Young FTM - What prenatal testing are you doing?

knottie0d8cc4d43bacc09f · January 2017

@lyse01 I did the Harmony blood test and got results back a week later. They said 7-10 business days but it came back way faster. I'm sure it varies depending on the test you go with. Good luck!

kahlan82 · January 2017

@stellabella2015 *lurking from June* Ask your doctor about the panorama. They have an option where if your insurance company won't cover testing (ours didnt) that they will eat the cost and you only have a $100 co-pay. Results came back very quickly for us too.

anokoch · January 2017

*Question* Hoping someone will know.

I have my 13 week appointment coming up soon. If I decide to not do the additional testing will I still get a ultrasound to check on the baby?

lewliv · January 2017

@anokoch every practice is different but most likely your only ultrasound left - if skipping NT - is the 20-week anatomy scan. Sometimes in the end there's an ultrasound to gauge baby size.

lyse01 · January 2017

@secicc12 thanks!

bumpybump · January 2017

@anokoch I agree with @LivLew that you most likely will not have an ultrasound at your 13 week appointment. Typically they'll use a Doppler to listen to the heartbeat. If they have difficulty finding the heartbeat, they may then to an ultrasound. 20 weeks is the next typical ultrasound.

stellabella2015 · January 2017

kahlan82 said:

@stellabella2015 *lurking from June* Ask your doctor about the panorama. They have an option where if your insurance company won't cover testing (ours didnt) that they will eat the cost and you only have a $100 co-pay. Results came back very quickly for us too.

Ooooh! Thanks for the tip! I'll talk about this next week

kodariah · January 2017

@anokoch it just depends on your Dr. but from my experience my ultrasounds had nothing to do with early testing. My dr. does a ultra sound at the first appointment to determine the due date based on the baby size. Then at 20 weeks the AS ultrasound, and a 3D ultra sound is optional and cost more. It has been the same both times, one baby I got the early testing done and one baby i didn't.

budzynb · January 2017

@kahlan82 that's what we are getting. My insurance said Progenity testing isn't covered since I am so young but Progenity said they have a patient help program which brings the cost down to $99. They only brought it up once my Dr office told me about it and I mentioned it to them. I'm assuming it's referral-based, they won't advertise to the whole world but if you find out about it they will agree. I was told I will still get a bill for like 5,000 from them but as soon as I get it to call and mention the $99 and they will re-bill me for just that amount. So glad my nurse mentioned that on the phone!!

My results will take 7-10 for the NIPT but an NTS would be quicker I would assume. I have read that they won't give you results while still doing the U/S because a Dr or someone higher-up needs to confirm by looking at the pictures from the U/S. An Ultrasonographer is not credentialed to reveal any results besides the sex of the baby.

mrsvp614 · January 2017

I have family history, so we are trying to decide right now between the Materniti21 or Counsyl. I'm working on getting cost estimates for both right now.

NatSprat0703 · January 2017

We decided to do the VisibiliT test, which screens for the trisomy disorders and will tell you the gender. We did it because DH and I are both adopted and we do not know our history. Regardless of what the results were, it would not have changed our decision to continue with the pregnancy. It would have just given us more time to prepare and research and do whatever else we needed to do.
We got the results back yesterday, and everything was negative. We also found out we are having a baby girl

knottie0d8cc4d43bacc09f · January 2017

@NatSprat0703 Congrats on your great results! And yay for another member of team pink

budzynb · January 2017

Yay team pink!! If anybody else if having this done post your sex here too! (Even though that's not why we have the testing done, it's a benefit to doing it!)

