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Nuchal Scan

Hiya!

It's been aaages since I last posted due to awful morning sickness!! Starting to feel bit better now thankfully!!!

I don't know if anyone can help but after my 12 week scan yesterday (now 12wk 4days) a midwife explained that as I am expecting twins the Triple Test (which i thought was to test for 3 different things!!!oops) would not be accurate and that we would need a nuchal scan in Leeds in the next week if we wanted to find out the chances one of the twins would hae Downs Syndrome.

Anyway.. I hae booked this now for next Thursday... Has anyone had this done? Lots of people seem not to hae bothered haing the triple test so i don't know if i am doing the right thing. I am 29 years old so they say there is a chance of 1 in 800 but the fact is, as my consultant pointed out, I would not take any action if the baby had Downs (esp as there is another baby to consider too!) and we had Fertility treatment to get these babies in the first place.

I suppose I am thinking about it a little too much but my original desire to hae the test was so that I could be prepared/informed if one baby had a higher chance of DS. Now I am thinking maybe I should just forget the test altogether and stop stressing about the fact that i am worrying about two babies deelopment instead of just one!!

Sorry if the aboe id hard to follow (and I hae broken the letter on my laptop that is a half of this one 'w' so bits missing from the whole things!!!

Hope eeryone is doing well xxxxx

Replies

  • We opted to have it but only because, as you say, we wanted to be prepared and know in advance. It's entirely up to you whether you go ahead or not but I totally understand your dilemma. Fortunately for us the risk came out as very low so all turned out OK.

    A
    31+3 ID twins
  • Hey hun...as you know im about a week and a half ahead of you with my twins (I think - im 13 + 6 today). We were also told that the triple test would be useless (and I also thought it was for 3 different things - isnt it?!) as were having twins and were told if we wanted the test done we would need a nuchal scan. Problem was the nuchal scan isnt done at my local hospital. We would need to travel an hour in either direction for them to give us a 'rough idea' as to whether one baby had downs (their words, not mine). We decided against it. My consultant also said that they would do full anatomy check throughout the pg and, while this isnt testing for downs, it will give us an idea of anything that 'may' be wrong. The other thing is that we also wouldnt do anything, or risk the other tests, if the chance came back so having the scan seemed pointless. It would be nice to be prepared but the consultant also pointed out that these tests are not diffinitive, so we still wouldnt really 'know' (my consultant sounds really agianst it - she wasnt, just trying to give us the facts)

    Sorry for rambling. Its a choice only you and OH can make. We decided against it, but thats us.

    How are you feeling now? Im off work at the moment with a threatened miscarriage. Bled lots but nothing since Monday so feeling hopeful. Still in pain but been told thats normal and have heard heartbeat twice (Sat and Tues). Have given in a bought a doppler, although if it doesnt work will be throwing it out!!!

    Gemma xxx
  • Thanks for the replies ladies!

    Gemma- I got the impression my consultant didn't really see the point either- in fact he didn't mention an option other than the triple test (apparently it's called the triple because they look at 3 different things in your blood but it is only to test for DS).
    I was thinking the same as you regading the fact that you get a lot more monitoring with twins anyway...

    So sorry to hear about the bleeding - it's such a shock. I had bleeding (the bright red scary kind) on and off until about 8 weeks and can understand how you are feeling. Hearing the heartbeat is reassuring though - could the pain be normal ligament stretching?? they say its worse with twins... I hope the Doppler works and can gie you some reassurance. The only thing i was told when i bled was simply that they couldn't keep giing me scans as it would oerload the babies and that anything you will get with a single pregnancy is doubled with twins! (not much help when you are worried silly!!!!). Keep us updated, sending you a big hug xxx
  • I think the decision is completely up to you. I had the nuchal scan done as me and my partner talked about it and really wanted as much information as we could safely get.
    But it's a personal decision to make, and while it is more accurate than the triple test (obviously in your case you can't have that) it is still only a risk factor and will not give any definate answers.

    I know that prob hasn't helped but it is a personal choice to make so I don't want to give you any opinions.

    Take care and focus on growing those lovely babies!
  • Thanx hun. Im ok. Bored stiff as ive been signed off work. My head teacher wants me to be off until half term (another 3 weeks!) but I dont think I could handle that. I have never been so scared in my life. After the mc and getting pg so quickly, then finding it was ID twins, makes it so much more high risk and im petrified. I do think the pains are ligament pains coz they dont hurt when im relaxing. Driving the car was agony, which im suspecting was because I was using those particular ligaments. I also think that babies are slowly moving out of my pelvis, because my bump is hard and lumpy low down, but above the pelvis. Have had lots of brown discharge since Monday but mw has assured me that this is good news and I should see this as a positive.

    Im looking forward to getting the doppler if it works, although the only reason I bought one is because I feel that it wont worry me if not as I know it isnt easy. I think to listen every couple of days will ease things until they begin to move. Have decided now that I hate being pg! Want to skip the next 6 months and have these babies in my arms, although I know ill have other things to worry about then! ARGH...its never ending.

    With regards to the nuchal scan. It wont harm babies to have it. Our only concern is finding out that there was a risk and not knowing what to do. I am only 24, so I know there is quite a low risk anyway. The decision is yours and OH and noone elses. It took us 3 days to decide properly.

    Gemma 13 + 6 with ID twins
  • Hi and sorry your having such a time of it all. m/s is a good sign even if it doesnt feel like it.

    Ive had the nuchal with all 3 of mine as hospital offeres it routinely and i will have it again at 12 weeks. the way i look at it is that it doesnt do any harm to have it done, and if it does make me higher risk at least i cld prepare myself for the 20 week scan and you get to see babies again. but as everyone says its totally up to you

    xxDBxx
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