2nd Trimester

So this is what it's like to be 2nd tri (kinda long)

1st timer here and I made it through my 1st trimester.  Woot.  I only freaked out and went to the ER once.  Had really bad cramps, called the doctor on-call who was NO HELP AT ALL.  If anything she freaked me out even more which sent me to the ER where I got the nicest attention ever.  Turns out, it was just really bad round ligament pain.  Seriously, I never expected it to be that bad. 

Anyways, here I am trimester 2 and I swear I'm bigger than I should be.  Mostly I look chubbier (I've never had a flat belly) but these cute maternity tops I got from JC Penney make me look more pregnant and just plain cute (or so DH tells me).  I'm NOT a fan of my maternity jeans - the feel odd to me but I still gotta wear them. 

I'm wary about one thing ... am amnio.  I'm 35 and supposedly it's routine to have one but all I had to hear was "small risk of miscarriage" and suddenly, I'm not so sure about having this test.  Anyone here ever had an amnio or can give me some 'real life' info regarding them?

Haven't felt baby yet but I'll keep you posted.

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Re: So this is what it's like to be 2nd tri (kinda long)

  • As for the amnio, there are different numbers out there, but it is commonly said that the approximate risk of miscarriage from the procedure is anywhere from 1/200 to 1/400. At age 35, the risk of downs syndrome is around 1/350- since those risks are approximately the same, it is often recommended for those 35 or older to have an amnio.
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  • I am sure you wont feel baby move for quite a while. The LUCKY ones feel baby as early as 16-17 weeks. I am in my 16th week and haven't felt anything. Don't expect to for a while, really. A lot of 1st time moms don't feel anything until closer to 20weeks... Disappointing, I know...
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  • Did you have an NT scan done to check for early markers??
  • meg1974meg1974 member

    I'm 34, so I've had some similar concerns. My dr. didn't recommend an amnio b/c my blood test came back normal. You might want to try an NT scan and blood test first, and if all of those are normal maybe you can avoid the amnio. If you do end up having one, just make sure the person doing it is very experienced. If they are skilled at it, there shouldn't be as much risk of complications.

    GL!



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  • You can opt out of the amnio if you want.  I'm not 35 yet, but if I get pregnant after turning 35 I wouldn't get an amnio anyway, as the results wouldn't make a difference to me.  IMO it's not worth even the little risk that it is.
  • If the doctor doing the amnio is experienced the risk is extremely low (between 1/600 and 1 /1600).  I had it done and it wasn't as bad as I expected and I feel so much better knowing that chromosomally everything is completely normal.  As pps said, you don't have to have it.  For us I felt it was a requirement.
  • Your doctor should have done a nuchal test and then offered you a complex screening involving only blood work that would be taken before you were 14 weeks and then again at 18 weeks with the results coming in at 21+ weeks.

    This would be a much better and safer indicator than an amnio.

    I'm 36 and I had this done. My test results came back at 1/18000 for Downs and 1/22000 for SB. 20 year old numbers. There are screenings out there that are done earlier but have a high false positive. We opted to wait for the later results which are more accurate.

    No amnio required.?

  • rsd12rsd12 member

    I will be almost 36 when this baby is born & my doctor did not recommend an amnio based on my first trimester screening, the AFP blood test, & the level II ultrasound. 

    I did have an amnio with my first due to a birth defect & it is not as scary as it seems.  Very little pain, & on bed rest for 24-48 hours.  & talk to your doctor about their miscarriage rate.  My doctor has never had one in the office.

    Boy 1 2/06 - Boy 2 12/07 - Boy 3 9/09
  • Even if your doctor considers an amnio to be "routine," you should in no way feel pressured to have one. ?I'll be 34 by the time this little one is born, so when we (hopefully!) get pregnant again, I'll have the "advanced maternal age" issues. ?I declined ALL prenatal testing, though, this time, and I will do the same with subsequent children. ?My husband and I are Catholic and wouldn't abort in any case, so there's no reason for us to expose our baby to even a small risk of miscarriage from an amnio. ?I would never be able to forgive myself if something happened.

    That's just me, though. ?Obviously every couple is different. ?Best of luck to you!

  • Thanks everybody for the awesome responses.  I did have an NTS and my bloodwork has come back fine so far.  My NTS went to 1/5000 which is a 20year old's but definitely better than 1/350.  I have an appointment on the 6th and while the doctor who told me I was pregnant said I'd have an amnio as "routine", this doctor hasn't brought it up just yet.  We'll see what he says on Wednesday. 

    For us, it wouldn't make a difference no matter what the results are, but it's still not an easy choice.  *sigh*  When I mentioned all these decisions and worries to my sister-in-law she said "welcome to motherhood!"

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