Down Syndrome - Baytown,TX

The quad is not a test it is a screening. A screening does not diagnose a problem. At this point you have a 1 or 2 out of 40 chance that your baby has Down's Syndrome. The following from http://www.medicinenet.com/quad_marker_screen_test/page3.htm

"What Does It Mean if the Quad Marker Screen Results Are Abnormal?
Quad marker screen results that are not in the normal range do not necessarily mean there is a problem in your pregnancy.

The quad marker screen is used for screening only, which means it can only assess your risk of having a baby with a certain birth defect (it is not used to diagnose the particular problem that may be present). If the quad marker screen results are not in the normal range, further tests such as an ultrasound or amniocentesis may be necessary.

Out of 1,000 pregnant women, approximately 50 will have quad marker screen results that indicate an increased risk for having a baby with a birth defect. Of those 50 women, only one or two will actually have a baby with an open neural tube defect. About 40 women will have quad marker screen results that show an increased risk for having a baby with Down syndrome and one or two will actually have a baby with Down syndrome."

Please, please know that many times the quad screening comes back positive but it is often wrong. It can come back positive if they test too early and if you are just now 18 weeks they may have tested too early. They can see so much on the level 2 ultrasounds that you shouldn't have to do anything invasive to further check.

But even if the test is correct this is not the worst thing that could happen. I have a friend that unexpectedly had a child with Down's at age 28. He is an amazing little boy. Yes, he required a lot more work than your average baby when he was little but they wouldn't change him for anything.

If the test is correct learn as much as you can while you are pregnant. Being prepared makes a huge difference. I never understand not wanting to know. If you know you are able to properly prepare and start off on the right foot instead of scrambling to learn after baby is born and you are trying to learn and are a new mom at the same time. You can already have a game plan in place with doctors and such.

Also, this baby will still be the greatest love of your life, he/she will still make you the happiest and proudest mom out there.

Do not feel bad for a minute about how you handle difficult news. Everyone has to deal with things in their own way. You have just gone news that may be nothing or it could be the start of a different path. That's life changing either way and you have every right to be upset and cry right now. You can not feel guilty about needing to cry right now! You are being flooded with all kinds of emotions.

Best to you and your family.

my first cousin had a healthy baby boy. doctors told her that he would have down syndrome. he is fine, smart, plays foot ball. he is big for his age (7). perhaps you will have the same results?

i dont mean to sound weird or cheesy when i say i enjoy people who have downs. they seem not to judge, have a heart of gold and make me wake up and look at LIFE and how i really should be living it.

if your baby does have down syndrome please contact other parents who have the same experience. some type of support group. also if you are depressed now and after the birth of your child please talk to your doctor about it. they really can help out with the baby blues. there are more hormones that are completly in over drive and can really effect your thinking and emotions. God bless your family.

First of all, I don't know how long ago you got your quad results, but it is perfectly reasonable to be freaked out and hyper-emotional about any potential "threat" to your baby's health and happiness. So be a little easier on yourself about that. Also keep in mind that your peace of mind is essential for your baby right now.

I am certain your doctor has gone through some of this, but please remember, there is a large occurrence of false positives on these blood tests. There are a many other tests and procedures that you can yet have to further clarify the likelihood and severity of any chromosomal disorders, so you are very much at the begining of this part of the journey. There is still hope, but there is also the opportunity for you to research and learn. (If your doctor has not explained this, get a new OB. Some doctors like to keep their patients in a state of terror so they will be more "obedient" maybe. You can do better.) Four days feels like a long time, but the genetics specialist will be able to answer a lot of questions for you and perhaps recommend a counselor.

I am 17 weeks pregnant with twins and for a variet of reasons have landed in the "high-risk" category. This sent me to a specialist who wanted to do all sorts of additional tests, most non-invasive. I have told my doctors that they can test my blood for anything they want, but I don't want any invasive tests that offer any kind of risk to my babies. From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I was totally in love. I decided a long time ago that there is no genetic disorder that would inspire me to terminate. It is a personal choice, I admit, but once I articulated that I would have my babies no matter what, it was calming. I wish you and your baby the best!

It will be a long few days but remind yourself that you do not know for sure if your baby has Downs. Do not turn your pain inward. Instead, live each day planning for a healthy baby. This is an exciting time! You mentioned your fiance' - are you planning a wedding? Do all the fun things now, creating a nursery, walking around the baby section of stores, making a baby registry at Target or Babies 'R Us, etc.

