New and heading into week 9!

C

Christine77

Active Member
Hi,

I have been reading these threads over the time my DH and I were TTC adn through my miscarriage last year. It has been interesting to see pregnancy's announced and now those babies are here.

I am 8 weeks heading into week 9 Monday. I had a miscarriage early last year and this year DH and I decided to try again - after seeing many people here recommend "Taking Charge of your Fertility" I got the book and after 4 months (3 months of complete charting) we conceived Sept 8th.

I had my first prenatal appt at 6 weeks and have my next at 10 weeks. I am 31 and at that 1st appt. the doctor told me about the optional blood work and ultrasound ~ nuchal translucency. They told me it has to be done at the hospital and that is hard to get in so they would make me an appt. and if I wanted to I could cancel it. I have read the materials they gave me and I am not sure about it.

What I am not sure about is if you screen negative it is not a guarantee there are no problems - if you screen positive then there are more tests and everything could be fine. I just don't know. After having a miscarriage I am anxious to see an ultrasound to know that everything is progressing and I hope that at my 10 week check up with my dr. we will hear a heartbeat. My DH is going to my 10 week appt. so now I am thinking we both can talk to the dr more about it and make a decision b/c the nuchal translucency appt is scheduled for 1 1/2 weeks after my 10 week appt.

Just curious to anyones thoughts on this - did you have this optional test? What do you think?

Thank you in advance!

Christine
 
Congratulations on your pregnancy! I have 3 boys and opted out of those test each time. I know too many people who had false positives and all the worrying they went through for no reason. I wouldn't have aborted if there was a problem so there was really no reason for me to get the tests done. In the end it is your decision, do what you feel comfortable with.

Candra
 
congrats on your pregnancy! I will be 37 when baby is born, and I had to go see a genetic counsellor who explained all of the tests. Basically they give you a number that correlates to your risk of a genetic abnormality, and before any testing is done it is based on age. Right now my risk is 1 in 125, the median risk is 1/250. They do an early ultrasound to measure the fluid in the neck and correlate that data with the triple test done at 15 weeks and give you a number based on the info they get from those tests, ranging from 1 in 2000 to 1 in 8. From there you can decide if you want to have an amnio done which will give you absolute confirmation of the genetic composition of your baby. The issue I have is that amnio is done at 17 weeks, and by the time all the info is in, you could be almost 20 weeks along. So I guess the question is, will knowing make a difference? I feel that I am likely going to go ahead with the amnio anyway, just for peace of mind. She told me that amnio increases your chance of miscarriage by half a percent. It's alot to process.

My girlfriend had the screening done, and they came back with a risk of 1 in 35. She had the amnio and gave birth to a healthy baby girl last year. I have heard that there are alot of false positives.

I think the best would be for you and DH to have a discussion with your MD and decide what you're most comfortable with. 31 is young young young!!

good luck and keep me posted!

I am 11 weeks now and am looking forward to getting weighed on Monday! yikes!!

shell
 
I'm in my 13th week and just had this test done. I don't have the blood work back from the lab yet, which will come on Monday. I'm 35 and based on the ultrasound, the doctor said there is very little risk of a problem. The results of the measurement of the fluid behind the neck and the ossification of the bones in the nose determine the risk for the ultrasound. It's an interesting test. I hope everything goes well for you!
 
Congratulations!! As for the tests, I opted out of them for my three boys, for the same reason as Candra--I had known too many people who had had false positives, and I would never have an amnio. However, when I got the 20-week ultrasound for my littlest one (Charlie, 3 1/2 weeks), it showed a cyst on his brain. The doc wasn't too concerned, as it occurs often and only sometimes results in problems, but it was a soft marker for downs syndrome and trisomy 18. We opted to get the quad screen to rule out these. Downs syndrome would have totally been something we would have worked through and been so blessed regardless, however, Trisomy 18 is a devastating result that we would have wanted to prepare ourselves for mentally and emotionally. The quad screen came back negative, which gave me peace of mind throughout the remainder of my pregnancy, and we wound up having a very happy/healthy little boy.

It's really a personal decision for you. Hope your first trimester goes well!! Any morning sickness?
 
I had a false positive with my 2nd pregnancy. The fear/worry about what might have been stole away from what could/should have been a wonderful pg. With my 3rd I opted out & would again if I conceive again.

Congrats!
 
Thank you all for your thoughts! What a wonderful group of people. The same sentiments expressed are the very reasons I do not feel I want to have the screen. I just feel as though what would I do with this information – nothing – so why put the stress on myself when it could be nothing at all to worry about.

DH and I have been going round and round on it and I will let him know to check the forum out to all of your thoughts. I think I will wait till DH and I meet with my dr. next week and from there I think we can feel like we are making the right decision to opt out.

I know I can ask the dr next week but when typically would the 1st ultrasound be? I am hoping to hear a heartbeat next week as it will be the end of week 10.

I am experiencing morning sickness or as I like to call it all day sickness – no actually vomiting just feeling like I am going to get sick and such fatigue! My exercise which once consisted of intense programs – 6 days a week is quite pathetic right now but I just tell myself my body is busy doing hard work and I’ll be back soon!! I also pre-ordered STS in Jan of 2008 so I guess I will be using that next summer to get back in shape!!
 
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