I'm doing it, but don't think it's strange at all not to. I only do it because I'm an information junkie, so I just want to know everything I can, but I would not make any decisions based on results, so I wish I could stop myself. I know many people who haven't done it, so I think it's more common than you think now.
We're doing it but only because it's standard with our OB and I don't see any harm in it. This time around we actually saw little squirt at 7 weeks but that was because of some spotting so they wanted to check that all was ok. After our initial appointment at 12 weeks, we will only get the anatomy scan, again because it's standard and we want to find out the gender.
My last NT scan was an epic disaster. If we'd skipped it, I would have had to deal with a still birth later. Common? No. Something I'm willing to skip? no way. To each their own.
I'm so sorry you went through this. Just curious, though - wouldn't you have found whatever it was on the anatomy scan eventually, anyway?
I have had a few based on loss history and current SCH. I am mid-11 weeks and don't go back now until 14 weeks. Then I get to wait until 20 like a normal pregnancy! I did opt out of the NT and amnio-testing. I felt as though I would be more calm without that information. Pros and cons to both sides really.
We are if the genetic guy our OB is sending us to agrees that we should. She recommended it since I'm high risk and so we can be prepared, not because we would dream of terminating should something come up. We'll definitely do the 12wk u/s, the panorama blood work is up to the specialist and insurance.
Married 6/1/13
BFP #1 7/2013 MMC 9/17/13
BFP #2 5/2014 MC 6/15/14
BFP #3 11/13/14 (Found in ER with ruptured cyst) Diagnosed MC 11/15/14
BFP #4 4/2015 MC 7/1/15
BFP #5 10/21/15 EDD 7/3/16 Praying for our rainbow!
I asked my midwife if they would do anything differently during the pregnancy or delivery based on the results and she said no, so I declined. Like so many have said, it wouldn't change anything for us & I would just worry for the next 7 months. I understand why some might want it, but it's not for me. I have an appt at 14 weeks and she said they'd ask again but I will decline just the same. I'm glad you asked this & we're not alone!
I'm doing any and all non-invasive testing available to us. With our first pregnancy we were also of the mindset of "it doesn't matter, we'll love a baby regardless" and when our world came crashing down with a chromosomal defect diagnosed at the NT scan, at 13 weeks, well, things change. DS isn't the only worry, I'm sorry to say.
pregnancy #1 :: daughter lost to chromosomal abnormality at 18 weeks
I wasn't planning on it, but I talked about it with my OB in detail and decided I wanted to go ahead and do it. I already had the blood draw and I have the scan in a couple weeks. Part of me liked the idea of having this extra scan and reassurance the baby is doing well.
We're doing it because of my age and I'm an OCD planner. I would want to know if there was a risk so I can plan for it (or at least pretend to plan, since you really don't know until it happens). We are doing the scan and the blood work. Depending on the results we might go to the next step, but not really sure if the risks are worth the knowledge.
My last NT scan was an epic disaster. If we'd skipped it, I would have had to deal with a still birth later. Common? No. Something I'm willing to skip? no way. To each their own.
I'm so sorry you went through this. Just curious, though - wouldn't you have found whatever it was on the anatomy scan eventually, anyway?
Even if she had, can't you see the value of discovering and dealing with the diagnosis (be it mentally, emotionally, via genetic counseling, and planning for the future of both the current pregnancy and future ones) sooner rather than later. As someone who was in the exact same boat as @mommiesandbabies, I find that comment insensitive.
pregnancy #1 :: daughter lost to chromosomal abnormality at 18 weeks
I don't think we will. DH said it's up to me because he knows how much I'd like to see the baby on an ultrasound. LO had a strong heartbeat on the Doppler at my appointment today, so I think we'll just hold out for the 20 week scan.
Me: 30 DH: 35
TTC #1 - Jan 2015
BFP on 5/13/15 DD born 1/24/16 TTC #2 - Jun 2017 BFP on 8/24/17
I didn't with my first and won't be with this one. My friend did and had been given false positive results over and over, she had weeks of worrying and hard decision making. Thankfully all ok and didn't go down the wrong path like the doctors were suggesting.