If you find out you are having a Downs Syndrome baby, you can make a plan then. Don't look for the negative and then give yourself the title that you have a history of depression. It is a way to trap yourself into a negative cycle. Choose to see the glass as half full. And be sure to read "A Trip to Holland" -- http://www.advocateforspecialneeds.com/A_Trip_To_Holland....

Every person I know who has a Down's Syndrome child is very happy. It is their choice. The children are even happier. I hardly ever see those kids sad. They teach me to always see the positive side of life.

If I'm not mistaken,the quad exam doesn't tell you if your child has Down's, it only gives you a probability. Yours might have come back as one of the higher probabilities. I think the only way to know for sure is through an amnio or after delivery. My best friend had a very high probability of Down's on her screening and her sister-in-law had the same. Neither of their children have Down's. Now, of course the possibility is there for any of us; if this did end up being your fate, just know you and your child will still have a wonderful and happy life. I know three different people who's children have Down's Syndrome. I just met one of them this past weekend, in fact, and she was a complete doll. She's 6 years old and when I walked in the front door, she welcomed me and shook my hand (the manners of a 30 year old!). She was a complete pleasure and always in such a great mood. But you have every right to stress over this. I know my girlfriend was a basket case until she had an amnio. Amniocentesis has it's risks, but if you can't go on with the worry, maybe you should have one. Call your doctor, tell them of your worry; they might have some information about the quad test that will help you feel less stressed. Until you know something for sure, try your hardest to not worry about it. Stress is hard on you, your baby and your relationship. It's a good start to have posted on this site. Just know that false positives are VERY common. This is why so many women opt out of the testing (they don't want to worry for nothing).

Take a deep breath! Now take another one.

It will be okay! You are allowed to be angry, sad, frightened, depressed. This is a hard thing to digest. But just because your baby tested positive, doesn't mean your baby actually has Downs. THere are false positives. There are also various degrees of Downs and no one knows just how everything will shake out until your baby is born.

First- this is NOT your fault. It is a random roll of the genetics dice.
2nd- research, research, research! Find all the information you can on what you are facing. Find a Downs Moms group and join. Go to their meetings, meet their kids, talk to them about their experiences.
3rd- keep an open mind. This is not a death sentence. Your child will have problems. But you can handle them.
4th- go to the geneticist with questions. You will most likely have a couple of genetics counseling sessions to do tests and to have your questions answered.
5th-seek counseling if you need to for yourself.

The scariest thing is not knowing what is going to happen. They best way to deal with that is to arm yourself with information.

Good Luck and I will say a little prayer for peace for you.

My heart truly goes out to you. It is really hard to be faced with something so hard and baby isn't even here yet. But I will say that many people say that they get that result in the quad screen but when they get the more in depth study every thing turns out fine. I have heard of that really often. But if your little one does have downs, as challenging as it is, many people lead full lives with downs. My sis had a condition called Rett syndrome. As tough as it was for my mom, I wouldn't have trade having her for a sister for anything in the world. As a kid I used to push her wheelchair as fast as possible and tell her she was on a roller coaster! My poor mother!! But she took it in stride and we only wiped out a few times;) Kids with disabilities are still kids:) They need kisses for boo boos, ice cream and picnics. They are blessings too. I wish you all the best and am sending you hugs!

Before you get too freaked out, please realize that those tests can be WRONG! I've known two people who had them come back as downs, and went through pure hell during their pregnancies. When the children were born, they were normal! One was my pastor's wife, whose daughter was valedictorian of her high school class and the other was my co-manager's wife, who had a perfectly normal baby boy. If I was in your shoes, I would stop all the testing and put it in God's hands. It will be what it will be, and will you love your baby any less? When I was pregnant I refused to get those tests done, because of the high error rate. It is not worth the emotional turmoil. God Bless you and your baby...

Your life with your baby is going to be wonderful. All children are challenging, you will just have different challenges.

Of course, you're scared. Of course, you're crying.

I was scared and cried all the time when I was pregnant. I'm scared *now* and both my kids are over four.

If you are not taking something for your depression, go see a psychiatrist and get something. Talk to your OB and find a support group. Or get online and find one. There are many moms out there who can say "I know EXACTLY how you feel". I don't know about anyone else, but that always makes me feel better, knowing that someone understands.

