Feelings Amniocentesis Results...

[NakedFinger]

Date: 7/24/2009 9:25:54 PM
Author: purrfectpear
Count me as another who would have no problem saying to a close friend, if the amnio came back with Downs or Spina Bifida (or worse) I would terminate. Less serious issues like heart valves that can be fixed by operations (for the most part) I would continue with the birth and deal with the medical issues.

I''m not sure why you were surprised at what she said? It sounds like you have your issues confused with hers. Clearly she has no reason to feel ashamed over her views.

Oh and just for the record PP, I''m not confusing anyting because I already expressed my view points are the same as hers.

I am just surprised 1) because we arent even close, she is a colleague not a friend, and 2) as I also said "everyone is ''PC'' nowadays.." meaning political correctness usually keeps people from being open on "difficult" topics like this.

Thank you all for your open opinions, and not being "PC"

and being honest with your feedback which is what I was looking for. Just general feedback from people who have gone through this test. I appreciate your input, but again in no means was looking for an abortion debate.

xoxo

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 7/28/2009 1:32:54 PM
Author: blushingbride

Thanks for this post Tgal (this is the type of stuff I had questions about). For the gal who doesn''t have a baby yet, can you shed some light on what the differences are between CVS and amnio and what both entail? Also, why is it better to have the amnio after 18 weeks?

You know, it''s been awhile since I looked at this stuff. At the time, I remember reading amnio carries a lower risk of miscarriage. I think I decided triple screen and then amnio because I did feel that everything would be fine with the baby.

But according to wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorionic_villus_sampling the risk is about the same. So I wonder why most places still do amnio vs cvs...

 

[Circe]

Date: 7/28/2009 1:19:28 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 7/28/2009 1:12:49 PM

Author: NakedFinger

Thanks.

That is very wise of you. TGuy and I discussed it as well. We didn''t go into details (i.e., yes for trisomy 18, no for tri 21, etc). We just discussed whether termination would be an issue.


One thing that might be a concern to some is the timing of the amnio. I did mine at 17 weeks - I can''t recall if I felt my baby by then, but it was very close (I think I also felt her at 17-18 weeks). Amnios are normally done somewhere between 18-20 weeks. CVS is much earlier. However, I don''t know of anyone who opted to go that route. My doc just recommeded the screen and then amnio.


What''s everyone''s take on CVS vs amnio? I know the miscarriage chance is a bit higher...

NF, TGal''s quite right in complimenting you for having this talk early - I imagine it would be v. traumatic to have a strong difference of opinion on this issue w/a partner! I opted to go with amnio because it has lower risks of miscarriage (as little as 1 in 400 according to med. lit., as little as 1 in a 1000 according to my doctor''s informal statements, as compared to CVS coming in at a solid 1 in 200), and the CVS seemed to provide slightly less info. (both in terms of accuracy, which some of my baby books pegged around 95% for CVS as compared to 99% for the amnio, and in terms of what it covered - CVS doesn''t do neural tube defects). BUT, now that the hour approaches, I sort of wish I''d done CVS, just so I could have the results by now ... just as I know that if I had had CVS, right now I''d still be wondering about the potential 5%. Gaaaaaaaaah.

 

[janinegirly]

NF: thanks for reminding us what the OP was about. I kind of feel bad when people like BB come here looking for info on amnios and end up reading a huge debate on abortion (although it is interesting to read as well).

I hope I answered your questions on amnios. I did not opt for it even though it was suggested (due to my borderline age of 35). I opted out due to great numbers from bloodwork, meaning my odds of miscarriage due to amnio were greater than my odds of something being wrong And while bloodwork combined with NT scan is only about 85-90% accurate and chances of m/c with amnio are extremely low--I still decided to go with my gut, especially after the 20wk u/s came back normal.
With bloodwork and u/s all looking great, I just could not justify the invasive tests.

I have nothing against amnios and would do it the next time around as I would be in an even higher risk group due to age. What would I do with the info? I really don't know, but I do know that I personally like to know as much as possible so I can make the most informed decision and/or be as prepared as possible. Regarding the CVS, I think I would only opt for that if my bloodwork had worrying results (CVS can be done much earlier than an amnio, but carries a higher risk--and fewer specialists in this area compared to amnio). Again, opting for these tests is not meaning you've made any final decision, it is giving the power of knowledge so all decisions are informed. CVS has a higher m/c rate so again, I'd only opt if bloodwork combined w/NT scan had very concerning numbers.

 

[TravelingGal]

You know what I think is cool? That we are all over here discussing topics like this! So many of us started on PS as LIWs and how things have changed! Now we get to talk about this kind of stuff vs. "ACK! He has the ring and isn''t popping the question!"

