1st Trimester

We have a heartbeat! And seeking opinions on NT scan

So, DH & I went to appointment #2 yesterday.  We got to hear the heartbeat for the first time.  The look on his face was PRICELESS!  When he heard the baby's heartbeat he gets this super concerned look and asks the doctor: "Is it supposed to be that fast??"  He had no idea that it would be double the speed of mine.  I guess it makes sense since this is a first for both of us and he doesn't spend all day on thebump =)

The doc gave me a referral to get an NT scan.  He said it was up to me if I wanted to get it and was just giving me the referral in case I decided to do it.  I know I would have to decide right away since I think I am almost at the point that it would be too late.  Any feedback or pros/cons would be much appreciated.

Re: We have a heartbeat! And seeking opinions on NT scan

  • You have to do what feels right for you.

    For me, We've planned not to do because the test CAN give false positives as well as false negatives. It's not really exact.

    My dr also put it this way: If it makes a difference for you where you'll be willing to terminate the pregnancy, do it. If it doesn't...why bother?

    And I think the risk of having a baby with downs, trisomy, etc are higher when you're over 35, so it would make more sense to do it if you're around that age.

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  • Why not?  It is just bloodwork and an U/S and is very reassuring in my experience.
  • We doing it because its another chance for us to see the baby.
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  • I am taking advantage of everything and anything they offer. I do not see the harm in it at all.
  • For me it's a matter of preparation not necessarily terminating the pregnancy.

  • We will probably not do it. We have no d/s that runs in the family and we are both at a safe age. Plus, insurance does not pay for it. But, everyone is different. My sister didn't even know what it was and she has a 3 year old daughter so if she didn't do it, I don't feel the need for us to do it.

  • If my insurance would pay for it, I'd do it.  To me, I'd want to know if something was wrong so we could plan for the birth and for others, they would want to terminate.  But, it's also a great experience...just a finger poke and a really long ultrasound.  I would totally do it if my insurance covered it, regardless of my risk factors. 
  • The results of the scan will not change anything in regards to this pregnancy.  I look at it as another opportunity to see the baby.  And should me get bad news, I look at that as time to prepare for a special needs child. 

    You have to do what you want, what you feel is right.

  • If my ins. didn't cover it, I wasn't going to get it.  I wasn't sure what I would do with the bad info other than be stressed out the rest of the pregnancy.  But, thinking positive, I couldn't pass up the chance to see the LO.  My u/s was at 8w1d, so I really want to see the baby now that it will actually look like one.

    And this is the one of the few tests that pose no risks to the fetus.

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  • imageStarAnnice:
    imagelovinfall:

    For me it's a matter of preparation not necessarily terminating the pregnancy.

    This!  I had mine yesterday.  It was wonderful!  Very informative, and mine turned out perfectly healthy.  I felt reassurance when I left that the baby would be fine.  I decided to do it because I'd rather be informed than surprised.

    Ditto both.

  • imageSul06:

    We will probably not do it. We have no d/s that runs in the family and we are both at a safe age. Plus, insurance does not pay for it. But, everyone is different. My sister didn't even know what it was and she has a 3 year old daughter so if she didn't do it, I don't feel the need for us to do it.

    Just thought I would mention that I too have a 3 year old, and the NT scan was not offered to women under 35 with no history, during my first pregnancy. It has only recently been offered to all women. I did not know about the test until this pregnancy either.

    We did decide to have the NT scan done, since it was covered by insurance. If not, we would not have gone through with the test; but since offered and covered, we did and are happy.

  • imageAngelKT:

    You have to do what feels right for you.

    For me, We've planned not to do because the test CAN give false positives as well as false negatives. It's not really exact.

    My dr also put it this way: If it makes a difference for you where you'll be willing to terminate the pregnancy, do it. If it doesn't...why bother?

    I agree with this post. ?If it makes no difference and you're planning to carry a baby full-term, down syndrome or not, why test and spoil the joy? ?Enjoy your pregnancy, and you'll enjoy your baby, birth defects or not. ?My two older brothers are both somewhat mentally-delayed (both were adopted), and I fully believe that people who are not "perfect" can really teach you about the core of life - they often have purity of heart and mind, which teaches you what life is really all about.?

  • For me it was about preparation.  My best friend has a daughter with DS and she was 27 when she had her and her friends with children with DS were all mostly in their 20's also.  This is my fist pregnancy and I will be 36 when our baby is born, so I did the NT scan (so far so good).  I want to have all the best and do the best I can do for my baby.  There are special schools for children with DS with waiting lists YEARS long.  The people who find out before the baby is born can get into these school if their names are on the list before the baby is even born.

    My friend's daughter is now 9 in a regular school in regular classes and doing awesome because I believe she started early on in a special school for special children.

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  • I had two close friends who got abnormal results from the NT scan, which caused them a huge amount of emotional anguish, and then both ended up having perfectly healthy and normal babies. For me, the potential added stress of getting a false positive is just not worth it.
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