Blood Test on Down Syndrome for Pregnancy?

Question

I went for my blood test 4 days ago, the nurse called yesterday, and told me my blood test is on the high risk of Down Syndrome. This is my second pregnancy, i don't understand why is this so. Anyone can provide suggestion to ease my worried.

Answer 1

You took the alpha fetoprotein test, right?
The results are generated by comparing your alpha fetoprotein levels to those of all the women in your area who took the test that week. Therefore, your results are relative, not absolute, and shouldn't be relied on overly much.
Furthermore, if the doctor estimated the age of your pregnancy innacurately, the test will be inaccurate.

I had low results indicated possible Downs Syndrome in two pregnancies, and both times my baby turned out completely normal.

This test just makes women nervous! Don't worry about it too much. If you are really worried, you can still do an amniocentesis test.

Answer 2

The blood test shows a protein that is common in pregnancies where the child has downs syndrome. That said, not every child who carries the protein is born with Downs, so a follow up amniocentisis is done. The amnio shows the presense of Downs Syndrome with complete accuracy.

The main question is, what would you do with the results of further amnio testing?

Would you abort if the fetus has downs? Would you learn as much as you could to prepare for life with a child who has downs syndrome?

Would you avoid the test and just worry constantly for every day of the rest of your pregnancy?

How would having a handicapped child impact your marriage and family?

There is no way to tell you to stop worrying. The baby may have downs, it may not. You can test further to get a definite answer, or you can just wait and see. Other than that, the only way to avoid worry is to be practical. Do research, make plans, educate yourself and prepare yourself for the baby's arrival -- regardless of if the baby has Downs Syndrome or not.

Answer 3

Your being worried is understandable, but you should no, first and foremost, that if this child does have Down syndrome, it is not because of anything you did or didn't do...it just happens. Age is not as big a factor as people think. Many younger women have children with Down syndrome as well. The blood test can have false postitives, and I'm afraid an amnio is the only way to get a definitive result, HOWEVER, there is a risk of miscarriage.

I got a high risk result from my blood test as well, and my child does have Down syndrome. I opted NOT to have the amnio, because it would not have changed a thing. My son is amazing!! I love him to bits and I cannot imagine a greater joy than watching him grown and flourish. Please know that while it may seem scary at first, having a child with Down syndrome can be an incredibly rewarding experience. I feel blessed to have my little boy. Sure, it can be hard at times, but the rewards far outweight the sorrows. Children with Down syndrome today have so many opportunities to reach their full potential. Federal law requires that these children be given access to therapy at no cost to the parent. People with Down syndrome go to regular schools, some can learn to drive, go to college, go on dates, get jobs and even get married.

If your child does indeed have Down syndrome, then you may go through a myriad of emotions, but ultimately, you will know no greater love than that which you have with this child.

Good luck and God bless.

Answer 4

Talk to your Dr...From what Iunderstand...most of those blood tests are inaccurate anyways. I was given the chance to get a blood test for the same thing (I was going to be 35 when my baby was born) and I was told that it has a 50/50 chance of the blood test results being right. The only sure way to tell is a amniocentisis test but that has a 1 in 200 chance of miscarriage

Answer 5

My second child was born with Down Syndrome.. My 3rd child was not. Don't Worry.. A child with Down syndrome is a Blessing. If you want to know for sure have your doctor schedule an appointment for an amnio

Answer 6

That blood test gives a lot of false positives. You need to look into other sources to confirm if your baby really has DS,

The only way to know 100% is through an amniocentesis. You need to decide if it's worth the risk of miscarriage to find out.

Even if he/she does have DS, it's not the end of the world! A baby is a baby. Your baby.

My baby has DS and he's the best kid. We didn't find out until he was born. He is 3 now, and he is the star of the family - he is everyone's favorite, out of 12 grandchildren. He's really changed our lives.

BTW, he is #3 of my 4 children. My #4 was born with no DS.

Answer 7

age has a lot to do with down syndrome. If you are an older women, late 30's, and our first one was in your 20's for the first. This is why.

Answer 8

when i was pregnant i had the bloodtests come back high and i freaked out. your midwife should arrange a scan for you to go to, to see how the baby is growing and if its developing right. thats what i done and they told me everything was fine. ( but unfortunitly everything wasnt ok and i lost my baby a couple of weeks later. but dont think it will happen to you because cause it will just stress you. speak to your midwife and see if she can keep a closer eye on you and see if you can have a scan done. if your still worried after that then see if they can do another test, cause the test might have been wrong. good luck xxx

Answer 9

Talk to your dr to determine the next step like amnicentices if that is something you want to have done but I have also heard that the test have a high percentage of false positives...they should follow up with a very detailed ultrasound to see if they find anything else.

Answer 10

Make an appointment and talk to your doctor about it. Then get a second oppinion. Don't just sit and worry. Take action.