NOT that those types of Qs aren''t important at that stage in life - but it''s nice to move on in life''s journey with all my former LIWs.

 

[NakedFinger]

Date: 7/28/2009 1:37:11 PM
Author: Circe

Date: 7/28/2009 1:19:28 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 7/28/2009 1:12:49 PM

Author: NakedFinger

Thanks.

That is very wise of you. TGuy and I discussed it as well. We didn''t go into details (i.e., yes for trisomy 18, no for tri 21, etc). We just discussed whether termination would be an issue.


One thing that might be a concern to some is the timing of the amnio. I did mine at 17 weeks - I can''t recall if I felt my baby by then, but it was very close (I think I also felt her at 17-18 weeks). Amnios are normally done somewhere between 18-20 weeks. CVS is much earlier. However, I don''t know of anyone who opted to go that route. My doc just recommeded the screen and then amnio.


What''s everyone''s take on CVS vs amnio? I know the miscarriage chance is a bit higher...

NF, TGal''s quite right in complimenting you for having this talk early - I imagine it would be v. traumatic to have a strong difference of opinion on this issue w/a partner! I opted to go with amnio because it has lower risks of miscarriage (as little as 1 in 400 according to med. lit., as little as 1 in a 1000 according to my doctor''s informal statements, as compared to CVS coming in at a solid 1 in 200), and the CVS seemed to provide slightly less info. (both in terms of accuracy, which some of my baby books pegged around 95% for CVS as compared to 99% for the amnio, and in terms of what it covered - CVS doesn''t do neural tube defects). BUT, now that the hour approaches, I sort of wish I''d done CVS, just so I could have the results by now ... just as I know that if I had had CVS, right now I''d still be wondering about the potential 5%. Gaaaaaaaaah.

TGAL and Circe- Thank you both. This is what I was looking for

And Circe, regarding your highlighted post, this is precisely why. I couldnt imagine having the emotional anguish of this news while trying to have a heated debate with my FF if we had opposing viewpoints. Still, I know I may not know how I would truly react without being in the situation, but at least talking about it ahead of time will help us both share our opinions going into it.

 

[waxing lyrical]

Blushing, the CVS takes chorionic villi cells from the placenta. It''s done between 10-13 weeks, I believe. I was told the miscarriage rate was 1/200 vs 1/400 with the amnio. Amniocentesis takes a sample of the amniotic fluid that contains fetal cells.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 7/28/2009 1:45:14 PM
Author: waxing lyrical
Blushing, the CVS takes chorionic villi cells from the placenta. It''s done between 10-13 weeks, I believe. I was told the miscarriage rate was 1/200 vs 1/400 with the amnio. Amniocentesis takes a sample of the amniotic fluid that contains fetal cells.

Have any of you done CVS? I don''t know anyone IRL who has done it. All have done amnio.

 

[curlygirl]

I''ll jump in now to deal with the original topic.

I was 35 when I got pregnant with my first child. I knew early on that I would probably have every test that was offered to me since I''m a "need to know" kind of person. I had the NT scan and bloodwork and the AFP test first. The AFP was highly controversial because it skewed the odds (although it wasn''t really a positive/negative test, just a screening) based on age. So basically, I didn''t like the odds that I received and the amnio was offered to me. I had already had my anatomy scan at 17 weeks and there were no clear markers but I decided to go ahead and have the amnio because the odds of miscarriage caused by the procedure were less than the odds of having a child with genetic defects based on the screening. I felt more comfortable having a diagnostic test rather than just "odds" because that''s me. Fortunately everything came back fine and I was able to continue through my pregnancy with that peace of mind. Gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 39w6d.

I was 37 when I found out I was pregnant again and easily made the decision to have an amnio. I only did the NT so I could get an extra ultrasound and the AFP wasn''t offered at all. I told my doctor I wanted the amnio and she had no problem performing it. I did it at 15 weeks and once again, everything was fine. Relaxed for the rest of the pregnancy and had another beautiful daughter at 39w6d again--very consistent!

The procedure itself is very quick and nearly painless, just uncomfortable for a minute. There is much more psychological trauma before it than actual physical pain during or after--the ick factor of having a gigantic but thin needle inserted through the abdomen is not appetizing and totally freaky/scary. But it''s guided by ultrasound and with an experienced doctor, takes less than 2 minutes from start to finish.

I had considered CVS because it can be done earlier but my doctor told me she didn''t love the test and she was way more experienced with amnio so she felt more comfortable waiting till 15 weeks to do it. I couldn''t really argue with that! But I know people who have had CVS and felt great about being able to have it done so early.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 7/28/2009 1:54:11 PM
Author: curlygirl
I''ll jump in now to deal with the original topic.

