Pregnancy & Genetic Testing

This thought may sound naive, but even if there is a defect in the baby and you choose not to have thetesting, for nine months it can be a normal healthy baby. Enjoy the nine months and if everything works out, it's just icing on the cake!

I have made it very clear to my doc that I do not want any kind of genetic testing because 1. of the risks involved, and 2. because regardless of whether my baby has birth defects or not, I want to keep him. To me, the risk isn't worth the knowledge. In addition, I have had 2 friends that had amnio, and 1 of them, the test came out wrong, and said there was an abnormality when there wasn't. It made her worry her whole pregnancy for nothing. Don't do it.

Whatever you choose, just know that my mom was 41 when she had me and 42 when she had my younger sister and neither of us were born with birth defects.

I am just going to tell you what my experience was and how I feel and let you get some advise from others. I am 35 and have a 10 month old. I have had three high risk pregnancies and three miscarriages. I had to have an amnio done with my last pregnancy, not for genetics but to find out if she would be able to be delivered early. I did not like the whole procedure. I was very nervous about the whole thing and found out later that one of my freinds had one done and ended up in the operating room having an emergency c-section after the needle scraped her daughters leg and she went into pre term labor. I did have the genetic testing done that they were able to do drawing my blood earlier in my pregnancy but not on the amnio fluid. I guess I had already decided that it would not have mattered if my baby did have some genetic problems esp downs because I still would have had the baby and I would have treated that baby like a normal member of our family. I definitly would have had her anyway. After having three miscarriages I have come to respect that a life is a life even if it has a few flaws. My husband also said that if we had another baby that he would not want me to have the amnio again. He had a very hard time watching it. Hope you get lots of good feedback either way and make the dicision thats right for you.

I think your decision migtht be easier if you know what you will do if you get "bad news" if you plan on keeping the baby no matter what why bother with the testing? if you will consider terminating then do the one with "fewer risks"

I chose not to do the testing on with either of my 2 children. I felt that the risk of miscarrige to find out something I was going to nothing about was too high. As it turns out I have 2 very healthy and wonderful little girls with Down syndrome and really couldn't feel more blessed. I am probably a rare case as the incidence of having 2 is high but I have never regretted my decision. God made these 2 little girls and placed them in my care and I am truely blessed. I was 39 with my first and 41 with my second and at 48 would still make the same decision. The risk of having a child with a birth defect can occur at any age, I know a lot of people much younger that have a child with Down syndrome and many older women who do not. Good luck with your decision but keep in mind the risk for miscarrige and the chance for a lot of false positives is also high.

This is a personal decision. I guess the question is, would it matter to you and your husband if your child did have genetic/birth defect?? If it does, then theirs your answer.

Here's my two cents, which is similar to what many others have already said: I have two normal, healthy kids, born when I was 39 and 42. I had the quad screen (blood test) done with my first one, and it showed GREATLY increased (1 in 6) odds of Down Syndrome. We knew we wouldn't terminate the pregnancy no matter what (they're IVF babies--we worked hard to conceive them), and we didn't want to risk a miscarriage with the amnio. On the other hand, I didn't want to find out in the delivery room--I wanted at least a little time to mentally prepare myself. We chose to have an amnio at 34 weeks, which is the point where my OB wouldn't have done anything to stop my labor had I gone into labor on my own. It was normal. I spent almost the entire pregnancy with the knowledge that it was quite possible that my baby had DS, which was pretty stressful. We didn't do any testing with my daughter. We knew we wanted her no matter what, and since she's not the first baby, I felt like I didn't have as much of a need to know before she was born. I delivered at U of M, so there was no need to deliver at a hospital with a better NICU if the baby had problems at birth. I guess it boils down to this: is there a reason, practical or emotional, why you need to know?

For me, myself, I wouldn't have it done because it wouldn't make a difference in my decision in carrying through with the pregnancy or not. I would choose to have the baby and to keep the baby no matter what the outcome were. There are risks with amneo's. If you decide to do this, make sure you are aware of everything. Just ask yourself if it's worth it to you. If the outcome is other that a 'perfect' baby... would it change your mind? Or would you want to know for the rest of your pregnancy?

I was 39 and pregnant wiht my first (we also have a number 2). I asked my doctor what tests he recommends. He said about amnio... What would you do with the results? Well, there is a higher risk that the test may damage the fetus than for me to have anything wrong (no genetic stuff in our family history and I wouldn't abort), so he didn't recommend any tests.

So, I ask you... what would you do with the results? Once you ask that question, you'll be able to decide. Hope all goes well with the pregnancy.

Since there are risks including miscarriage with undergoing some of these tests I would consider what you would do with the results once you got them. In our case I choose not to risk the pregnancy for the results (since we already had a history of miscarriage and fertility problems) - because I knew that I would not choose to abort even if the baby had a genetic condition. If this is the case for you then you may want to elect not to do the tests. If on the other hand you would choose differently in terms of carrying the child then you may want to take the tests. Keep in mind though that there are errors in the test - and it could detect a disorder that is actually not there, which could cause a lot of unneccesary stress. Just arm yourself with information, ask lots of questions, and then follow your heart. Best of luck and congratulations on your pregnancy!