Much hugs and support to you.

I'm not sure if the test being positive means your will baby will have downs syndrome or if it just means its a probability. All I can say is that one of my good friends has a ds daughter and she is one of the sweetest, most loving, funny, cool kids I know. yes she is a little behind her peers academically and physically and yes my friend is constantly working to ensure her daughter is getting her needs met, no stone is left unturned in her pursuit of a high quality of life for her daughter. But they're family is one of the closest and funnest family I have ever met. When you have a baby life doesn't end it just changes. The same is true if you have a ds baby. So open your heart and mind and be ready for any challenge. Maybe you having a ds child is nature's way of complementing you on your grace or patience or understanding......because all children want those qualities in a parent, ecspecially children with special needs....good luck to you either way

Dee I must say this does seem like a horrible situation, but it is not.
This Child can be the love of your life for years to come, they have so much love to give it may be a gift you never realized you needed.
Second thought there are many families who love to adopt these children if you can not work it how. Anyhow GOd will help you thru this, just listen to your heart and let it live...

This EXACT same thing happened to me....twice.
There are a lot of false positives with this test. Both times I was carrying HEALTHY baby girls. In fact, this last time I was told that I had a 1 in 30 chance the baby had DS. There are a lot of clinics who no longer even recommend this test due to the high false positive rate. They told me that the quad test had fewer false positives than the triple screen but I still had the false positive.
As hard as this is, please try to relax and wait until your ultrasound. They can tell with a high degree of accuracy in most cases if your baby has DS or not with a high level ultrasound. So much so that my perinatologist did not recommend an amnio....he felt this confident that everything was OK...and it WAS.
Good luck!!!!

Hi Dee,
I am sending prayers your way. I pray that whether or your not your baby has Down's you and your fiance receive all the love, support and tools that you need to move through your grief and are able to to love and celebrate your baby.

One great tool for strong emotions is Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). Here is an article about it:
http://www.emofree.com/pdf-files/hegarty-eft-article.pdf
If you would like more resources feel free to contact me directly.
Blessings to you and your family,
K.

I feel for you Dee as I too went through very similar experience, I cried for a few weeks, asked "why me?", then had whole bunch of other testing done. At the end, decided, so be it. Anything can happen to my child after birth too, then what, was I going to return it? Fortunately in my case, little one was born perfectly healthy. Proving that these tests results are not guaranteed accurate.
I wish the very same for you.
Meanwhile, remember, it is your child, your decision, Pregnancy and depression are not a good combination. Hold your head high. Talk to people around you, get all the help you can. Every experience teaches us something.
Best wishes.

Dear Dee, my heart goes out to you .... Sue gave you some super advice, please read and re-read and take it to heart. I went through the same screening with the same result in two pregnancies and it was a false positive both times. No matter what happens, its not a sentence, so try to not dwell on what could be but talk with the genetic counselor that should be available through the screening quad test. Talk to friends, perhaps a counselor to talk through your anxiety. If in fact the ultrasound does show Downs or related syndromes, you can get help in planning for the care of your child. One of the best things a friend did for me while I waiting for the ultrasound appointment (10 days) was to arrange for me to talk with and meet a family that had a child with Downs. Surprise! the family was just like me and their little one was delightful and the other children all pitched in to help with his special needs. It helped me go to my appointment to be more accepting of what I anticipated would be the bad end of possibilities.

What you are going through is very normally, but because of your history you are to be applauded that you are seeking advice so you don't become consumed with anxiety. Your baby needs you working on all cylinders and being happy, not stressed.

The best of luck to you!

Those tests are not 100%. I was pregnant with twins and the doc did not recommend any tests because they give false positives. I am older and so I was high risk anyway. I opted for no tests. It did not make a difference to me if my babies were born with issues. Our friend has a 4 month old and diagnosed with DS right after she was born. There will be medical issues but you just deal with them. You just do. Don't spend your pregnancy worrying about the unknown. Enjoy this time, the more you stress the more your baby will stress and that is not what you want to do. Do not be scared for you and your baby. Many people have persevered with harsher obstacles.