I was 35 when I got pregnant with my first child. I knew early on that I would probably have every test that was offered to me since I''m a ''need to know'' kind of person. I had the NT scan and bloodwork and the AFP test first. The AFP was highly controversial because it skewed the odds (although it wasn''t really a positive/negative test, just a screening) based on age. So basically, I didn''t like the odds that I received and the amnio was offered to me. I had already had my anatomy scan at 17 weeks and there were no clear markers but I decided to go ahead and have the amnio because the odds of miscarriage caused by the procedure were less than the odds of having a child with genetic defects based on the screening. I felt more comfortable having a diagnostic test rather than just ''odds'' because that''s me. Fortunately everything came back fine and I was able to continue through my pregnancy with that peace of mind. Gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 39w6d.

I was 37 when I found out I was pregnant again and easily made the decision to have an amnio. I only did the NT so I could get an extra ultrasound and the AFP wasn''t offered at all. I told my doctor I wanted the amnio and she had no problem performing it. I did it at 15 weeks and once again, everything was fine. Relaxed for the rest of the pregnancy and had another beautiful daughter at 39w6d again--very consistent!

The procedure itself is very quick and nearly painless, just uncomfortable for a minute. There is much more psychological trauma before it than actual physical pain during or after--the ick factor of having a gigantic but thin needle inserted through the abdomen is not appetizing and totally freaky/scary. But it''s guided by ultrasound and with an experienced doctor, takes less than 2 minutes from start to finish.

I had considered CVS because it can be done earlier but my doctor told me she didn''t love the test and she was way more experienced with amnio so she felt more comfortable waiting till 15 weeks to do it. I couldn''t really argue with that! But I know people who have had CVS and felt great about being able to have it done so early.

Great post curly! I had no idea your girls were so consistent with how long they decided to stay in ya!

I was exactly like you...I really needed the diagnostic. Funny - I am a need to know person, but I didn''t want to know the sex!

And I agree on the ick factor. It''s a 10 on the scale, but the actual procedure was probably about a 2. Not much worse than getting a flu shot.

The worst part about the amnio was the 4 day wait (I was surprised it only took that long) to get the results.

 

[waxing lyrical]

Date: 7/28/2009 1:47:56 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 7/28/2009 1:45:14 PM

Author: waxing lyrical

Blushing, the CVS takes chorionic villi cells from the placenta. It''s done between 10-13 weeks, I believe. I was told the miscarriage rate was 1/200 vs 1/400 with the amnio. Amniocentesis takes a sample of the amniotic fluid that contains fetal cells.

Have any of you done CVS? I don''t know anyone IRL who has done it. All have done amnio.

There are actually a few people in one of my current due date groups that opted to have it done. When the peri talked to me about the tests he said the closest hospital that does them is 2.5 hours away. He specializes in amnios. This was in SWVA, though. I''m sure larger cities have hospitals/practices equipped to perform CVS.

 

[Kay]

Date: 7/28/2009 1:54:11 PM
Author: curlygirl
I''ll jump in now to deal with the original topic.

I was 35 when I got pregnant with my first child. I knew early on that I would probably have every test that was offered to me since I''m a ''need to know'' kind of person. I had the NT scan and bloodwork and the AFP test first. The AFP was highly controversial because it skewed the odds (although it wasn''t really a positive/negative test, just a screening) based on age. So basically, I didn''t like the odds that I received and the amnio was offered to me. I had already had my anatomy scan at 17 weeks and there were no clear markers but I decided to go ahead and have the amnio because the odds of miscarriage caused by the procedure were less than the odds of having a child with genetic defects based on the screening. I felt more comfortable having a diagnostic test rather than just ''odds'' because that''s me. Fortunately everything came back fine and I was able to continue through my pregnancy with that peace of mind. Gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 39w6d.

I was 37 when I found out I was pregnant again and easily made the decision to have an amnio. I only did the NT so I could get an extra ultrasound and the AFP wasn''t offered at all. I told my doctor I wanted the amnio and she had no problem performing it. I did it at 15 weeks and once again, everything was fine. Relaxed for the rest of the pregnancy and had another beautiful daughter at 39w6d again--very consistent!

The procedure itself is very quick and nearly painless, just uncomfortable for a minute. There is much more psychological trauma before it than actual physical pain during or after--the ick factor of having a gigantic but thin needle inserted through the abdomen is not appetizing and totally freaky/scary. But it''s guided by ultrasound and with an experienced doctor, takes less than 2 minutes from start to finish.

I had considered CVS because it can be done earlier but my doctor told me she didn''t love the test and she was way more experienced with amnio so she felt more comfortable waiting till 15 weeks to do it. I couldn''t really argue with that! But I know people who have had CVS and felt great about being able to have it done so early.

