1st Trimester Screening: positive results...?

xoxoxox

Hello all
Just looking to see if anyone has had a similar experience. My 1st trimester screening came back positive. My doctor says I have a 1:40 or 1:50 chance of delivering a baby with DS. I'm going to be 39 when I deliver... I'm stationed in Germany with my hubby, and their suggestion is to get an amniocentesis done at 16 weeks. I'm very scared... Has anyone else gone through this? My German doctors have never mentioned a harmony test - I don't really know what that is and if it exists here. Thanks for any input..

harmonicbabe26

Nope haven't had that happen but I would def look into getting Harmony or similar test done. I had my DD in Switzerland and my experience was that they are a lot more progressive/advanced with medical treatment over in Europe so I would be shocked if they sisn't have a similar test available.
And if not, then you always have amnio. If it were me I would want it done for sure.

dukemeli

Yes! This happened when I was pregnant with my son. The sequential screen came back with a 1:15 chance that he had DS.  The perinatologist brought me in and did a level 2 U/S at 16 weeks to check for markers. The plan was to do an amnio if there were many major markers present. There were none. Instead of an amnio, he suggested that we do MaterniT21 for peace of mind. We did and it came back negative 2 weeks later. We have a very healthy and active 18 month old now.

 

Good luck! 

designchica

Hi, I am really new to all this so I don't really understand how a doctor is able to give you those odds if you have not yet done the Maternity21 test?  Do they base those numbers (i.e., 1:15)  on markers they identify during the level 2 ultrasound?

harmonicbabe26

@designchica‌ Hey! Those numbers are based on the blood test that's typically done in conjunction with the nuchal translucency us. That test, called sequential screening, as it is done in stages in the 1st and 2nd tri, tests for 'soft markers' (not sure how those are extracted) and is less accurate than the new tests (maternit, harmony etc) The new ones test specifically for bits of fetal DNA in your blood stream and accuracy is like 99%...

For that reason we decided to not even bother with the old fashioned blood tests. We just did the NT scan to get a visual on the baby and went straight for Harmony. Btw got my results today and they are excellent! What a relief!

designchica

Hey, that's wonderful news @harmonicbabe26! 

Thanks for the explanation.  We are doing the Maternity21 test on the June 4th.  I think at that time is when they also do the level 2 ultrasound to look for markers. 

I am also switching clinics because I am unhappy with the clinic I am going to, so its possible that my new doctor will order other tests.

xoxoxox

Thanks for the input. I will call and ask if the Harmony test is available. I wonder if that's what it would be called in German

danieleandwayne

Yeah, the Quad screen is only like 60% accurate. The Verify, Harmony, and MAT21 tests (all the same kind of test but different names for the different companies who run/own it) are all 99% plus accurate for DS and 97% plus accurate for the other two trisomies.

indianaalum

I am going through this, too. I was told yesterday I have a 1:45 chance of DS. I am also scared. Meet with the doctor on Tuesday to discuss next steps

Bigboneded

@xoxoxox I think if you ask them for the blood test to show genetic abnormalities, they will get it, or look up info on the Verify or Maternity or what not and print it to bring with to German doctor. Good luck! I loved my time in Deutschland! You can learn a lot from blood these days, gender and everything :-)