My last NT scan was an epic disaster. If we'd skipped it, I would have had to deal with a still birth later. Common? No. Something I'm willing to skip? no way. To each their own.
I'm so sorry you went through this. Just curious, though - wouldn't you have found whatever it was on the anatomy scan eventually, anyway?
Even if she had, can't you see the value of discovering and dealing with the diagnosis (be it mentally, emotionally, via genetic counseling, and planning for the future of both the current pregnancy and future ones) sooner rather than later. As someone who was in the exact same boat as @mommiesandbabies, I find that comment insensitive.
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It wasn't meant to be insensitive, and I said I was sorry for what she had been through. I can't imagine how hard that must have been. I also don't see how it would have been much harder at 20 weeks, assuming whatever happened would have also shown up in the a/s. I've just always been of the mindset that knowing isn't going to change the outcome, and there are so many flaws in the testing that it would offer me little peace of mind and potential for even more worry. After being through a loss myself, I just want to enjoy this pregnancy for as long as I can and assume nothing is wrong. Denial? Maybe. But that's what works for my sanity.
I never intended for this to be a debate and stated in my OP that this is a very personal decision. It just seems like you hear of more people doing it than not. I was just curious to see if anyone else was opting out. That's all.
PEOPLE. The NT scan is a SCREENING. You don't get a positive or negative result. You get odds. Odds are calculated based on your age, family health history, ethnicity, etc. If the scan shows markers that elevate your odds, you go for diagnostic testing. THAT gives you a yes or no answer.
DS1: BFP 04/03/11 | EDD 12/02/11 | born 11/21/11 DS2: BFP 02/09/13 | EDD 10/26/13 | said goodbye 06/02/13
@bananers: I'm really not sure about this but once you reach 20 weeks I think they classify the loss as a stillbirth rather than a miscarriage. I believe that at that point you are more likely to be directed to labor and delivery rather than a d&c or d&e? From what I understand you get into a real gray area. Please, anyone, correct me if I'm wrong.
bananers there is a HUGE difference in care, planning and options available to you once you're at the anatomy scan, and an even bigger range in options depending on what state you live in. If you think you'd rather carry your essentially dying baby longer, and find out later, only to have LESS options available to you (and I don't just mean terminating) then you're not thinking clearly or really considering that I don't just mean down syndrome or some other relatively harmless condition.
Obviously I'm speaking passionately from a place of experience in this exact scenerio.
pregnancy #1 :: daughter lost to chromosomal abnormality at 18 weeks
@bananers, I don't mean to be combative, truly. Like I said above, I'm speaking from a place of experience.
If someone ever said something along the lines of "it wouldn't have been much harder to find out that your baby had a fatal chromosomal defect and would inevitably die in-utero at 20 weeks than at 13" (which is basically what you're saying) to me, I don't know whether I would punch them in the face or burst into tears first. It's just not something you should say (or say twice).
IDGAF what people here do, whether they choose to do testing or not, freebirth or not, breastfeed or not, cloth diaper or not, any of the choices we make basically have no effect on me or my life. Comments like that go straight to the heart though, and I'm just trying to make you understand why it's hurtful and insensitive.
pregnancy #1 :: daughter lost to chromosomal abnormality at 18 weeks
I'm truly sorry, @je&moeder, and I don't even begin to pretend to know what it's like to walk in your shoes. I never intended to be combative or offensive.
Although it wouldn't change anything for me, I'm glad I did it (still don't have the results because blood not back) because I liked seeing how much bigger the baby was from the 6 wk dating scan and I liked that they counted the arms and legs and looked at my ovaries. Sometimes (for me personally - total hypochondriac), it just feels good to have a check-in. Also they measured the heartbeat which the Doppler at my doctor's isn't capable of doing for some reason.
I'm doing it but only so I can have an ultrasound before my 20 week scan. I wouldn't abort at all if something was to show up but I like to also be prepared. But mostly it's so I can see my baby and know everything is okay.
Im not doing it. Doc and nurse didnt push but the girl at the front desk scheduling my next appointment looked at me crazy when I told her i declined the test. Nothing is guaranteed with those test so they're pointless to me.
