Nuchal scan and the negative attitude towards it.

CathyMoran

Sorry mods, hope thay you do not mind the post...I am getting the scan, am 35 but I just want to know so that I can be prepared if anything is wrong with the baby, I would not want to abort it if the news is bad and I certainly do not want amnio as it carries a risk to the baby. All the medical staff seem to assume that I would want to abort if the news is not great...

Has anyone else had the scan done and encountered these attitudes.

January

It's not the same experience as yourself CathyMoran... but when I was pregnant I wanted to get an extra scan (was willing to pay for it myself just to make sure) as there are a couple of people in my family with cleft palette. Not as serious as downs syndrome or spina bifida etc... but the child would still need operations and I would have preferred to know before birth rather than at the birth if you know what I mean...

Basically the midwife in the Rotunda looked down her nose at me and asked me what difference would it make to me if I knew before my baby was born than afterwards. Which I found a bit upsetting. Would you not prefer to be armed with all the information that you need to help your baby rather than be completly useless and very upset the day your baby is born?

Stick to your guns and if medical staff comment on it, ignore them. It's not up to them to pass comment on your choices as a soon to be mother, they're there to help you.

CathyMoran

adrieanne__x wrote: »

It's not the same experience as yourself CathyMoran... but when I was pregnant I wanted to get an extra scan (was willing to pay for it myself just to make sure) as there are a couple of people in my family with cleft palette. Not as serious as downs syndrome or spina bifida etc... but the child would still need operations and I would have preferred to know before birth rather than at the birth if you know what I mean...

Basically the midwife in the Rotunda looked down her nose at me and asked me what difference would it make to me if I knew before my baby was born than afterwards. Which I found a bit upsetting. Would you not prefer to be armed with all the information that you need to help your baby rather than be completly useless and very upset the day your baby is born?

Stick to your guns and if medical staff comment on it, ignore them. It's not up to them to pass comment on your choices as a soon to be mother, they're there to help you.

My mum had me at 35, I will be 6 months older than her giving birth - thing is, we just want to know..I hate the attitude of all the staff...I have a friend who is a doctor and years ago he told me about babies born with no brain, that is the only situation I would even consider it...I am 35 so I know that my risk is higher...argh...

metrovelvet

My problem with the nuchal fold scan is that like any other scan it is interpretive. So that it is not always accurate and can give you either a false sense of security or a false sense of insecurity. If it were me, I would prefer the amnio because then at least you are certain and that you can be prepared for the future.

My understanding of amnio is that the risk is very minor and the technicianship has improved and changed.

If I were to get a nuchal I would want at least three people to look at it.

The reason the medical staff are making those assumptions is probably because that is what most people would do. They should not make such assumptions and it is wrong. I hope you are calling them on it.

CathyMoran

metrovelvet wrote: »

My problem with the nuchal fold scan is that like any other scan it is interpretive. So that it is not always accurate and can give you either a false sense of security or a false sense of insecurity. If it were me, I would prefer the amnio because then at least you are certain and that you can be prepared for the future.

My understanding of amnio is that the risk is very minor and the technicianship has improved and changed.

If I were to get a nuchal I would want at least three people to look at it.

The reason the medical staff are making those assumptions is probably because that is what most people would do. They should not make such assumptions and it is wrong. I hope you are calling them on it.

I have had 5 miscarriages this year, so taking even the smallest chance would be foreign to me..I know that it can only give me chances...I was told not to bother with the scan unless I got the amnio and everyone else looked at me with horror about getting the scan...it is upsetting enough getting the scan but I feel that we should know...I am here against the odds but the way I deal with life is having as much facts as possible.

Grawns

Hi Cathy. So glad you are pregnant again and all going well. I had the nuchal scan, bloods and because I wasn't happy with the results. 1/270 risk I went ahead and had amnio. All done in the rotunda and I paid €500. They offer amnio on the NHS in UK if results are under 1/250 and the nuchal and blood tests are standard there once you are over 30 I think ( maybe 35). No negative attitude in the Rotunda. Personally next time ( fingers crossed) I will probably skip the nuchal and go straight for the amnio. The risk is minor if done by an expert. 1/1000. Best of luck and one of these days I hope to get around to writing my birth story. Bridget was 8 months old today!

CathyMoran

Baby was too young the first time so will be getting it done next Wednesday (in a week)...for me I would never have the amnio, it is about knowing the odds in a safe way, if the baby is ill we at least have time to get used to it before it is born. At least one staff member looked at me with disgust though which was hard.

Das Kitty

I wouldn't worry too much about getting looks or people's attitudes. I got a funny look from one of the midwives for finding out my baby's gender for the first one (and from countless non medical people!).

At the end of the day, you just want to know.

One thing I would say is that if you do get a negative result it doesn't necessarily mean that your baby has a problem, likewise with a positive result. Personally if I wasn't going for amnio I wouldn't bother with the nuchal fold scan, only because it's not a conclusive test. We're all different though.

One thing's for sure it'll be one hell of a lucky baba!

CathyMoran

Just an update - we had the nuchal on Wednesday, we both agreed in advance that no matter what the results we would keep our totally wanted baby. Baby is at very, very low risk for Downs so we were thrilled. We are totally in love with our wonderful baby, though we love him or her no matter what.