First, don't jump to there yet. As your doctor has I am sure informed you, the quad exam is not very accurate. They range from 60-80 percent. I actually have a close friend who had a positive on the quad with their 3rd child for Down's but the test turned out to be false. The little girl is absolutely healthy and fine and does NOT have Down's. There have been law suits over these exams because of parents opting to end a pregnancy only to find out there were no problems. So, a positive on the quad doesn't mean anything yet, don't let yourself get too stressed until you find out the genetic testing.

Second, if the genetic testing does reveal a problem - there is no reason to feel guilty for your feelings. They are normal and any mom would feel the same. The best you can do is to try to be proactive and find out as much information as you can, join a support group and talk to other mom's who have been through it. Yes, there will be challenges with raising a Down's baby, but it can be full of blessings as well.

Your worry is normal, but just keep in mind your fiance feels the same. Everyone deals differently and if you love each other you will support each other as much as you can.

Your baby is probably the most healthy baby in the world. Hearing a diagnosis like that is so breathtaking words do not describe.

I denied the quad screening with both my children. Now that I do have a Down's baby, I am sooooo grateful to have denied that test. I am just about ready to get legislation going to ban that test. It is so inaccurate and all it does is robs the parents of the joys of pregnancy and birth.

We found out at two months that my daughter has Down's. I had a beautiful pregnancy and birth with her and enjoyed all the joys that go with that. I came to love my baby as I would a normal child. When we got the diagnosis, it was hard to see her as anything but that same wonderful child we brought home from the hospital. I was physically ill for about two weeks and then acceptance came.

This time of pregnancy is one for joy and rejoicing. God will provide all that will be needed to provide for your child, healthy or not. One thing the more accurate test by amnio does not say is to what degree your child would even be affected.

Accept in your mind your child is just fine. Enjoy your pregnancy and don't let anything rob you of the most wonderful time in your life. You can't go back and have a do ever when you see in hindsight it was all for nothing, nothing but taking something from you that should never have been taken. Bringing a child into this world is the scariest thing. It is a walk of faith like none other. Turn your concerns over to God and your doctor's and enjoy.

I have never heard anyone say that a positive quad screening actually turned out positive. (I haven't read these other posts BTW, but previously have not).

This is your pregnancy. It is for you to enjoy!

I am also a worrier (this is why I've never had any of these screenings done - I am not high risk and I don't want to spend the whole pregnancy worrying) and so I understand that this urge is extremely hard if not impossible to control, but try to remember that worrying isn't going to get you anywhere, and you can't change what already is. False positives on the quad scan are quite common, and everyone I know who has received a positive on the test has had a healthy child.

Even if this isn't a false positive, you need to think about why you decided to take this test. What were you hoping to accomplish? Were you hoping to get a jump start on planning for a down syndrome baby if it came up positive? Will you research resources for raising a Down Syndrome baby and find support groups? Are you going to consider termination? You should have a list of questions ready to ask both the ultra-sound tech and also your doctor about false positives, false negatives, and potential resources, not only about the tests but also about Down Syndrome. If the ultra-sound test comes back negative, there are other tests you can do to give you a conclusive answer, but there are also risks involved with those tests, too. Educate yourself before you go to talk to the doctor so that you can make a calm and informed decision.

Finally, try to keep in mind that none of us are guaranteed healthy children. We all hope and pray with all our might that God will bless us with healthy children, but there are no tests for autism in the womb, or for some other forms of mental retardation, and certainly no one knows about future cancers or car accidents. You also may not know the severity of Down Syndrome, which can often be quite mild. Having children is a leap of faith, and I hope you will hold that in your heart and remember that each of us takes that leap without knowing what's on the other side. And that's okay. That's what life is about. Good luck.

Its easy to feel like the whole world is coming down on you when you have a history of depression and you are pregnant but something isn't going right. I have a history of depression and my baby is almost five months old but she already has so many problems. While I was pregnant I found out that she had a hole in her heart, it was devastating. I worried and worried, but it turned out that the heart issue was minor compared to what was to come. Shortly after she was born I found out that she had liver disease and something called polyspleenia. I literally wanted to drive my car off a cliff, but thank God I love my family too much to do anything like that. Since then I have found strength in places I never new existed. I've had to ask myself "how will I be able to tell her everything is going to be alright and that she can get through this if I don't believe it myself?". I was already told once by a room full of doctors to just give up and let her pass away. Amazingly enough (after a lot of crying), I just picked up and kept on fighting for her . Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of hard days. But, I love her so much and I wouldn't trade one moment spent with her for the world. I used to wonder how someone with my emotional issues could be chosen to deal with so much more than I ever thought I could handle, but I realize now that I was chosen because ultimately, I could handle it. I wish you and your family al the best and God bless (believe it or not he already has).

