Nuchal testing?

ladyteach0505 · October 2014

Who is having this done? Initially I was very against it because my anxiety running amok after infertility and I really can't handle the news that something may be wrong... Or not. At 11 weeks I had an ultrasound after cramping/ tiny spotting (crazy I know but my OB offered it so I was all hell yeah about it) and it seemed to go well. But a week later I am analyZing how much the tech pushed nuchal testing on me. I am paranoid and started wondering if she was pushing it for a reason. She made me stick around for 30minutes while she has the doctor look at my ovaries (large from IVF) but now I'm all Was that REALLY what he was looking at? And I've never had one of those ultrasounds done- is it normal for them to look for 20-25 minutes during the scan itself? All these things I'm analyzing. Crazy crazy. But I guess now I'm feeling less sure about the NT testing. Should we have it done if it gives us a heads up that something might happen to the baby? Any thoughts or personal stories?

Unknown · October 2014

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jenanns · October 2014

We are doing it since it is non invasive better to be prepared and because, well we get to see baby again....

DreamChaser246 · October 2014

We skipped it last time, and we are considering it this time. We had something weird at our anatomy scan, and it would have been a more complete picture had we had the scan. Because of that I'm thinking about doing it this time. Given that, we have a healthy baby boy, so it turned out what they found was nothing, but still made for some very scary weeks there.

FreddyisReady · October 2014

@DreamChaser246‌ , glad everything turned out ok.

OP, we are having ours done. Like pp's have said, it's non-invasive and no risk. I would rather know if something is wrong than be surprised. Bonus: another u/s. I am u/s greedy. Besides, think of how much it will relax your mind to hear everything looks great!

samiamagirl · October 2014

coffeeismylyfe said:

If you are having anxiety about it, can you still do it? We didn't with DS and won't this tome either, so I don't know if it's time sensitive. If it's stressing you out I would go back and say you changed your mind.

They advise scheduling the NT between 10-13 weeks, so it may be time sensitive based on how the baby develops and what they are able to see at certain stages.

marijaa333 · October 2014

Isn't it just an ultrasound and a finger-prick? You'll be ok! As for knowing or not knowing, you will find out eventually and I would personally want to know sooner rather than later. If the test shows a higher chance of anything being wrong, you will be offered a diagnostic test, which will tell you with near-certainty whether everything is ok.

Pintobean39 · October 2014

My only concern about this test, and someone correct me if I'm wrong. I've had a few friends that it's come back that maybe something it wrong and it turned out everything was fine. I'm just not sure how often that happens. I've never had the test. I'm just doing the blood test.

I know you have been pretty stressed about everything so far, do you think maybe if you have it done it might ease some of your stress?

animaldoctor12 · October 2014

I had my NT scan this morning. I was nervous going into it, but the doctor looked at the images, sat me and DH down afterwards, and said that everything looked normal. Talk about instant anxiety relief! Of course the blood test is still pending, but I am not worried about that at this point.

It is a personal decision but I found it helpful. Good luck with whatever you choose. Also, I thought that my doctors had possibly seen something suspicious too because they pushed the test on me too, but I feel that they would have verbalized that to me.

mlbrooks619 · October 2014

I am having it done as well. I went back and forth about it because the results won't change anything for us but after some consideration we decided we would rather know sooner rather than later. My insurance also covers most of it so cost is low. I am a planner by nature so knowing earlier would prepare me and let me plan for everything I would need to in the case the results were not favorable.

kj808 · October 2014

We will be doing some form of chromosomal testing, might not be the NT scan. We would never terminate the pregnancy but we'd still want to be informed and prepare ourselves.

ladyteach0505 · October 2014

Pintobean39 said:
My only concern about this test, and someone correct me if I'm wrong. I've had a few friends that it's come back that maybe something it wrong and it turned out everything was fine. I'm just not sure how often that happens. I've never had the test. I'm just doing the blood test.

I know you have been pretty stressed about everything so far, do you think maybe if you have it done it might ease some of your stress?

Yes, this just happened to someone I know and her DD is ok. But the level of stress wasn't good.

I suppose I'm also thinking that I know I don't want to do further testing should anything be abnormal. (I'm too anxious to do amnio or anything later.)

I think I'm upset because I felt very good about no testing until that tech really pushed it last week. DH thinks they probably push it on everyone, but I just can't get over it. I guess our other option is to see what they notice on the ultrasound and only worry abouty blood test results from last week if there is cause for concern in the neck measurements or nasal bone?

tiggyt · October 2014

I was originally not going to do the NT because I had already decided that I wouldn't get an amniocentesis if it came back positive. When I asked my doctor why all the nurses I had spoken to earlier acted like I was just expected to get that test and why would I not want to get it, she said that she used to advise people who didn't want to do diagnostic testing not to get the NT, but in recent years they developed another blood test (so non-invasive) that they could use after a positive NT but before an amniocentesis, so she thought at that point it was worthwhile but still our choice. So we went for it because insurance covered it, and hey, free (super cute) ultrasound this morning!

Plum23 · October 2014

I'm getting a test done today called Cell Free DNA. Has anyone else had experience with this one? Or is this basically the same thing as nuchal testing? I did some research but I think cell free DNA is fairly new.

Unknown · October 2014

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Plum23 · October 2014

Thank you! @blackpearl08‌

dj99 · October 2014

My OB thought she saw some extra thickness on the back of the neck at 10 weeks and suggested the NT scan...scared DH and myself completely.

Then we were offered the genetic testing which is non invasive and has a 99% accuracy. Not sure if your insurance covers this, I think some of it may have to do with your age (I'll be 35 on EDD). The nice thing is that it can be done early, starting at around 10 weeks I believe, and you can find out the sex of the baby.

:-*

dj99 · October 2014

Didn't notice that smiley was blowing a kiss...oops.

queenhoneybee · October 2014

I am scheduled for the NT scan next week. As @Pintobean39‌ mentioned, they're have been instances where the test using a particular formula states that the child could be at risk for down syndrome. But they do offer further testing (also noninvasive) to confirm or eliminate the results.

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