 months over 35 when i had DD13, she was my third child. Never even had an ultrasound with any of them, and they all were fine. So no worries about false positives.I myself was my mothers and fathers fifth child born when my mom was 3 1/2 months shy of 41 and my dad was 42. And I am just fine ( most of the time )

 

[HopperFan]

I am the parent of child with D/S. He was my first at age 25.

Only ways to test specific for D/S is CVS, but it must be done early and you may be past the time frame, and Amnio, done in a much more pregnant state. Risks of miscarriage are not much different (CVS probably higher because done in early stages when most miscarriages occur anyway). CVS can be done two ways, amnio one way. CVS can not detect spina bifida, Amnio can. I had two CVS tests with next two children, one each way.

All screenings and blood tests are just that, screenings. They are not proof that a baby is healthy or not. If you are concerned and want answers, these tests should not be relied on. These screenings are an important tool for doctors/malpractice issues. If tests are wrong, they offered you all they had. You refuse the test, your choice. They are covered.

If you have decided you would carry the baby to term and feel you can continue without knowing one way or another, then I would not have the test.

If you want to rule out any issues, or plan & prepare your next step afterwards should some be found, then I would have the test.

Good luck with all and congrats

 

[DISNEYFOS]

I'm of the mind that to test or not to test really doesn't have to do with abort or not abort but rather preparedness. In the unlikely event there is a problem, you would want the right kind of specialist there and ready when the child is born. I say take advantage of advances in medical science to ensure the most positive outcome.

I was 37 with my second child. I had an amnio because one of my blood tests came back out of normal range. and it changed my odds (1 in 67 compared to (1 in 4000 for my 1st DD) (because thats all the tests can do is tell you your odds). I had the amnio at one of the best hospitals in the country. The chance of miscarriage by a trained experienced facility is almost non-existant. It was wonderful to hear all was well and I was able to rest easy. For me anyways more knowledge is better than less.

Just my opinion.

 

[janey99]

I am 38 and 18 weeks along - I'll be 39 when the baby is born. I had a nuchal screening (finger stick blood test combined with a specific type of ultrasound).

Even if you know will keep the baby no matter what, these types of screenings are heplful to know whether you will need any extra health support duting the pregnancy, and whether the baby will need any during or shortly after birth.

I would recommend one of the screenings available.

Good luck -

Jane

 

[DISNEYFOS]

My DIL had the quad test, it came back positive for Downs. She then had an amnio and the super duper diagnostic sonogram. They found the baby didn't have Downs but had only one kidney. Turned out she has a second kidney, just not in the 'usual' place. She's a fine healthy one year old now. Her momma worried herself nearly ill with first the Downs scare and then the renal worries.

OP, do what you feel is the right thing to do.

From the genetic counselor I spoke to, the Quad Screens are only able to tell you your chances of having a baby with downs..i.e 1 in 10 chance based on hormones circulating in your blood. Blood tests are not a definitive test for Downs. Only an Amnio or CVS can tell you that. They consider a "positive" quad test to be just extremely high odds (such as the 1 in 10) but you could still be one of those 9 out of 10 rather than the 1.

 

[KiKi Mouse]

I had my second daughter when I was 40. I didn't do the testing. I had an ultrasound that was "grossly normal". If there was anything on that ultrasound then we would have taken it from there. I declined the 18 week triple screen and subsequent amnio. There was no way I was going to abort so I saw no point. If there was something "wrong" then I would have made myself sick with worry for the duration of my pregnancy.
You have to ask yourself what you would do with the information and take it from there.

 

[brymolmom]

I'm not sure if it's available everywhere - but there is a new test that can more accurately (although not 100%) predict the chance of chromosomal abnormalities and there is 0 risk because it is done via ultrasound with certain measurements. It is very new, from what I understand. I would do it as I believe knowing everything that you can know (and realizing that having a child with Down Syndrome is NOT the end of the world - but the beginning of a very bright wonderful different world) is a good thing. I watched my brother and sis-in-law go through finding out about my nephew with D/S in the hours just after his birth and that turmoil and stress and uncertainty and grieving was something that would be better off not done just after the wonderful arrival of one of God's miracles.

Best of luck and congratulations!