Hi, I'm sorry I can't take the time to read all the responses, but I just wanted you to know this happened to me too. My results came back as a 1 in 40 chance of my 3rd daughter having DS. She is now 5 and is chromosomally normal in every way. I also fretted and worried and cried about it after I got the test results. DH and I both knew that we would not abort no matter the results of further testing so we opted not to do the amnio, but I did have the high-level ultrasound which showed no abnormal markers, so that made me feel better. What really got me to stop 'freaking out' was one day when I was fretting to my husband about all my concerns about the baby, and he said to me 'We get what we get, and we don't throw a fit,' which is what we'd always said to our 2 older daughters when they started to have a tantrum about something. I had to laugh and for some reason after that I just knew that whatever happened, we would deal with it and it would be fine. We would love this baby as much as our other two children and everything would work out. So I stopped worrying and relaxed and actually enjoyed the pregnancy. Then of course our daughter was fine so it all turned out well. Remember this test does have a really high rate of false positives. I know it is easier said than done but try not to worry and if you and your fiance feel strongly that termination is not an answer for you, realize that you will love your baby with all your heart no matter what. You will all be fine!!! Sending lots of hugs your way. Best wishes and congratulations! :-)

Dee,
I really hate the quad screen test. It has given me and many of my friends quite a scare. I had a similar experience in early pregnancy, my quad screen came back with a 1/24 chance of my baby having Downs. I understand your freak-out completely! The day I was schedulded to have an amniocentesis, they screwed up some of my labs that determined the chances of Down's, so we rescheduled, and ultimately decided not to get the amnio, no matter what the outcome would've been, we were not having an abortion. In July last year we had a completly healthy girl. Those tests can be misleading.
Do you know for sure what the odds are for Down's in your baby? You are not alone in this. I'm sorry that you are going thru it. If you'd like to talk my email is ____@____.com

The Quad screen is a joke, so many friends have been scared to death by this inaccurate test. Not to mention being robbed of a happy healthy pregnancy. Just put your faith in god, and all will be well. I know this is easier said then done. When I was pregnant with my first child they asked me about this test, I asked the nurse and she asked me what will you do if it is positive? We both said nothing, so she suggested leave it alone. Then she said besides I have been working here 14 years and have seen this test come back positive a gillion times, and so far we have never had a baby come back with downs. Pretty sad if you ask me for accuracy. If you feel like it may be more than you can handle don't be afraid to ask for help. Depression during pregnancy is VERY common and you do not have to suffer. Do not rob you and your family from feeling good. There are many options, medication, therapy etc. ASK for help don't be scared. I promise you the doctors and professionals have heard EVERYTHING. Having suffered with EXTREME ppd I feel your pain, but I knew I deserved better and within 2 weeks of my daughter being born I went for help. I have never felt better and you can too!!! PM me if I can help!

Hi Dee - I've been through this too where I got test results that scared me to death. I reacted just like you did, heck, just like any of us would in this situation! Your reaction is totally normal.

Remember, the test only tells the doctor that more information is needed, it doesnt diagnose a condition. Wait until you have real information from the high resolution ultra sound. My experience with the high-risk doc was very good in that he was very reassuring and knowledgeable - I hope your experience is similar.

False positives are very very very common- which is why they follow-up with the additional testing. My sister's quad came back the same way and the follow-up testing revealed twins.

Having said that, if your child does have Downs, you have the next several months to prepare and find out about all of the resources in your community! Many children with chromosomal syndromes are helped greatly through Early Intervention and special education services. Reach out to the local support groups and get involved in local resources.

Take a deep breath and remember that you will have the strength to love your child no matter what!

Pray for God's guidance. He is there for you. God will made a way for you thru this situation.God can heal the baby from the down syndrome.Just trust in God. He is a awesome and powerful God.

Dee-

We chose not to get the quad screen with both pregnancies because there are SO many false positives and false negatives for issues like Down Syndrome. I, too, know of people who were told their child had the extra chromosome that causes Down Syndrome, but they bore completely healthy children.

It's impossible to tell you not to worry - but, at this point in time, there's nothing you can do to change anything, so try to focus your energies on keeping that baby healthy by being as stress free as possible.