I declined, without question. They're too many risks, though unlikely. If my child is born with any abnormalitie, we will still love and raise this child so we deemed it unnecessary
I declined, without question. They're too many risks, though unlikely. If my child is born with any abnormalitie, we will still love and raise this child so we deemed it unnecessary
I didn't realize there were risks associated with the NT scan. It's just an ultrasound and some blood work and completely non-invasive.
I will also still love and raise my child but it seems much easier to raise a child when you go in as informed as possible.
Im not doing it. Doc and nurse didnt push but the girl at the front desk scheduling my next appointment looked at me crazy when I told her i declined the test. Nothing is guaranteed with those test so they're pointless to me.
I absolutely agree people put too much stock in these tests. That being said my husband doesn't feel the same way so i agree to the non-invasive tests for his sake of mind. It's kinda strange because he knows the false positive rates and that test really don't tell us anything and will even say it but wants them anyway. We aren;t doing the NT scan becasue we are having the stepwise done, no need for both.
As far as ob's i do think it is fair to assume an OB is going to treat you a certain type of way. He is going to act like he is the only one who knows what is best for you and your baby and if you disagree with his thoughts then there must be something wrong with you. i saw an ob for the first few weeks of my pregnancy and they wanted to give me a glucose test at 11 weeks and thought i was insane for refusing. Those drinks cause a ridiculous spike in blood sugar that is unhealthy for the fittest healthiest non pregnant person never mind to us. I do understand that there are some ob's that go against the grain and encourage informed consent and active team management but they are the few not the the majority.
Im not doing it. Doc and nurse didnt push but the girl at the front desk scheduling my next appointment looked at me crazy when I told her i declined the test. Nothing is guaranteed with those test so they're pointless to me.
I absolutely agree people put too much stock in these tests. That being said my husband doesn't feel the same way so i agree to the non-invasive tests for his sake of mind. It's kinda strange because he knows the false positive rates and that test really don't tell us anything and will even say it but wants them anyway. We aren;t doing the NT scan becasue we are having the stepwise done, no need for both.
As far as ob's i do think it is fair to assume an OB is going to treat you a certain type of way. He is going to act like he is the only one who knows what is best for you and your baby and if you disagree with his thoughts then there must be something wrong with you. i saw an ob for the first few weeks of my pregnancy and they wanted to give me a glucose test at 11 weeks and thought i was insane for refusing. Those drinks cause a ridiculous spike in blood sugar that is unhealthy for the fittest healthiest non pregnant person never mind to us. I do understand that there are some ob's that go against the grain and encourage informed consent and active team management but they are the few not the the majority.
Funny because I've known several OBs and none have acted like this. So no, it's not fair to assume. But your statements make me think you're a real peach as a patient, so maybe it's you, not them?
@mylittlefairygarden I have no idea how other OBs act, but when he told me about the NT scan he said "you'll want to make sure to make an appointment at 12 weeks for the NT scan" and followed it with "it's optional, but only people with crazy religious beliefs would ever decline". I told him I was one of "those" people with "crazy religious beliefs" who didn't believe in abortion. He turned his head in disgust, but his hands up in the air and said "well I guess you will do want you want then". So my experience was definately pushy OB.
@ChrissyD1203 that's crazy that your OB said that to you!! When I was pregnant with my first (she's 1 now) we get a packet of info and one of the pieces of paper was about the scan. At my next apt my OB asked me if I'd made any decisions about it, and I told her I hadn't talked to my husband but I didn't think we'd be doing it. She said ok just decide soon because you have a small window if you decide to do it. We didn't do any testing and that was all I heard about it from my OB. With this pregnancy, the only thing my OB said was, since you didn't do any testing the 1st time I'm assuming we aren't doing any this time? No pushy-ness what so ever. You just had a sh*tty OB.
We aren't. Thankfully the midwifes that I see offer, but don't force it. Plus our insurance wouldn't cover it anyways unless I was at least 35, and I'm not. I wouldn't mind the piece of mind, but we will be having our next appointment at 11 weeks, and we get to hear the heartbeat.