I am a "need to know" person too. We had the amnio as soon as they would let us, at 16 weeks and 4 days. Unfortunately, it took 11 days to get the results, which was torture. We had planned to tell our families about the baby on Mother''s Day, but the results came back too late. We did not want people IRL to know about the pregnancy before we got the test results because it just would have been too hard to deal with everyone else''s grief in addition to our own if the results were bad enough that we chose termination. (Also, my mother is in poor health, and my parents are very pro-life, so the stress would not have been good for her.)

The ladies on the preggo thread can attest that I was very nervous about the amnio test. I have a thing about needles, and a giant one going in my belly sounded particularly bad. However, the Dr. was excellent, and I felt almost nothing. It was over in less than a minute.

 

[littlelysser]

I had CVS testing done with this pregnancy.

It is usually done around 12 weeks. There were some issues relating to CVS testing done around 10 weeks - namely missing fingers and jaw deformities - those studies were since discredited, but it rarely done before 12 weeks.

There are definite benefits to CVS - it is done earlier in the pregnancy - so if termination is an option given a negative outcome, it can be done sooner. I was horribly anxious throughout the beginning of my pregnancy, and it was very nice to have positive results as early as I did. We also found out we were having a boy.

CVS can often be done without a needle - via a cervical catheter. They can take the sample of the placenta either going through the cervix or through the belly via a needle. Because of the position of my baby, we were unable to go through the cervix, so needle in the belly it was.

One big difference between the two procedures is that CVS does not test for neural tube defects, which amnio does. Thus, if you have the CVS, you''ll likely also want to have a an AFP test - which measures the amount of a protien that is a red flag for NT defects.

With CVS, the key is the experience of the individual doing the procedure. I am in a city with an amazing womens'' hospital - who have two doctors that do nothing but CVS and amnios. Their rates of miscarriage for both CVS and Amnio is 1 in 1000.

 

[Circe]

Date: 7/28/2009 2:17:38 PM
Author: Kay

Date: 7/28/2009 1:54:11 PM

Author: curlygirl

I''ll jump in now to deal with the original topic.


I was 35 when I got pregnant with my first child. I knew early on that I would probably have every test that was offered to me since I''m a ''need to know'' kind of person. I had the NT scan and bloodwork and the AFP test first. The AFP was highly controversial because it skewed the odds (although it wasn''t really a positive/negative test, just a screening) based on age. So basically, I didn''t like the odds that I received and the amnio was offered to me. I had already had my anatomy scan at 17 weeks and there were no clear markers but I decided to go ahead and have the amnio because the odds of miscarriage caused by the procedure were less than the odds of having a child with genetic defects based on the screening. I felt more comfortable having a diagnostic test rather than just ''odds'' because that''s me. Fortunately everything came back fine and I was able to continue through my pregnancy with that peace of mind. Gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 39w6d.


I was 37 when I found out I was pregnant again and easily made the decision to have an amnio. I only did the NT so I could get an extra ultrasound and the AFP wasn''t offered at all. I told my doctor I wanted the amnio and she had no problem performing it. I did it at 15 weeks and once again, everything was fine. Relaxed for the rest of the pregnancy and had another beautiful daughter at 39w6d again--very consistent!


The procedure itself is very quick and nearly painless, just uncomfortable for a minute. There is much more psychological trauma before it than actual physical pain during or after--the ick factor of having a gigantic but thin needle inserted through the abdomen is not appetizing and totally freaky/scary. But it''s guided by ultrasound and with an experienced doctor, takes less than 2 minutes from start to finish.


I had considered CVS because it can be done earlier but my doctor told me she didn''t love the test and she was way more experienced with amnio so she felt more comfortable waiting till 15 weeks to do it. I couldn''t really argue with that! But I know people who have had CVS and felt great about being able to have it done so early.

I am a ''need to know'' person too. We had the amnio as soon as they would let us, at 16 weeks and 4 days. Unfortunately, it took 11 days to get the results, which was torture. We had planned to tell our families about the baby on Mother''s Day, but the results came back too late. We did not want people IRL to know about the pregnancy before we got the test results because it just would have been too hard to deal with everyone else''s grief in addition to our own if the results were bad enough that we chose termination. (Also, my mother is in poor health, and my parents are very pro-life, so the stress would not have been good for her.)


The ladies on the preggo thread can attest that I was very nervous about the amnio test. I have a thing about needles, and a giant one going in my belly sounded particularly bad. However, the Dr. was excellent, and I felt almost nothing. It was over in less than a minute.

It is making me feel so much better to read real accounts of having the procedure ... it really takes a lot of the fear out of it to know exactly how it ought to go.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 7/28/2009 2:27:46 PM
Author: Circe

Date: 7/28/2009 2:17:38 PM
Author: Kay

Date: 7/28/2009 1:54:11 PM

Author: curlygirl

I''ll jump in now to deal with the original topic.