Almost everyone I know with a child who has down syndrome says they are the greatest blessing in their lives. If your ultrasound shows the characteristics of down syndrome, you have a lot of time to prepare yourselves emotionally, but I promise you will love this child every bit as much.

None of us know what the health of our children and ourselves will be from one day to the next. I learned the hard way when diagnosed with cancer a few weeks after the birth of my daughter almost 2 years ago. I worry EVERY day about one of my kids having inherited a bad gene from me and having to go through treatment.

This child will be a blessing and will teach you more about unconditional love than anything else in this world.

Good luck over the next few days!

Go for the ultrasound and try to rest easy. I had a false positive with my first and then didn't have any others tests after that. My youngest child is a foster child with Down's syndrome and he was diagnosed at birth. I got him at six months and I knew he had Down's going into it. He is the best baby I have ever known and he is really a typical 8 month old now. They have varying degrees of severity of course but the diagnosis could be worse. Try to look at the positives. Also if the start to press for an amnio or cvs, make sure you weigh the pros and cons before you do anything. Best of luck.

I know this may sound crazy, but please don't worry too much until after you've been to the specialist appointment. My sister had a false positive for down syndrome with her 4th baby (and first girl). We cried and worried for several days, just to find out that it's not so unusual to have a false positive. They actually told us it happens fairly often.

I know nothing will truly ease your mind until after the results are in, but for your health and the health of your baby, I wanted you to know it isn't unheard of for these tests to be wrong.

The quad test is not always accurate. I have a friend who was told the same thing and then the ultrasound showed no abnormalities. Good luck!

False positives on this screen are very, very common. Your age is multilpled in to the formula, so the older you are, the higher your chances of having a positive result.

Chances are good that your baby is not Downs, but even if the worst happens, there is nothing to fear and it certainly does you no good to get depressed or cry about a screen. If you continue to spiral, see a therapist and get some help.

I have had the same expeirence, but the screen was wrong. I happens more than you would think. Your baby is probably just fine, but if you have a child who has down syndrome, it will be fine too. Babies come in many varieties...they are still gifts if you know what you are looking for. I hope you can let go of the fear, and settle down for your babies sake, you really have less to fear than you know, either way!

M.

I can't see others responses, but surely you have been told that these tests are known for false positives. If it is truly positive, you now have the opportunity to connect with other mom's to understand better what you are about to go through. I'm sure many mother's will tell you that having a downs child has been the hugest blessing of their lives. Please keep it on the positives and know that you are not alone.

most likely a false positive. try to think happy thoughts and under no circumstance do you need to stress about it. we wou;dn't say it if we didn't have experience with these down syndrome false positives.
good luck

I was in the same situation and the genetics dr. said "Well, I guess you are going to have to find something else to worry about. Your baby is fine". Chances are, the same will happen with you. Please try not to worry too much until you know for sure.

IF your baby does have Down's Syndrome, you can start thinking about it. Worrying now will just cause you (and baby) more stress, and it won't change anything. Best wishes to all of you!

By probability alone 1 in 6 tests can be a false positive. In addition to probability you have the fact that studies on the quad test show a false positive rate between 5.4% (study touted by company) and 14.6% which is a high number of women who have to go through what you are going through right now for no reason at all. So, keep your chin up, prepare yourself of course, but know that sometimes tests are invalid. My lil brother supposedly died in my moms womb, Dr. said there was no heartbeat (at 7 months) and did everything he could to get my mama to let him remove the "dead" fetus. My mama knew differently and because she stayed strong, and relied on her inner peace my healthy happy brother (who is now 29) was born a few months later. Had the docs 20+ years ago been right I would've never been teased, had my hair pulled, or hid in the bathroom from an incredibly fun brother. Best Wishes, and know I will be praying for YOU and for that baby of yours...

There are so many false positives in a lot of these tests for pre-screening. I know you said that they are now saying that everything is ok and there doesn't seem to be signs of Down syndrome but if you do have a child with Down syndrome it is not the end of the world. I have 2 beautiful and wonderful little girls with Down syndrome and I feel so blessed. They have shown me that there is so much to life and to discover. Yes there are and can be challenges but the rewards that I have gotten are so worth it. Congratulations on the baby being a boy and I pray all goes well for you and your fiance. God bless you all K. S