October 2022 Moms
magic_lentil
member
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Amnio
magic_lentil
member
We had a clear NIPT and the ultrasound portion of the NT scan came back good, but the bloodwork portion of the NT came back showing a 1:52 chance of Downs Syndrome. We spoke with a genetics counselor and decided to have amniocentesis testing to get the most accurate info. My hCG MOM was 2.02 - not super high but I’m 38 so already have higher chances of chromosomal abnormalities.
We went in for the amnio yesterday afternoon and it was awful. They could not get a clear spot to draw the fluid, said the baby was moving toward the needle. They ended up poking me 4 times, twice into the uterus. Each needle entry cause severe cramping that built with each new re-entry. And they didn’t even get the fluid and told me I’d have to come back next week.
This was so traumatic and I was not prepared for possibility that the fluid draw would be unsuccessful. It feels maybe too high risk to do it more than once? I had read so many stories that peopled likened it to a flu shot but for me the pain was intense and my entire abdomen feels traumatized.
Just feeling confused and worried. Pre-pregnancy my husband and I decided that we would terminate the pregnancy if there was a severe health condition but now 16 weeks in it’s hard to think of doing that, and we would be devastated if we caused problems for the pregnancy with the testing. But I don’t know I’ll be able to not obsess about this potential 1:52 chance for DS.
Re: Amnio
I understand wanting to know what's happening and needing to know for planning purposes but holy cow does it sound risky to do it again. Good luck if you decide to follow up.
Would it be possible to wait to do another amnio until after you've had your anatomy scan? That will give you and your husband more information on potential abnormalities and you could use that to inform your next steps. They can tell quite a bit as early as 18 weeks, which isn't that far away! I completely understand that waiting longer may not be an option if you're considering TFMR--especially depending on where you're located. If you go for a second attempt at an amnio, I would insist on having someone different perform the draw. What you experienced sounds highly abnormal and I would not feel comfortable with them a second time.