I was 35 when I got pregnant with my first child. I knew early on that I would probably have every test that was offered to me since I''m a ''need to know'' kind of person. I had the NT scan and bloodwork and the AFP test first. The AFP was highly controversial because it skewed the odds (although it wasn''t really a positive/negative test, just a screening) based on age. So basically, I didn''t like the odds that I received and the amnio was offered to me. I had already had my anatomy scan at 17 weeks and there were no clear markers but I decided to go ahead and have the amnio because the odds of miscarriage caused by the procedure were less than the odds of having a child with genetic defects based on the screening. I felt more comfortable having a diagnostic test rather than just ''odds'' because that''s me. Fortunately everything came back fine and I was able to continue through my pregnancy with that peace of mind. Gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 39w6d.


I was 37 when I found out I was pregnant again and easily made the decision to have an amnio. I only did the NT so I could get an extra ultrasound and the AFP wasn''t offered at all. I told my doctor I wanted the amnio and she had no problem performing it. I did it at 15 weeks and once again, everything was fine. Relaxed for the rest of the pregnancy and had another beautiful daughter at 39w6d again--very consistent!


The procedure itself is very quick and nearly painless, just uncomfortable for a minute. There is much more psychological trauma before it than actual physical pain during or after--the ick factor of having a gigantic but thin needle inserted through the abdomen is not appetizing and totally freaky/scary. But it''s guided by ultrasound and with an experienced doctor, takes less than 2 minutes from start to finish.


I had considered CVS because it can be done earlier but my doctor told me she didn''t love the test and she was way more experienced with amnio so she felt more comfortable waiting till 15 weeks to do it. I couldn''t really argue with that! But I know people who have had CVS and felt great about being able to have it done so early.

I am a ''need to know'' person too. We had the amnio as soon as they would let us, at 16 weeks and 4 days. Unfortunately, it took 11 days to get the results, which was torture. We had planned to tell our families about the baby on Mother''s Day, but the results came back too late. We did not want people IRL to know about the pregnancy before we got the test results because it just would have been too hard to deal with everyone else''s grief in addition to our own if the results were bad enough that we chose termination. (Also, my mother is in poor health, and my parents are very pro-life, so the stress would not have been good for her.)


The ladies on the preggo thread can attest that I was very nervous about the amnio test. I have a thing about needles, and a giant one going in my belly sounded particularly bad. However, the Dr. was excellent, and I felt almost nothing. It was over in less than a minute.

It is making me feel so much better to read real accounts of having the procedure ... it really takes a lot of the fear out of it to know exactly how it ought to go.

Don''t bring your man if he hates needles. Mine hid his face behind the curtain.

 

[atroop711]

for 2 of my 3 pregnancies I had amnios done. I think I would terminate the pregnancy IF the baby would have a horrible condition that would leave them in pain and no chance at life (like a few days to live). It would have to be a life threatening condition for me to make that decision. NOW if the results were down syndrome or any other disability that gave the child a chance at life...I would never consider termination. With each of my amnions I prayed so hard and hoped for great outcomes. With my last pregnancy I was 40 yr old and very nervouse but thank God all came out great.

 

[atroop711]

Date: 7/28/2009 1:59:02 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 7/28/2009 1:54:11 PM

Author: curlygirl

I''ll jump in now to deal with the original topic.


I was 35 when I got pregnant with my first child. I knew early on that I would probably have every test that was offered to me since I''m a ''need to know'' kind of person. I had the NT scan and bloodwork and the AFP test first. The AFP was highly controversial because it skewed the odds (although it wasn''t really a positive/negative test, just a screening) based on age. So basically, I didn''t like the odds that I received and the amnio was offered to me. I had already had my anatomy scan at 17 weeks and there were no clear markers but I decided to go ahead and have the amnio because the odds of miscarriage caused by the procedure were less than the odds of having a child with genetic defects based on the screening. I felt more comfortable having a diagnostic test rather than just ''odds'' because that''s me. Fortunately everything came back fine and I was able to continue through my pregnancy with that peace of mind. Gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 39w6d.


I was 37 when I found out I was pregnant again and easily made the decision to have an amnio. I only did the NT so I could get an extra ultrasound and the AFP wasn''t offered at all. I told my doctor I wanted the amnio and she had no problem performing it. I did it at 15 weeks and once again, everything was fine. Relaxed for the rest of the pregnancy and had another beautiful daughter at 39w6d again--very consistent!


