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AFP Test?

DLD1022DLD1022
in 2nd Trimester

Hi! I was wondering others' experiences with / decisions about the AFP test. I haven't done any pre-screening tests this far because I feel like the high likelihood of false positive would make me crazy...my dr. is strongly recommending the AFP test, especially b/c my blood pressure has been high throughout this pregnancy. I have an appt tomorrow morning and am trying to decide what to do...I also feel like if anything was really wrong, i'd see it at my Level 2 ultrasound which is in 4 weeks...

 Are a lot of you getting the test done? Or if you have, what was your experience with the results?

 Thanks!!

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Re: AFP Test?

  • elbelle77elbelle77 member

    I did both the N/T scan at 12 weeks and the AFP at 16 weeks. This is my first pregnancy and I just did what the doctor recommended (even though I'm not high risk or anything) and didn't really question it. Both tests were normal and I'm happy to know that baby is ok. Had either test turned out differently, then DH and I would just prepare for whatever would come next. In the end it's up to you and what you're comfortable with. I personally liked the reassurance of knowing everything was fine.  Good luck!

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  • mylittlesunshinemylittlesunshine member
    My OB suggested it when pregnant with DD and for this pregnancy as well. My OB's office doesn't offer the NT scan (which I am perfectly fine with), instead they just do the AFP and Cystic Fibrosis test. Since the CF test came back negative when pregnant with DD, we are just doing the AFP test this time around.
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  • JuliaJAGJuliaJAG

    I did both the bloodwork that's done at the time of the NT screening and the AFP. 

    My NT bloodwork came back normal EXCEPT for one called PAPP-A, which was extremely low. Apparently that means I'm at high risk for pre-eclampsia and/or IUGR later on. Because of that, my OB recommended the AFP. She said that if I tested "positive" for spina bifida but ultrasound showed my baby didn't have spina bifida, then that would mean I will definitely have pre-eclampsia (or something - I'm foggy on the details now). Thankfully, my AFP came back perfectly normal. (Apparently, if it's extremely low, that's an indicator of Down's syndrome; if it's extremely high, that's an indication of spina bifida or other problems.) I was told that I have less than 1:5,000 chance for either problem (and I'm scarily close to 40 so that was great to hear!).

    I'm glad now that I had the AFP test done... after a week-long freak-out about my PAPP-A score, it's set my mind at ease considerably! 

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  • DrRxDrRx member

    I'm glad that we did the AFP test before the a/s scan.  They found a calcification on the baby's heart, but with the blood test, it really made it not a big deal.  If I had to then go get the blood test, I would've had at least a week of worry waiting for those results. 

    However, I know that people get troublesome results on the blood work and then worry until the a/s. 

     

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  • stemms8810stemms8810 member
    imageelbelle77:

    I did both the N/T scan at 12 weeks and the AFP at 16 weeks. This is my first pregnancy and I just did what the doctor recommended (even though I'm not high risk or anything) and didn't really question it. Both tests were normal and I'm happy to know that baby is ok. Had either test turned out differently, then DH and I would just prepare for whatever would come next. In the end it's up to you and what you're comfortable with. I personally liked the reassurance of knowing everything was fine.  Good luck!

    This was me exactly except this is my 2nd pregnancy.

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  • july31july31

    I did the AFP test with my DS and did get a false positive result. my pregnancy with my DS was SO stressful until he was born in perfect health!! This time around I declined the AFP, I don't want to deal with the stress of sitting with a genetic counselor trying to convince me to abort. So far all my blood test have come back and NT scan have come back normal.

     

     

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  • bellablue2bellablue2
    This is my third child, but the first time I choose to have the testing done. My results after the AFP test showed an elevated increase of 1:12 for down syndrome. Fortunately, my daughter is fine, but I spent a good two weeks stressing about her. I believe the testing has its benefits for a lot of people, but based on my experience I would not have it done again.
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