We just found out today the prenatals I spend a crap ton of money on since they have folate do not actually contain folate and Amazon never updated their posting when the formula was changed. I have MTHFR so I can not break down folic acid and need pure folate. Without folate the baby runs a much higher risk of down syndrome and other developmental issues. So I am waiting on the nurses to call me back and tell me if my NIPT on Thursday will find out if baby has an issue or if I should add an NTS on Thursday as well so we can actually see on the ultrasound how the neck looks. Been a very stressful day. I feel like I totally let myself, my husband, and my baby down by trusting Amazon and not checking the bottle's label when it arrived to me...

lewliv · January 2017

budzynb said:

Yay team pink!! If anybody else if having this done post your sex here too! (Even though that's not why we have the testing done, it's a benefit to doing it!)
We just found out today the prenatals I spend a crap ton of money on since they have folate do not actually contain folate and Amazon never updated their posting when the formula was changed. I have MTHFR so I can not break down folic acid and need pure folate. Without folate the baby runs a much higher risk of down syndrome and other developmental issues. So I am waiting on the nurses to call me back and tell me if my NIPT on Thursday will find out if baby has an issue or if I should add an NTS on Thursday as well so we can actually see on the ultrasound how the neck looks. Been a very stressful day. I feel like I totally let myself, my husband, and my baby down by trusting Amazon and not checking the bottle's label when it arrived to me...

I'm so sorry about the prenatal issue. If you are still looking for a prenatal with folate I take MegaFood Baby & Me 2. Also, eating chickpeas/
black eyed peas/lentils help a lot. I just make a salad with all 3 and chopped tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers, and avocado with a nice citrus vinaigrette.

imwithbaby · January 2017

@budzynb oh no!! I take Honest Company once daily prenatal and it's got methylfolate in it (but their whole food prenatal does NOT--that's the one you have to take 3x day).

Costagna16 · January 2017

@budzynb and anyone else worried about cost of testing, although it looks like you found a less expensive option for CF testing which is great!
Because I'm not high risk my insurance won't cover a lot of the genetic testing but my Dr. pointed me to a company in California (Counsyl) that does genetic family planning testing for a flat $350 if you don't bill to insurance. You send them a saliva sample and they test you for 100+ genetic diseases. If you are a match for any of the them you can them get the father tested for those specific diseases at a much lower cost. Just wanted to put that information out there in case anyone else felt trapped by testing that cost hundreds of dollars, genetic testing through my doctors hospital would've cost me >$800.

I'm a FTM (and my first post here) and I am getting NIPS done and the counsyl screening just to have more information. I'm a worrier so the more information I have the better I will feel. If something were to come up I would get further testing and then have to make a decision that I hope I never have to face, and I really can't say what I would do. But I know I will only worry if I don't get the testing done. NIPS is non-invasive so I don't see the harm in being well informed if there is no risk to the baby.

oriole2017 · January 2017

Hi. I read a few comments about not knowing if the baby has downs until week 20. If anyone is worried, this is strictly information to share, the NT test a few people mentioned will assess your baby's risk of having DS as early as 12/13 weeks. I have mine scheduled for week 12. They say you can at week 11 but our clinic recommends no earlier than week 12.

I had a blood test for CF/SMA prior to repgnancy, and the trisomies and the NIPs testing at 10 weeks. Im under 35 and a FTM but with genetic markers in my family we wanted to be prepared for anything. I have my NT at week 12 and an aaplintment with my doctor a week later.

budzynb · January 2017

@oriole2017 we just had the U/S portion of the NTS done on Thursday and are really happy we did it. I think theya re just billing it as an U/S instead of an NTS too since my insurance will decline NTS for me since I'm low-risk. But we got to see baby's giant nose (Good sign!!) and the neck measured perfectly. So happy we did it. Best of luck to you! We get our NIPT results back late this week I hope!

oriole2017 · February 2017

I had my bloodwork and NT scan results last week. Bloodwork was perfect, and baby's nasal bone was very present and neck measured perfectly. We're thrilled!