The procedure itself is very quick and nearly painless, just uncomfortable for a minute. There is much more psychological trauma before it than actual physical pain during or after--the ick factor of having a gigantic but thin needle inserted through the abdomen is not appetizing and totally freaky/scary. But it''s guided by ultrasound and with an experienced doctor, takes less than 2 minutes from start to finish.


I had considered CVS because it can be done earlier but my doctor told me she didn''t love the test and she was way more experienced with amnio so she felt more comfortable waiting till 15 weeks to do it. I couldn''t really argue with that! But I know people who have had CVS and felt great about being able to have it done so early.

Great post curly! I had no idea your girls were so consistent with how long they decided to stay in ya!


I was exactly like you...I really needed the diagnostic. Funny - I am a need to know person, but I didn''t want to know the sex!


And I agree on the ick factor. It''s a 10 on the scale, but the actual procedure was probably about a 2. Not much worse than getting a flu shot.


The worst part about the amnio was the 4 day wait (I was surprised it only took that long) to get the results.

if you ever have another AMNIO and don''t want to wait long for results...get the FISH test done and you will have the results within 24-48 hrs. I had mine back the very next day both times

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 7/28/2009 2:36:55 PM
Author: atroop711

Date: 7/28/2009 1:59:02 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 7/28/2009 1:54:11 PM

Author: curlygirl

I''ll jump in now to deal with the original topic.


I was 35 when I got pregnant with my first child. I knew early on that I would probably have every test that was offered to me since I''m a ''need to know'' kind of person. I had the NT scan and bloodwork and the AFP test first. The AFP was highly controversial because it skewed the odds (although it wasn''t really a positive/negative test, just a screening) based on age. So basically, I didn''t like the odds that I received and the amnio was offered to me. I had already had my anatomy scan at 17 weeks and there were no clear markers but I decided to go ahead and have the amnio because the odds of miscarriage caused by the procedure were less than the odds of having a child with genetic defects based on the screening. I felt more comfortable having a diagnostic test rather than just ''odds'' because that''s me. Fortunately everything came back fine and I was able to continue through my pregnancy with that peace of mind. Gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 39w6d.


I was 37 when I found out I was pregnant again and easily made the decision to have an amnio. I only did the NT so I could get an extra ultrasound and the AFP wasn''t offered at all. I told my doctor I wanted the amnio and she had no problem performing it. I did it at 15 weeks and once again, everything was fine. Relaxed for the rest of the pregnancy and had another beautiful daughter at 39w6d again--very consistent!


The procedure itself is very quick and nearly painless, just uncomfortable for a minute. There is much more psychological trauma before it than actual physical pain during or after--the ick factor of having a gigantic but thin needle inserted through the abdomen is not appetizing and totally freaky/scary. But it''s guided by ultrasound and with an experienced doctor, takes less than 2 minutes from start to finish.


I had considered CVS because it can be done earlier but my doctor told me she didn''t love the test and she was way more experienced with amnio so she felt more comfortable waiting till 15 weeks to do it. I couldn''t really argue with that! But I know people who have had CVS and felt great about being able to have it done so early.

Great post curly! I had no idea your girls were so consistent with how long they decided to stay in ya!


I was exactly like you...I really needed the diagnostic. Funny - I am a need to know person, but I didn''t want to know the sex!


And I agree on the ick factor. It''s a 10 on the scale, but the actual procedure was probably about a 2. Not much worse than getting a flu shot.


The worst part about the amnio was the 4 day wait (I was surprised it only took that long) to get the results.

if you ever have another AMNIO and don''t want to wait long for results...get the FISH test done and you will have the results within 24-48 hrs. I had mine back the very next day both times

Why are they testing for fish? And would anyone kill the fish if it were to be found in the utero?

Sorry, couldn''t resist taking the bait.

 

[Circe]

te:[/b] 7/28/2009 2:39:02 PM
Author: TravelingGal

if you ever have another AMNIO and don''t want to wait long for results...get the FISH test done and you will have the results within 24-48 hrs. I had mine back the very next day both times

Why are they testing for fish? And would anyone kill the fish if it were to be found in the utero?

Sorry, couldn''t resist taking the bait.

[/quote]

Nice, chum.

 

[Mara]

CVS can be done earlier than amnio and it carries more risk because of the earlier nature. They say that the later you do it the less risk, but then of course it's later in the pregnancy to consider termination and some people might not feel as comfortable with that. Also I think that CVS's accuracy is a little less than amnio but maybe only by like 2-3% or so?

I think that CVS takes from the placenta and amnio takes directly from the sac. The idea is that placenta carries MOST of the same info as the sac since they were originally the same blastocyte, BUT there can be changes in the sac AFTER the separation of placenta and sac so that is why amnio is more accurate.

 

[littlelysser]

Mara - I posted above about CVS - I had one at 12 weeks.