We are doing the Maternity21 blood test. I'm 35 so as long as insurance covers it. I would not terminate but if there is an issue, I would like the opportunity to get the best resources available lined up for my child before he or she gets here.
We're not either. I'm under 35 plus my doctors have never forced or even suggested any testing. They have been amazing with providing the us all the facts so we can make our own decision. We didn't test with my son and I was happy not having any extra anxiety.
My last NT scan was an epic disaster. If we'd skipped it, I would have had to deal with a still birth later. Common? No. Something I'm willing to skip? no way. To each their own.
I'm so sorry you went through this. Just curious, though - wouldn't you have found whatever it was on the anatomy scan eventually, anyway?
Well, yes, but I am eternally glad we didn't wait. I would have had to tell/explain to a lot more people if I had gotten to 20 weeks, not to mention the extra grief of being further along when losing a pregnancy.
Re: Is anyone else NOT doing the NT scan and testing?
BFP #2 8/22/12 | EDD 5/5/13 | DS1 born 5/9/13
BFP #3 4/25/15 | EDD 1/7/16 | MMC 7/2/15 @ 13w1d | D&E 7/8/15
BFP #4 12/9/15 | EDD 8/22/16 | DS2 born 5/18/16 at 26w2d
Just keep swimming.
I did opt out of the NT and amnio-testing. I felt as though I would be more calm without that information. Pros and cons to both sides really.
DD born 1/24/16
TTC #2 - Jun 2017
BFP on 8/24/17
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It wasn't meant to be insensitive, and I said I was sorry for what she had been through. I can't imagine how hard that must have been. I also don't see how it would have been much harder at 20 weeks, assuming whatever happened would have also shown up in the a/s. I've just always been of the mindset that knowing isn't going to change the outcome, and there are so many flaws in the testing that it would offer me little peace of mind and potential for even more worry. After being through a loss myself, I just want to enjoy this pregnancy for as long as I can and assume nothing is wrong. Denial? Maybe. But that's what works for my sanity.
I never intended for this to be a debate and stated in my OP that this is a very personal decision. It just seems like you hear of more people doing it than not. I was just curious to see if anyone else was opting out. That's all.
edit: quote fail
BFP #2 8/22/12 | EDD 5/5/13 | DS1 born 5/9/13
BFP #3 4/25/15 | EDD 1/7/16 | MMC 7/2/15 @ 13w1d | D&E 7/8/15
BFP #4 12/9/15 | EDD 8/22/16 | DS2 born 5/18/16 at 26w2d
Just keep swimming.
DS2: BFP 02/09/13 | EDD 10/26/13 | said goodbye 06/02/13
DS 4/2009
m/c 11/12/2010 ~ 7 wks
m/c 7/4/2012 ~ 6 wks
DD 12/2013
mmc Baby Girl 7/12/2015 ~ 14 weeks
Twin girls! 8/26/2017
BFP #2 8/22/12 | EDD 5/5/13 | DS1 born 5/9/13
BFP #3 4/25/15 | EDD 1/7/16 | MMC 7/2/15 @ 13w1d | D&E 7/8/15
BFP #4 12/9/15 | EDD 8/22/16 | DS2 born 5/18/16 at 26w2d
Just keep swimming.
I will also still love and raise my child but it seems much easier to raise a child when you go in as informed as possible.
Funny because I've known several OBs and none have acted like this. So no, it's not fair to assume. But your statements make me think you're a real peach as a patient, so maybe it's you, not them?
BFP #2 8/22/12 | EDD 5/5/13 | DS1 born 5/9/13
BFP #3 4/25/15 | EDD 1/7/16 | MMC 7/2/15 @ 13w1d | D&E 7/8/15
BFP #4 12/9/15 | EDD 8/22/16 | DS2 born 5/18/16 at 26w2d
Just keep swimming.
BFP #2 8/22/12 | EDD 5/5/13 | DS1 born 5/9/13
BFP #3 4/25/15 | EDD 1/7/16 | MMC 7/2/15 @ 13w1d | D&E 7/8/15
BFP #4 12/9/15 | EDD 8/22/16 | DS2 born 5/18/16 at 26w2d
Just keep swimming.
No pushy-ness what so ever. You just had a sh*tty OB.