smallbutmighty77 · February 2017

We did all the blood work- both of our families are Ashkenazi Jews, so there are some more genetic/ carrier possibilities. First test came back all clear- other side came back today...Apparently I am a carrier for Canavan Disease. Insert instant googling and panic on my part. I am trying not to be nervous, as my Dr says chances of my husband being a carrier are pretty low, but it's still scary. DH is going in early next week to do the blood work, and then we wait. They say even if we are both carriers the chance of having a child with it is 1 in 4, and if we are both carriers, we can do amnio and see if the baby has it. Hoping it doesn't come to that and everything is fine on DH side, but FTM nerves people!

imwithbaby · February 2017

@smallbutmighty77 check out the weekly random post---two of us just posted about what we are carriers for! Same thing though about being rare that DH carries as well, and 1 in 4 for the baby if he is +. Positive thoughts for all of us!

smallbutmighty77 · February 2017

@mrsmatt1212 just saw those! Made me feel far less alone. I knew doing the tests would probably show something, but could everything not be so terrifying?! I am staying positive about DH and him not being a carrier. Positive thoughts to you guys too.

littlebug2010 · February 2017

@smallbutmighty77 I found out I was a carrier for CF and DH did the blood work and it came back negative!!!!! Try not to freak yourself out. The stress isn't good for baby and stats are low.

smallbutmighty77 · February 2017

@littlebug2010 I think the supposed cost of all the testing is making me more anxious than the test at this point. I've heard so many mixed costs and amounts insurance covers...it's not helping.

mamaof2hopefully · February 2017

With DS I was 25 going on 26, we did the standard testing (blood draw and ultrasound during first tri and second blood draw during second tri) we also did the CF screening (just a blood draw at the same time as the genetic blood draw so it was easy). We never did the amniocentesis, however had the results came back at a risk we probably would have, but I would have had to weight the risks. With this one I'm much "older" 32 so we again did the same testing. Being informed is a powerful tool. Even if you don't care your husband does and it's his baby too. So I would definitely do the blood draws and ultrasound to ease his mind.

mamaof2hopefully · February 2017

lyse01 said:

Not young (though not quite "geriatric") but I am a FTM. Getting basically all the genetic testing because 1) family history of Fragile X on my side, and 2) SO is obsessed with getting as much info as possible. (But I think I can convince him to stay Team Green So carrier screening, u/s, NT blood draw - all the non-invasive are scheduled for week 13.

Anyway, what's the timeline on all this? I assume we get immediate feedback on the u/s but how long does it take to get blood work results?

eta: everything post emoji because apparently mobile tB hates emojis

Blood work is actually tested by the state not just in the lab where it is draw like most other tests (at least that is how it is in California) when I had mind drawn they said 1-2 weeks. But I went for my u/S a week later and they provided me the results right there

lyse01 · February 2017

@mamaof2hopefully When I saw the Docs, they also said 1-2 weeks. It's 2 weeks tomorrow, nothing heard. ::shrug::

littlebug2010 · February 2017

@smallbutmighty77 ours was through couynsl (sp) and I got a text about the cost about a week after. Ours was covered, and I think dhs was covered because I was a carrier. Hope it's not too bad for you.

smallbutmighty77 · February 2017

@littlebug2010 we did counsyl as well, just got the results last week, it's been almost 3 weeks since we did it and haven't seen or heard anything from them or insurance. I even had an US a week later, that we already got emailed confirmation of the claim from insurance so, that's why I'm nervous. Thought we would know something by now. Guess a call into insurance is in my future. Fingers crossed my news is as good as yours was. Thanks

littlebug2010 · February 2017

@smallbutmighty77 I do know that counsyl should only be 350 without any insurance coverage. They are by far the cheapest place for testing. But ours was completely covered. I know I got a text with a link attached to show is about a week after the blood draw, but I don't know if that's because of the hopsital we are with or not.