It is as accurate as Amnio, but can''t test for NT defects. You are correct that Amnio take a sample of the amniotic fluid, and CVS requires a sample of the placetna. I researched it before having it done and the placenta and the baby share the same chromosomal make-up - an all is clear via CVS is as good as one for Amnio.

There is an extremely low chance of a false positive - meaning that there is a less than 1% chance that the CVS will indicate that there is something wrong when everything is fine. But if the CVS comes back negative - meaning all is normal, there is no false negative.

The hospital where I had mine has the same miscarriage rate for CVS as it did for Amnio - 1 in 1000.

 

[Mara]

LL....wow 1 in 1000 is a very good stat....our hospital is 1 in 400 for amnio, and they say that they KNOW it's less but they are very conservative I guess. They also told us (we took a genetic counseling class to learn all this stuff before conception to get educated kind of thing) that CVS is not as accurate as amnio, but it's by a very small margin..and the reason was because the genetic counselor said that due to the placenta vs the sac...there CAN BE changes in the SAC after it splits from the placenta. The placenta will only have the 'original' information. But the sac has the most update to date 'hourly update' information if you will. So that is why they said amnio is more accurate. Also they gave the CVS stat as 1 in 300 for miscarriage, again def less but they are conservative in how they measure.

It seems like this info varies from place to place and even given the internet as well. So it's hard to know WHAT is really 'true' but I believe it also is up to some form of interpretation in the end.

 

[lili]

Date: 7/28/2009 1:54:11 PM
Author: curlygirl
I'll jump in now to deal with the original topic.


I was 35 when I got pregnant with my first child. I knew early on that I would probably have every test that was offered to me since I'm a 'need to know' kind of person. I had the NT scan and bloodwork and the AFP test first. The AFP was highly controversial because it skewed the odds (although it wasn't really a positive/negative test, just a screening) based on age. So basically, I didn't like the odds that I received and the amnio was offered to me. I had already had my anatomy scan at 17 weeks and there were no clear markers but I decided to go ahead and have the amnio because the odds of miscarriage caused by the procedure were less than the odds of having a child with genetic defects based on the screening. I felt more comfortable having a diagnostic test rather than just 'odds' because that's me. Fortunately everything came back fine and I was able to continue through my pregnancy with that peace of mind. Gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 39w6d.


I was 37 when I found out I was pregnant again and easily made the decision to have an amnio. I only did the NT so I could get an extra ultrasound and the AFP wasn't offered at all. I told my doctor I wanted the amnio and she had no problem performing it. I did it at 15 weeks and once again, everything was fine. Relaxed for the rest of the pregnancy and had another beautiful daughter at 39w6d again--very consistent!


The procedure itself is very quick and nearly painless, just uncomfortable for a minute. There is much more psychological trauma before it than actual physical pain during or after--the ick factor of having a gigantic but thin needle inserted through the abdomen is not appetizing and totally freaky/scary. But it's guided by ultrasound and with an experienced doctor, takes less than 2 minutes from start to finish.


I had considered CVS because it can be done earlier but my doctor told me she didn't love the test and she was way more experienced with amnio so she felt more comfortable waiting till 15 weeks to do it. I couldn't really argue with that! But I know people who have had CVS and felt great about being able to have it done so early.

Haha Curly, I thought Lucy would up her big sister and come out one day earlier

I opted for the amnio for the same reason as you as well.
Would have done the NT scan if they had offered it to me, just because that would mean another viewing of the baby.

Hmm...I can't help but wonder why Mara is so knowledgable about all these pregnancy testings

 

[curlygirl]

Date: 7/28/2009 4:42:33 PM
Author: lili

Date: 7/28/2009 1:54:11 PM
Author: curlygirl
I''ll jump in now to deal with the original topic.


I was 35 when I got pregnant with my first child. I knew early on that I would probably have every test that was offered to me since I''m a ''need to know'' kind of person. I had the NT scan and bloodwork and the AFP test first. The AFP was highly controversial because it skewed the odds (although it wasn''t really a positive/negative test, just a screening) based on age. So basically, I didn''t like the odds that I received and the amnio was offered to me. I had already had my anatomy scan at 17 weeks and there were no clear markers but I decided to go ahead and have the amnio because the odds of miscarriage caused by the procedure were less than the odds of having a child with genetic defects based on the screening. I felt more comfortable having a diagnostic test rather than just ''odds'' because that''s me. Fortunately everything came back fine and I was able to continue through my pregnancy with that peace of mind. Gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 39w6d.


I was 37 when I found out I was pregnant again and easily made the decision to have an amnio. I only did the NT so I could get an extra ultrasound and the AFP wasn''t offered at all. I told my doctor I wanted the amnio and she had no problem performing it. I did it at 15 weeks and once again, everything was fine. Relaxed for the rest of the pregnancy and had another beautiful daughter at 39w6d again--very consistent!


