Triple test???

Good morning all, hope you are ok and looking forward to the new addition.... i need advise please. I am 8 weeks 5 day pregnant and had my 1st midwife appointment on Thurday 17th. All was going well until she started telling me about the triple test. I thought, oh ye, may as well have it, it does no harm!! But the results are not accurate, so why have it? She wouldnt advide me as she isnt suppose to sway my decision. I am really confused. She said i was low risk for complications as im 27 with no history etc.... i would like to hear your oppinions, just to see what others do. my partner said maybe we should leave it to nature??

Thanks in advance!!

vickie xxx

Hey

I had the triple test done last week and am waiting on the results of same. We dont get offerred the Nuchal scan on the NHS here, there is only one doc that does it privately here in N.Ireland, but I found out about that around the 15wk mark, so was too late! MW/Consultant didnt mention the Nuchal scan to me when I asked what tests could be done they said the triple test was it and depending on result, an amnio. Due to my age 34 I have 1:350 chance of Downes baby, they give the higher risk to be 1:250 where they would recommend an amnio. After reading the reply below where that girl was 1:500 and still had a little one with DS it has got me thinking! How conclusive is this test, obviously not very! Amnio seems to be the only way to know for certain, but if you got a low risk blood result like 1:500 then you would have thought, aye, will take a chance and leave it up to m nature. So not sure now. Will speak to my consultant when we get results and see how we feel about the amnio as it carries a 1% risk of mc. But I think I would like to know, not sure if I would be able to terminate this pregnancy as the weeks go by you do get rather attached to your little bump and the bond is there. So the choice is a personal one...and a hard decision to make.

tc Sharon 16+2wk bump xx

Triple test

hello - thought it would be useful to share my experience of nuchal scan / combined blood test for downs. i fell pregnant first time we tried, had a wonderful pregnancy with no health problems. at 13 ish weeks i had the nuchal scan and blood test analysis. i am 34 so just under the at risk group. based on age alone my risk was 1 in 360. my adjusted risk based on the nuchal fold (which was 1.7mm and within the 'normal' range - 4mm + is high risk) and my bloods was 1 in 500. i was told that 1 in 250 is considered low risk so you would not think you were particuarly at risk. on 16th feb i gave birth to our beautiful baby boy but within 24 hours was told of concerns of features suggestive of Downs. he had all sorts of tests and we have been given the diagnosis that he does have Down Syndrome. i wouldnt change him for the world and am not sure what we would have done with a higher risk analysis but it was a MASSIVE SHOCK. you worry about health concerns obviously but DS was not one that crossed my mind - you wouldnt actually think you would be that ONE out of 500!

when we mentioned the test to the paediatrician they just said it is merely a risk and is not conclusive. they cannot explain why my results were so 'normal'.

so that is my personal experience and ive no idea what i would do if i fell pregnant again in the future. having sebastian in our lives is just wonderful but im not sure how i feel about the risk of having a second child with DS. its so confusing.

i think i would just not bother to have the test again and go for something conclusive like amnio or CVS but only because of what has happened to me which is extremely rare.

(my test cost me £200 too as we didnt get it on NHS!)

hope that helps and really hope that hasnt panicked you - as i said sebastian was against all the odds and was extremely rare occurence!!

good luck with it all xx

Get more info

with my first baby, they scared me by saying my baby had thicker nuchal folds and, combined with the triple test, my chance of a downs syndrome baby was 1:50, i was 19!! had an amniocentisis and everything was ok. with my second baby, i opted out as i wouldn't terminate the pregnancy even if she had downs syndrome. it's personal choice. whether you feel the need to know, or whether you would go on to have an amnio, that's the only way to find out for sure. your midwife should advise you on ALL the screening tests that are done. good luck. (i only got my positive yesterday!!)

Scan

I spoke with my doctor about it all when I first went to tell her I was pregnant. I am 8 weeks pregnant with my first child and 31. My GP did not advise me either way but gave me some information on the triple test and nuctal scan. The scan has be in done between 11-13 weeks and is more acurate than the triple test, however I am not sure if it is available in every authority. I am due to see the midwife on Wednesday and will be asking to be referred for the nuctal scan, I can't have this done locally and need to go to London which is fine.

My understanding is that the scan looks at the neck fold measurement of the baby and depending on the thickness of this gives you a risk that your baby has downs syndrome. If you have more than a normal risk you can be referred for further tests if this is what you want.

It's your decision whether you go for either test, I know people that have had the triple test and be satisified with this.

I'd talk to your midwife about your available options, alternatively just leave it to nature.

Hope this helps.