budzynb · February 2017

@smallbutmighty77 we just had our Progenity testing processed through my insurance. We knew in the back of our heads that they promised $99 for all tests done on the same day, but it actually worked out really well for us and saved us buckets of money in the long run. Aetna didn't cover the NIPT and claim that I owe $4,000 and none counts towards my deductible. Again, we were promised $99 as long as we call and mention it when Progenity bills me the $4k. Then the CF scan was the same day, so basically free, and Aetna just covered some and applied it all towards my OOP cost for the year. They covered $3800 and the total bill was $13,600!!! So again, I am paying $99 for everything, but now I have also met my OOP for the year already and delivery should basically be free. It worked out soooo well. We are so glad we opted to do it since we ended up saving so much money. We had no clue that the CF scan would be covered but an NIPT wouldn't.

lyse01 · February 2017

Peeved that the high-risk OB that did my genetic screening went from "no trisomies" to "you're having..." without a warning/question about whether I wanted to know, especially after our appointment where I said "I don't care if most people do this test to find out the sex; I'm not interested in anything but genetic abnormalities." I shouted him down (mostly successfully), but I still think I know what he said. Grrrrrr. I should be focusing on the good, healthy news.

lewliv · February 2017

lyse01 said:

Peeved that the high-risk OB that did my genetic screening went from "no trisomies" to "you're having..." without a warning/question about whether I wanted to know, especially after our appointment where I said "I don't care if most people do this test to find out the sex; I'm not interested in anything but genetic abnormalities." I shouted him down (mostly successfully), but I still think I know what he said. Grrrrrr. I should be focusing on the good, healthy news.

My tech just marked on the form to not include sex testing. My results have the Y chromosome box blank so not even my midwife knows. I did tell the tech 3 times that we did not want to know.

lyse01 · February 2017

@LivLew I didn't even have the option to check a box. And no one in the regular practice or the affiliated high-risk one across the hall have ever asked us if we want to know.

lewliv · February 2017

@lyse01 I'm very sorry that they took the surprise away from you.

mrsvp614 · February 2017

@lyse01 I'm sorry! That sucks! We're team green, and the lady who took my blood said we'd get our results online and that we'd have to check a box about learning the sex, so I'm hoping nothing gets spoiled for us.

Mango517 · February 2017

lyse01 said:

Peeved that the high-risk OB that did my genetic screening went from "no trisomies" to "you're having..." without a warning/question about whether I wanted to know, especially after our appointment where I said "I don't care if most people do this test to find out the sex; I'm not interested in anything but genetic abnormalities." I shouted him down (mostly successfully), but I still think I know what he said. Grrrrrr. I should be focusing on the good, healthy news.

I'm so sorry! I'd be so sad if that surprise was ruined for me if I was going to be team Green. You'd think they be used to handling that news a little more delicately.

lyse01 · February 2017

@LivLew @Mango517 @MrsVP614 Thanks for the sympathy. I guess the silver lining is that it prompted SO and I to get on top of names (for some reason, I love knowing my name should I have been a boy, and it's important to me that the kid be able to know that too). Forty five minutes later, we had a boy name and a girl name that we love, that have family significance, that we're excited to tell our parents and friends about, and that pass all monogram/newspaper/diploma/yelling at naughty child/nickname tests. And we have a stable of back up names.

I really thought names would take longer.

cmmiller531 · February 2017

budzynb said:

@oriole2017 we just had the U/S portion of the NTS done on Thursday and are really happy we did it. I think theya re just billing it as an U/S instead of an NTS too since my insurance will decline NTS for me since I'm low-risk. But we got to see baby's giant nose (Good sign!!) and the neck measured perfectly. So happy we did it. Best of luck to you! We get our NIPT results back late this week I hope!

HAHA! I was afraid I was the only person who said my little girl's nose was HUGE on the ultrasound

smallbutmighty77 · February 2017

@littlebug2010 my DH got a message that his test would be $340, doesn't look like it will be covered despite my being a carrier. I haven't gotten mine yet, but guessing it will be about the same. :-/ If it counted towards my deductible I wouldn't feel as bad, but they are claiming it doesn't since it was an elective test.
Emailed my Dr office to see about my bill and why DH isn't covered, etc. Plan on talking to my insurance rep on Monday.

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