Low Papp-A HELP!!!!

wpritcha

so I had my Nuchal screen done at 13 weeks. Everything was negative, no chromosomal abnormalities. However, my Papp-A was low which I've read can cause intra uterine growth restriction, pre-eclampsia, fetal death, etc. To make matters worse my doctor sent this in an email and when I called at 2:04 they were closed. I am so worried and upset and I can't talk to a doctor until Monday. Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks in advance for your help and prayers!

kowegirl1011

May I ask how old you are? The reason I ask is b/c I've read women over 35 usually have low Papp-A and will almost always test positive on this test.

wpritcha

27

blush64

It can be a sign of a trisomy and it can lead to IUGAR or worse but all that being said it is usually nothing. Even with low Papp-A the odds are that your baby is ok considering that all the other tests you have had have been normal. I had it with my daughter and closer to the end of my pregnancy they monitored us closely. For the low Papp-A among other reasons I was not allowed to go too far after 40 weeks because the risks were greater at that point.

Talk to your doctor but try not to worry. Many women will have low PAPP-A and most of them will not have an issue. Your doctor is aware of it and can monitor you if necessary. I don't think that information should have been emailed without explanation to reassure you.

wpritcha

Thank you. So upsetting. All I've done all weekend is cry. It's just so strange. They said after the bloodwork my risk of Down syndrome was 1/>10000. So does that mean it's a placental issue for me? Thank you for all your help! I'm just praying the baby is ok.

blush64

No, it doesn't have to mean ot is an issue at all. Everything can be perfectly fine and until your doctor tells you anything else you shouldn't worry. (try not to) The low Papp-A can mean different things but it doesn't have to. Online you usually find the worst cases so try not to google too much. Make an appointment with your doctor and go in with a lost of questions so you remember what you want to know. (or even bring someone of you can)

stephbuck

Hi - have you spoken to your doc yet? I had great NT results, 1:12000 for down syndrome, etc and they told me low papp-a. So I, of course, googled and spoke with my doc etc and found out that for me - it doesn't have to do with the genetic side. It can be nothing and it can lead to preeclampsia, low birth weight, IUGR, and premature delivery OR IT CAN BE NOTHING. So, they are going to monitor me closely with ultrasounds and stress tests starting at week 28. My doc said not to worry about it and I am not over 35. The way I look at it is that I know that I have it and it just means that the docs know more what to look for. Spin to be an advantage! I wouldn't Google it, though. Most of the results are women who have the genetic side of it and that doesn't seem like what you have. Can be confusing and unneccesarily upsetting.