Questions about amnio ...

busybea

Hi ladies,

I introduced myself to your board when I was about 5wks, I don't really post much but I do love to read all your posts and have learned a lot.  I'm 38 (usually hang around the +35 board) and expecting twins.  We were just told by my High Risk OB that I should seriously consider an amnio.  I never had one w/ LO because the Tri-Screen tests all came back with very good #'s.  I'm a little scared and very much confused.  His only reason was that the results of a Tri-Screen are fall less accurate when expecting multiples. Is this true? Have you all had an amnio?  Did you feel you needed to?  What were the reason you did/did not do one?  I know the risks are there, but how much of a risk?

Thank you all for your input...any ideas/suggestions are appreciated.   )

casper26

I'm 35 and expecting twins as well.  I just had 2 amnios yesterday.  The only reason both my OB and High risk doc suggested the amnios was due to my "advanced maternal age" (yeah thanks lol).  I didn't have one with DD either, it was never even suggested..i guess b/c I was under 35 at the time.

We figured that finding out if there were any problems, we would be able to prepare for it.  A friend of the family didn't have an amnio and turned out to have problems.  They probably wouldn't have terminated but i'm sure they would have liked to be able to prepare both financially and mentally would have helped so that is basically why we decided to do it.

It was nothing.  Just a pinch of a needle and then a little pressure.  I'm still resting as he said to rest yesterday and today (since it was x2). 

Good luck with your decision ;o)

royalcrown1

I know that the tri-screen tests are not very accurate - I know of a lot of false negatives and false positives.  My OB says if someone would not do an amnio, then they should not have the tri-screen tests.  I know that there is a higher chance of the baby/babies having the conditions tested for with the tri-screen when a mother is older (I have heard both older than 30 and older than 40).

With that being said, I did not have either the tri-screen test or an amnio so I can only tell you what I have heard, not what I experienced.  I hope this helps a bit.

efhoping2010

I had an amnio not because of age, I was 32 at the time, but because of an abnormal NT scan, an increased nuchal fold on Twin B.  The peri said the bloodwork always comes back abnormal with multiples so it is not worth doing.  He strongly recommended the amnio.  So we did that.  And we are so happy we did.  We would not have changed anything with the pregnancy if there was a problem we just wanted to be informed so we could plan.  Make sure you have someone who has done tons of amnios and not just tons of amnios but tons of amnios on multiples.  Then the risks are very very low.  Oh and if you do have the amnio make sure you opt for the FISH results, the fast results, a much shorter wait.  Feel free to PM me if you would like too      

 

 

busybea

Thank you ladies, I truly appreciate your advice ...