Do you think I should have the tests done for Down Syndrome??

Question

I am 23, reasonably healthy (nothing seriously wrong with me), I have a low weight, no history of D/S. Baby is in good weight for 17 weeks range.
Dad is healthy also. I have 2yo twin boys who I didn't test and were born healthy. I don't know if it is related, but my eldest is 80% deaf due to a narrow Eustachian Tube, plus some breathing difficulties, related to oversize Tonsils and Adenoids. But that is as serious as their health problems go.

I have had a few friends comment about me not wanting to have it done. To be truthful it scares me.

Do you think I really need to do it??

Answer 1

I was 26 and 28 when I had my kids, I also have a cousin with DS. I had the test with my first baby but not my second. They are both fine! I didn't see the point because I wouldn't have had an abortion and there is nothing else you can co if your baby has DS. So I wouldn't, just enjoy your pregnancy and who cares whet everyone else says :-)


Good luck, hope everything goes well with you and baby xxx

Answer 2

there's a blood attempt which will inform you if there is an possibility that your infant has downs. in case you elect, at sixteen weeks, you've an amniocentesis, which we only did some weeks in the past. You bypass up and that they do a point 2 ultrasound, this is extra specified than the single they do before. utilising the point 2 ultrasound, they hit upon a community the place they see lots of amniotic fluid yet that the child isn't close to. Then they insert an prolonged needle by using your decrease abdomen into the amniotic fluid and draw some out in the process the needle. They deliver it off to the lab and it takes approximately 2 weeks for them to advance and subculture the cells and make certain in the adventure that your infant has any chromosomal abnormalities, like downs syndrome. The needle hurts some, such as you're having blood drawn, and the section the place they withdraw the fluid hurts slightly, because of the suction or some thing, yet overall it is not terrible. The amniocentesis has some thing like a ninety 9.9% appropriate-ness value.

Answer 3

I didn't have it done for my first two babies when I was 20 and 22. I am pregnant again now (at 25) and am having the Nuchal Translucency Scan at 12 weeks where they take the measurement of fluid behind the babies neck by ultrasound and then a blood test and come up with your risk factor for Downs. Its non-invasive but can give some peace of mind.

wouldn't have an Amniocentisis test unless your were in the risk category (family history or over 30-35 years old). The risks of Amnio can be miscarriage and more so at your age I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't think your doctor would be stressing about it at your age either.

best of luck

Answer 4

Well it's totally up to yourself i am 26 years old and at the beginning of this year i gave birth to a stillborn daughter because i didn't have all the correct testing done by my obstetrician and they said to me that the chances of complications arising at my age was just silly.
Anyway i found out i was pregnant again 4 months later and all the tests were offered to me as they now classed me as having a high risk pregnancy at first i was hesitant on having the CVS or Amnio due to the risk of miscarriage and just wanted to opt to have the nuchal translucency test but i under went counselling with the hospital and geneticist and i am now glad that i went on to have the CVS test and the results came back telling me that everything was fine this time.
It was like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders because i didn't want to go through the agony of losing another child so i would highly recommend that you have the testing.
Good Luck and don't be scared because the test dosen't hurt.

Answer 5

I'm 23 also and 19 weeks pregnant. I have a 22 month old daughter and did get tested as my doctor told me to. I didn't know at the time I didn't have to. All was OK with her, my age etc was on my side. This time how ever once I realized that I didn't have to have it done I decided not to. My reasoning for this was: Once again my age, and I personally would not want to know until my baby is born, I would cope much better once I have my baby in my arms than to know and worry about it for the rest of the pregnancy. And no matter what the out come is I'm going to keep my baby, downs syndrome or not. She or he is my own flesh and blood no matter what gets thrown at us. I would learn to cope and no matter what and would always love my baby. Not to mention wasting all that money on a test when I would keep my baby either way.

Answer 6

They way I see it - any information about your baby is useful, regardless of the outcome of any test you don't need to act on it. Testing for likelihood of Downs Syndrome (you will only be told if there is a high risk or low risk) is a non-invasive test and wont hurt you or the baby (Nuchal scan and blood test). So why not do it? If you have a high risk it doesn't automatically mean you will have a Down Syndrome baby, but at least you have the opportunity to prepare yourself for the possibility instead of finding out at the birth and not feeling prepared. I would never recommend an invasive test as this carries the risk of miscarriage and no test result is worth that, at least not for me.

In any case, it is all up to you - the chances of your having a baby with this condition is very slight. For me, I am happy for them to check everything (non-invasive only) as I want to know as much as possible about my baby before he/she arrives.

Good luck!

Answer 7

are u talking about the scan that they usually do at 11- 13 weeks, the nuchal fold ultrasound?
if your over 13 weeks its too late to do,
i had that scan done, plus i was over 30 so i wanted it done anyway,,, but for me , any excuse to get a scan and see my baby i was there!
if your talking about an amnio or something like that, then i would only do it if the risk was high,,, which it isnt, so i wouldnt worry

all this testing and stress is one thing i dont miss during pregnancy!

cos after all that worrying, the chances are that everything turns out ok is just about 100%

so depending on what test it is, work out how u feel you want, xxxxxxxxxxxx its so confusing!!!! LOL

Answer 8

look at it this way.....look deep in your heart... would it matter to you if you child had down syndrome? if yes, go through the testing and I don't mean the nuchal fold which doesn't give you 100% I am talking about an amnio which is the only test besides a cvs that will tell you with 100% certainty...if no, then don't bother with it.
also I just wanted to say...congrats on your baby!!

Answer 9

i would not have it done i no there is a % of a m/c thats why im not going to my last to was healthy and im only 26 i think if when they do the scan and they cheak the fluid at the back of the neck if there was a prob then maybe i would then

Answer 10

unless there is a reason why risk yourself and the baby they cant do anything about it if it is positive