http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/lif...cle4184387.ece

Anyone else seen this?

I'm not so sure it's a good thing. It will probably mean more abortions but then, what life will the child have if the parents can't accept them? I suppose it might also give parents the chance to prepare.

I remember when I was pregnant the 1st time, the community midwife wanted us to have genetic counselling because my OH has an uncle with Down's and his Nan wasn't particularly old when she had him. We discussed it and my OH said why bother, would it make a difference to us if they said we a had a high risk of having a down's syndrome baby, to which the answer was no. On my second pregnancy, we didn't even bother having the routime test that tells you if you have a low or high risk as, due to where I lived, all my bloods had to be taken at the hospital and not at my community ante natal clinic so I had to ask for them to take it while I was there and the midwife sat down and asked me what I would do if it came back high risk, when I said nothing, she said, well why bother because it will only worry you.

However, while I would not have considered amniocentesis due to the risk, I think if someome had offered me the chance for a definitive answer without any risk to the baby I probably would have wanted to know, just to be more prepared.

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Mum to two beautiful boys.
Student Midwife 2008!!
Student Midwife University Student Representative

When I went to have my 12 week scan for Jack they said that his nuchal fold was very large, it measured 4.2mm, whereas it should be around 1-2mm. They gave me a calculated risk of Downs of 1 in 20 and it was terrifying. There were also risks of it being something more serious, around a 1 in 300 chance.

Between the tears I said to hubby that I would want the baby whatever complications there were, but of course with another very young child I could not just think of how I felt. We decided to have a CVS, and whilst I still feel guilty that I took that risk with Jack I had to do it, not just for me but also for my husband and Chloe.

I have to say that if the large nuchal came up and they could then offer me a test instead of the CVS, which was painful because he could not get it to work, and terrifying waiting to see if I would start to bleed after, then it would have been so much better for us all.

Fortunately I now have a happy and "normal" gorgeous little boy! What they put you through hey!

x x x

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Applying for Beds & ARU for Sept 09!
& Mummy to Chloe, 2 and Jack, 11m

Appletree, you shouldn't feel guilty about your decision in your pregnancy. You did what was the best thing for you and your family. No one else could ever make that desicion for you or know how you felt doing it.


I had a high risk result for downs with the triple test but declined and amniocentisis (sp). We had been told I was infertile before I fell pregnant and I just couldn't risk losing the baby no matter what. I knew if he did have downs we would have enough support from each other and family to cope, and our daughter was also 8 so we felt it would be easier as she wasn't a demanding toddler.

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If babies needed hands to guide them out,
wouldn't women be born with an extra pair
attached to their inner thighs?

without larger succesful trials, i cant see how this would ever effectively work in practice. It only detects downs in 90% of cases, whereas CVS or amnio is right 100% of the time.

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STMW 2nd year - no, really!

Please help us raise funds for a bereavement room in Honey's memory by taking part in the SMNET Auction & Raffle here thanks x

I think it sounds great - I never reccommend the triple as it's only about 67% accurate - I ask folk what they would do with the info - and if not go all the way - is there any point etc.

Personally I don't believe I would end a pregnancy for any reason - favouring letting nature take it's course - however, I would consider this test just because it would give us a chance to prepare - if that makes sence?!

I agree with you about the triple test HollieP, it is so inaccurate that there is little point really.

I can't say I wouldn't end a pregnancy for any reason, I have to say if I'd found out I was going to have a severly disabled baby then I don't know what I would do, as I would have to consider the whole family's needs.

Appletree, you shouldn't feel guilty about having CVS, you did what was was best for your family at the time. I didn't mean to sound like I thought it was always a bad thing to do, I just knew I would never have had one for that particular purpose because, given my OH's families experience with his uncle and my own mother's experience in caring for people with special needs I knew we would cope just fine and have all the support we needed.

__________________
Mum to two beautiful boys.
Student Midwife 2008!!
Student Midwife University Student Representative

Thats what I meant when I said I don't believe I would - it's one of those things I don't think you can possibly say hand on heart how you would react until you were in that situ - I just - at this stage don't think I would.

It's scary for me to think though that if they'd diagnosed Olivia's heart condition in utero I've no doubt they would have recommended a selective reduction - but to look at her now you'd never know what she'd been through - apart from the fact that the scaring has left her skin looking like a badly sewn patchwork quilt in places!

Thanks ladies, it is very hard not to feel guilty, but hey that is parenthood all over isn't it!
I think being pregnant and being a mum makes you feel so differently about things you previously believed as well.
I just felt i could not bear the whole pregnancy of wondering and praying it was ok, I had to know what I was dealing with, as I am a bit of a worrier! You would never have guessed that eh??
I was unsure whether to have the CVS test done right up til the last minute. But when the consultant was saying to me, "are you really sure?" I looked at hubby and saw how much he needed to have the test done. Although it is your pregnancy, you have to remember it impacts on others too I guess.
RachelP - sorry if I sounded offended at all, I wasn't just wanted to add my experience. As you knew a lot more about special needs I can understand why you would feel you would not take the test and maybe we would be the same. Its such a personal thing.
x x x

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Applying for Beds & ARU for Sept 09!
& Mummy to Chloe, 2 and Jack, 11m

does the accuracy of the triple improve when you put it together with a 12 week scan?
or is it a stand alone blood test?

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Site Administrator, Student Mentor Scheme Manager

STMW 2nd year - no, really!

Please help us raise funds for a bereavement room in Honey's memory by taking part in the SMNET Auction & Raffle here thanks x

You can pay for a private 'oscar' test round by us at a cost of about £200. I think it improves the accuracy to about (and don't quote me on this!) 83% but then it's still only a risk factor. So you could have your 1:3500 lovely low 'risk' but still have a baby affected by Downs syndrome - if that makes sense?!