Screenings

wellhithen · February 2017

This is my third baby and I live in a different town. For my first two I didn't do any genetic screening or blood screening to see if the baby had possible problems. We did the normal 20 week u/s but that was it. The clinic I'm going to wants to do a lot of those and it's making me uncomfortable. I don't know if that's standard or not though?

SarahS2017 · February 2017

I'm in a similar boat. I never did any of that work my first 3, but I live in a different state now and my new doc wants to do ALL the tests. I'm not entirely sure I'm comfortable with it either. I'm going to just talk to her about it at my next appointment, but I'll probably pass on them unless necessary.

Becky012016 · February 2017

You have the right to refuse the tests. So long as you aren't at an increased risk (AMA, personal history) then it's really not necessary to test if you don't want to.

wellhithen · February 2017

@SarahS2017 yeah that's what I'm thinking. I can pass on the genetic but not sure on the other ones. I was reading about the early down syndrome testing in their packet and it said not all positives are really positives and the negatives aren't always negative. So it doesn't even sound like a good test!

SarahS2017 · February 2017

@wellhithen exactly how i feel. The results don't matter to me anyway.

HollyGolightly09 · February 2017

It seems so odd to me that some Drs push stuff like that. I would just tell them you aren't comfortable with unecessary screenings, and if that's a problem I would probably find a different Dr.

Sprite2012 · February 2017

With my first, no additional testing was even talked about. But I was 30 when he was born. I'll be barely 35 when this baby is born, and I feel like everything is so different. The first OB office I went to didn't give me an option. They said the cell free genetic testing is required, and booked me an appointment. I didn't feel right about that, so I started calling around. I learned that there is no "standard", that all of these tests are available to anyone at a price. In some cases (AMA, high risk, history), I think it's highly recommended, but still not REQUIRED. Ultimately, you don't have to do any testing at all if you choose not to. I found an OB that considers all tests optional and will make recommendations, but allows me to decide.

runbyfruiting · February 2017

Just echoing what PPs have said. None of the tests should be required. If you're not comfortable having them, definitely refuse. With DS I wasn't even offered any testing. This time they offered 3 or 4 different ones but we had the right to refuse any and all of them.

harleyquinn0621 · February 2017

Your baby, your body, your choice

don't let a Dr tell you that you have to do anything you don't want to do.. My MFM did discuss all the test options but in no way pushed one way or the other.. i decided to only do the NT test at 12 weeks bc it is non invasive and no risk to the baby and they specifically noted in my chart that i did not want any invasive optional tests

wellhithen · February 2017

@harleyquinn0621 yeah nothing was discussed, I was just told what would be done. I am here for my next apt and I may look around if there's not much discussion

mightymcqueen · February 2017

We're doing the blood tests and the nuchal scan. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it or not, but our hospital only does 3 ultrasounds (dating, wk 20, and wk 36), so the nuchal will be a nice way to see the baby again.

JNR6510 · February 2017

Our doctor's office makes all but the 20 week US optional. (The only time a they require a dating US is for ladies with wonky periods.) They combine the NT scan with the cell free DNA testing though, so if you want one you get them both together at 12 weeks. That is what we will be doing at our next appointment with the MFM.

Jamiern01 · February 2017

We opted to decline all screenings even though I'm AMA. We did this with my last pregnancy as well. Our reasoning was we would not change the course of the pregnancy. And with there being false positives and false negatives I felt like it would only stress me out more instead of bringing me peace of mind. Pregnancy offered enough to worry about I didn't want anything extra. Plus the costs were really high for us.

bassoondiva · February 2017

This is my 3rd and all these test are totally new to me. My OB even said she didn't do them when she had her children. The ONLY one we are doing is the one that test for Nueral tube defect and she recommends that only because there are things that they can do while the babe is in the womb to give them a better outcome ( that's how she explained it). So the rest we declined even though I'm AMA. It's not going to change our course so I'm not doing it.

maddisonwallace · February 2017

I opted to do the testing with my son, which came back with an extremely high risk for him having downs. I could hardly enjoy the rest of my pregnancy because I was so worried about him being special needs (which would not be a hindrance at all, but a whole new world for us nonetheless). Needless to say we breathed a giant sigh of relief when our son was born perfectly healthy. My husband and I agreed that it robbed a lot of joy for having turned out to be a false positive. We will not be doing the testing this time.

Just to echo what pp are saying. It's not really necessary unless you're high risk in which case I could understand why you'd need to know.

ColoradoHiker · February 2017

We did the first tri screening with DS, and since insurance covered it, we didn't see a reason to not do so. It covered the Trisomies and Down syndrome testing. Everything came back normal, and I'm glad we did it. We will do it again with this baby as well.

In the end, it's up to you. If you don't want to know, don't do it. You have the right to refuse. We're passing on testing that does not pertain to us, as we don't have family histories of some diseases.

Sprite2012 · February 2017

@maddisonwallace I can't imagine what you described. I'd be furious, then feel terrible for being furious, then feel awful for feeling so happy my child didn't have downs (my childhood neighbor growing up had downs and she is an amazing person, so I'd feel even more guilty for feeling anything at all). What a mess of emotions, for pretty much no real reason. I think you just talked me out of the blood test completely, without trying. I'll do the 12 week NUC u/s because I loved seeing my son during that u/s, and couldn't have cared less what the "results" were. I might just tell them not to tell me what they find, I just want the u/s.

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