Das Kitty

Fab news!

metrovelvet

CathyMoran wrote: »

Just an update - we had the nuchal on Wednesday, we both agreed in advance that no matter what the results we would keep our totally wanted baby. Baby is at very, very low risk for Downs so we were thrilled. We are totally in love with our wonderful baby, though we love him or her no matter what.

Im going to get sappy on you. Both you and your husband come across as such strong, loving people that this baby is very very lucky to have you both. Congratulations and god bless.

lalalulu

I agree with metrovelvet.. Best of luck to you both
How many week's are you now cathymoran?

CathyMoran

I am heading for 14 weeks now and starting to show. Thanks for the good wishes.

kelle

CathyMoran wrote: »

Baby was too young the first time so will be getting it done next Wednesday (in a week)...for me I would never have the amnio, it is about knowing the odds in a safe way, if the baby is ill we at least have time to get used to it before it is born. At least one staff member looked at me with disgust though which was hard.

That is awful - they're supposed to be non-judgemental and professional in their jobs. How dare they try and impose their thoughts onto you???

My second baby was born premature, and when she was four days old I was told she had a cleft soft palate and would need an operation! Here was this tiny, delicate-looking little baby I was afraid to even hold - and now I was being told she would need an operation! I screamed hysterically, ok a bit of an over-reaction and the nurses were asking me would I be able to mind her properly if I brought her home! So my parenting was also being brought into question. Like yourself, Cathy if I had known about it before baby was born it would have been easier to deal with - in fairness, it was only on her soft palate so it would never have been picked up on ultrasound. She's now nearly 7 and not a bother on her.

I'm glad all is well with you!

hiltonhater

Cathy
Great news on the nuchal fold results! I also had this test done just over a week ago and the relief i felt just at knowing was well worth the cost of the scan.

Are you going to go for the anomaly scan too? im booked in for early december for this myself in the Rotunda. Staff there have been great

CathyMoran

I dont know if it is the anomoly scan but in the 20 week scan they check for anomolies if that makes any sense - we have ours booked a while. Are you in an at risk group? Hopefully we will know the sex of the baby then. Good luck!

hiltonhater

yeah thats the one, not really in the risk group as i am 32 with no history in the family BUT i am going to be a single mother and i have no contact with the father so i dont know about his side so i would rather pay the extra and find out all these things for my own peace of mind!

also i bought an Angel sounds doppler/fetal heart monitor and that is THE best present i ever bought myself. each evening i come in from work and sit down and have a listen to the babys heart! its a huge comfort to me.

CathyMoran

hiltonhater wrote: »

yeah thats the one, not really in the risk group as i am 32 with no history in the family BUT i am going to be a single mother and i have no contact with the father so i dont know about his side so i would rather pay the extra and find out all these things for my own peace of mind!

also i bought an Angel sounds doppler/fetal heart monitor and that is THE best present i ever bought myself. each evening i come in from work and sit down and have a listen to the babys heart! its a huge comfort to me.

We would not know the medical history on my husbands side as he is adopted but I just wanted to know the chances of the baby being ill, we would love it no matter what though...

My pregnancy is very high risk but the wait between scans is very tough, I am getting to the stage where we can feel baby move, it is subtle, sort of like gas but it isnt. Good luck, how far along are you? We are 14.5 at this stage...the best thing about the nuchal for me was that we got to see baby for a while, it is the most beautiful thing in the world.

hiltonhater

i am currently 14 + 3. have had a few of those bubble feelings late at night but no actual movement as yet!
the scans are brilliant for peace of mind, plus so cute to see baby moving around inside you - that is if unlike mine, your child isnt lazy haha i had to move about and cough etc for the nuchal fold cos the child was just lazing about! that was my 3rd scan, i paid for a pregnancy pack in the rotunda for private viability, first trimester and anomaly scans and needed 2 of the viability ones as the babys heartbeat wasnt great the first time round but was brilliant 2 weeks later!
cant wait for the anomaly now on 9th dec. i booked in for public in sept and the first scan they were going to give me was the 15th jan! hence going for the extra privately!

CathyMoran

hiltonhater wrote: »

i am currently 14 + 3. have had a few of those bubble feelings late at night but no actual movement as yet!
the scans are brilliant for peace of mind, plus so cute to see baby moving around inside you - that is if unlike mine, your child isnt lazy haha i had to move about and cough etc for the nuchal fold cos the child was just lazing about! that was my 3rd scan, i paid for a pregnancy pack in the rotunda for private viability, first trimester and anomaly scans and needed 2 of the viability ones as the babys heartbeat wasnt great the first time round but was brilliant 2 weeks later!
cant wait for the anomaly now on 9th dec. i booked in for public in sept and the first scan they were going to give me was the 15th jan! hence going for the extra privately!

Our babies are the same age then! I get scanned more regularly as my pregnancy is very, very high risk, but for low risk pregnancies Jan 15th seems very late. We are having a 3D scan done also. In the end of the day we will do everything possible to give this baby a chance. The wait between scans is the tough thing though...

hiltonhater

hi cathy, yep babies same age! im 15 weeks today! still no bump either which im miffed at but im sure it will come in time!

how you feeling at the moment? have you any sickness or nausea etc? i feel fantastic, feels like i am not even pregnant right now which would worry me only for the doppler