Now totally confused don't know what to do for best

[Miss_C]

Saw OB at hospital yesterday - we are going pubic and I felt like she was trying to push us into an amnio. My result for downs was 1 in 307 and the other trisomies were up over 1500 each which my GP said was a good result and the report said low risk. He said less than 1 in 200 they recommend amnio 1 in 50 they go to CVS, She told me her cut off was 300 and then proceeded to tell us the procedure etc etc despite me saying we are OK with 1 in 307 being low risk this percentage represented the same chance of miscarriage following amnio so on balance we think the risk is minimal, She got the sh!ts with me I think cos I knew what I was talking about I think. When she said the risk is blah blah % of downs I said well the risk of miscarriage is also blah blah isn't it at which point she said to me well if you are ok if the baby has downs, I said well obviously we wouldn't be OK hence the reason for the triple screening and scan etc etc and we kept going around in circles it was so infuriating. I am seeing my GP on Friday so will ask him what he thinks.

What do you think, what are your thoughts. We did all the screening that we did because being older parents we do not want the responsibility to fall to our son who is the only reason we are having a 2nd child we wanted a sibling for him to gorow with and be there for each other when we weren't so we would terminate - this post is not a discussion on rights and wrongs of that it's a do you think the risk is too high would you you risk the amnio? I am 16 weeks so have the morph scan in 3 weeks, the amnio would give some results in 2-3 days but not conclusive for another 2-3 weeks which would be time of the morph anyway.

???????????

[beej]

TBH, I've always felt that if you start the screening for trisomies etc (even with the nuchal scan) you should follow it through with whatever other testing is recommended. I sort of think 'why do the scan if you don't want to know for sure'.

I realise your risk is fairly low and that you also need to do what you feel comfortable with.

Personally, I wouldn't be having the amnio as I wouldn't terminate regardless of results.

[~manda~]

If you're Ok with it then you're OK with it. There are so many 'what if's' on either side of the argument I think you need to decide what you are comfortable with.

the only thing I'd suggest you think about is this - are you only OK with the results because you don't want to risk a mc from having an anmio, if that makes sense? I know you've been through alot lately so just checking your fear of mc-ing again isn't clouding your judgement

[Miss_C]

Manda I think the risk of mc is a massive clouder of my judgement. Risk of downs 0.32%, risk of miscarriage 0.5% have asked a few other people what numbers their ob's work on and most are around the less than 100 mark

[~manda~]

At the end of the day you need to do what you and yoru DP feel is right. If either results in a 'bad' outcome you'll be frought with 'what if?'..

Remember that a 1 in 307 chance of downs means a 306 in 307 chance of no downs.

Very hard decision.

[~manda~]

do you think the risk is too high would you you risk the amnio?

Sorry I didn't actually answer your question.

OK if it was me, yes I would have tests done. I would try to put aside the MC risk and look at the impact a downs bub would have on my family and the responsibility it would leave on DD when DH and I were to pass away.

[Z'sMum]

Oh Miss_C - what an incredibly hard decision to make!

Like manda said - you have to do what feels right to you and DP.
FWIW - I would have the tests done. I am like you, I would terminate if something was wrong with the baby. The fear of bringing a child into this world that is going to suffer would outweigh the fear of MC for me. BUT you have gone through so much, so I can understand your fear of MC.

I am probably no help, I'm sorry, but just wanted to send you some hugs

[MeNThem]

FWIW - I would have the tests done. I am like you, I would terminate if something was wrong with the baby.

I am not 100% sure that I would terminate, but I would seriously consider it. For the same reason as you and Manda have said... the impact on the family dynamics would be huge. Downs kids/adults can be lovely, lovely people... but... its a big burden to share still and with DH and I working etc, things would change for the worse I think for everyone.

Anyway, my point is, I would seriously be considering the amnio since you have already done all the other tests... why go so far and not get the last one?

I know mc is a huge cloud for you like discussed, but, if you *don't* get the amnio done and you do have a downs baby, you will have a lot of guilt associated with that too.

My big suggestion though is... you demand to get one of the experienced practitioners - one who does a lot of these. My brother & SIL have had an amnio done for both their girls because they wanted to make sure they were ok too (older parents)... they found a very experienced Dr and found it to be a very, very smooth procedure because of that experience. They also got a lot of reassurance as a result.

HTH, *gbh* so many decisions and things to do and not to do when you are a parent and/or pregnant....

[charli76]

I had a similar combined DS risk to you, what was skewing my results were my papp-a blood results as it came back very bad.

We had a long discussion with our Ob and I decided to go ahead with the amnio. It was done at the Ultrasound place and not overly pleasant but not horrendous either. I needed to know one way or the other and what we would or wouldn't have done I can't be sure but for my own peace of mind and the ability to make a decision one way or the other I chose to have the amnio.

All was fine thought

[~manda~]

Charli makes a good point. can you find out the breakdown of your results, ie is it a certain measurement on the bub, your BT results etc?