The procedure itself is very quick and nearly painless, just uncomfortable for a minute. There is much more psychological trauma before it than actual physical pain during or after--the ick factor of having a gigantic but thin needle inserted through the abdomen is not appetizing and totally freaky/scary. But it''s guided by ultrasound and with an experienced doctor, takes less than 2 minutes from start to finish.


I had considered CVS because it can be done earlier but my doctor told me she didn''t love the test and she was way more experienced with amnio so she felt more comfortable waiting till 15 weeks to do it. I couldn''t really argue with that! But I know people who have had CVS and felt great about being able to have it done so early.

Haha Curly, I thought Lucy would up her big sister and come out one day earlier

I opted for the amnio for the same reason as you as well.
Would have done the NT scan if they had offered it to me, just because that would mean another viewing of the baby.

Hmm...I can''t help but wonder why Mara is so knowledgable about all these pregnancy testings

lili, I was thinking the same thing... Mara, do you have something to tell us?!

 

[Mara]

Date: 7/28/2009 4:22:26 PM
Author: Mara

LL....wow 1 in 1000 is a very good stat....our hospital is 1 in 400 for amnio, and they say that they KNOW it''s less but they are very conservative I guess. They also told us (we took a genetic counseling class to learn all this stuff before conception to get educated kind of thing) that CVS is not as accurate as amnio, but it''s by a very small margin..and the reason was because the genetic counselor said that due to the placenta vs the sac...there CAN BE changes in the SAC after it splits from the placenta. The placenta will only have the ''original'' information. But the sac has the most update to date ''hourly update'' information if you will. So that is why they said amnio is more accurate. Also they gave the CVS stat as 1 in 300 for miscarriage, again def less but they are conservative in how they measure.

It seems like this info varies from place to place and even given the internet as well. So it''s hard to know WHAT is really ''true'' but I believe it also is up to some form of interpretation in the end.

Did you lovely ladies miss this part?

 

[curlygirl]

Mara, I totally caught that part--just busting your chops!

 

[littlelysser]

Come to the darkside Mara! Pregnancy is sooo much fun!

Okay, not at all. But I''m hoping the baby part rocks!

I''ll know in a few weeks!

 

[cara]

Mara, you took a genetic counseling class prior to TTC????

OK, that takes the cake. Unless you have some specific genetic issue you are concerned about.

Hmm, what other classes did you do or consider? I kind of figured, best get pregnant first so we can't reconsider! But maybe proactive research is better. Sigh...

On the amnio-miscarriage odds, my rough and incomplete literature searching on the subject made me think that it was better than 1:1000 if done by an experienced practitioner. Like anything surgical, odds are better with lots of practice and experience, but also it seemed that earlier studies showing a higher miscarriage risk weren't properly controlled. Since those studies are out there, and because OB-related tragedies make people sue-happy, and people are likely to blame an amnio for a subsequent miscarriage even if the amnio was merely an associated event and not the cause, care providers are probably going to quote the less-good odds just for their own protection. For littlelysser's care provider to quote a better number either they are prepared to defend themselves with more recent studies showing better odds or they are keeping their own institution's internal statistics (and have enough patient volume to get reasonably good numbers - though such numbers are unlikely to be perfectly controlled as they are presumably allowing their patients to choose amnio or no amnio rather than assigning them blindly.)

 

[Mandarine]

MARA!! Can''t wait for you to join us on the "dark side" as Lysser says!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Waxing Lyrical - I hope you don''t think that you are that different for having a child with Trisomy 21 at your age. Yes, older women have higher odds of having a baby with trisomy 21, but the majority of babies with this condition are born to younger women. That is just because there are more younger women having babies. Unless you have a balanced translocation, your chances of having another one are not much higher than the general population. I am sure you already know that. I think you did the right thing, and you were really in tune with your baby even though he was not in their world. One neo said something very true, when a baby is lost the mother will always be affected more than anyone else. And that is because the mother has felt this child move, and has "known" this child for several months. Everyone else is anticipating the baby, but has yet to get to know the baby. The mother mourns what she has lost and everyone is morning something they were looking forward too.


For the other points of this topic:
I think there are other reasons to get diagnostic testing other than considering abortion. For years, women picture having a perfectly healthy baby. A baby with a serious medical problem is something that needs to be faced, and the mother needs to mourn the loss of "healthy" baby. One OB stated, she tells the mothers that testing does not mean they have to give up the baby, but they can read "what to expect with a Down''s baby" instead of "What to expect when expecting" and prepare for their life as a mother.

I would probably choose amino over CVS, but that is just my opinion.