Twenty-three years ago when I became pregnant with my third child I was 37 years old. My doctor, like yours, recommended amniocentesis to check for birth defects.

The question you need to ask yourself is "What would I do if the test did show a birth defect?" You would abort? If you would keep the baby no matter what the test showed, then what is the purpose of the test? For me, the real question was "How will the test results affect my pregnancy?"

I nervously went ahead with the amnio with no ill side effects. My lovely, healthy daughter turns twenty-two next week.

One positive about the test: I knew for certain the gender of my baby. After having two boys, it was fun for me to decorate a nursery all in pink!

About me: proud mother of two sons (35 & 32) and one daughter (almost 22); grandmother to a 17 month old with another due in a month.

T.,

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I had my first child at 41, a completely normal pregnancy and our son is a happy and healthy toddler now.

All of my prenatal care was with a group of midwives who were very positive about "late" pregnancies. They said they would rather have a healthy older woman than a younger woman who lived an unhealthy lifestyle (poor diet, financial stress etc)

I declined all the genetic testing offered to me because my husband and I did our research and felt that we did not want to unnecessarily introduce risk into our pregnancy.

While you might be considered "high risk" because of your age alone, I hope you have a doctor who will not treat you as "high risk" unless there is another reason besides age.

I hope you have a healthy and happy pregnancy and a safe delivery.

M.

CVS is not only a blood draw its actually an invasive test. It carries a higher chance of miscarriage than the amnio. I did not do any of the test because the results do not change anything for me, it will still be my baby. If you want to know and feel the need to test I would do the amnio, its been around longer and statically is "safer". I know a women who has a child w/ a rare defect and so when she was pregnant w/ her 2nd child the decided to do the CVS to see what they were dealing with. The baby was healthy but she ended up w/ an infection from the CVS and miscarried from that. It is hard choice but i wish you luck and if the test results will not change anything for you then I would recc. not doing them.

I was 36 and 38 when I had my last two healthy babies.....I did not have the amnio testing - it is a personal choice but you also have to think about the what if...if you can honestly say if my child is born with a birth defect I am OK whit it, then you have your answer. I did do the CVS - its only blood they draw and felt if they showed something "abnormal" then i would have a better idea as to what to do if i choose to....

I guess you just need to ask yourself if it matters if you have a baby with the genetic abnormality...Would it make a difference on whether or not you terminate the baby? I personally denied all the testing because I would still chose to keep the baby and I didn't want to worry for the next few months.

Hi T. -

I became pregnant with triplets at age thirty-five and chose not to have the testing done because of the risks associated with it (a multiple pregnancy is risky enough as it is!). It's really going to have to be a decision you make based on your gut feeling.

Dana

Hi T.,

I had went through the amniocentesis at your age, and yes I would recommend it. I don't know where you are going to have it done if you do, but I went out to MSU and they show you a little documentary on how it's done and what to expect and talk to you about it and then you can make up your mind. It sounds like it could be very scary to have the procedure done and I got a little nervous and wanted to back out of it, but once you get it done it really doesn't hurt at all. In fact it was quite interesting to watch. At your age it is a good thing to have done to find out if anything could go wrong, plus you can find out the sex of your child without a doubt. I had a healthy baby girl 20 years ago, technology is great. Of course she had to have surgery 21 days after she was born because she had a birth defect inside of her that had be corrected but she is fine now because of that. I had a healthy son before her so please don't take any chances, you won't regret it. Good luck, hope everything turns out for you.
S. V.

Hi T.! I certainly empathize as I am going through the very same thing right now. I'm 38 and pregnant with my second child. I had my son at 36 (who was perfectly healthy!) I chose not to get the genetic testing done with both pregnancies. It's a decision that you and your husband will have to make, but I urge you to ask yourself one question: what will you do with the information gained from the testing? My husband and I knew that abortion was not an option for us and therefore we have chosen not to bother with these tests. There are risks involved with some of the tests, such as the amniocentesis and they are not always accurate. As a matter of fact, when my sister-in-law was pregnant she had the testing done and they told her that my nephew had "mongoloid tendencies." Which doesn't really tell them much, but he is perfectly healthy and age 6! Good luck with your decision and I certainly pray that all is well with your baby and pregnancy.

Something to think about...if you found out your child would have down syndrome or whatever, would you act on that? If you might consider an abortion or you would really, really like to know ahead of time, then get the test. Personally, I wouldn't want to know, so I won't get the tests. I wouldn't want to be in the position of feeling like I had to make a decision about an abortion...I couldn't do it. I'd also be worried about a false positive. I wouldn't mind knowing ahead of time to try and prepare, but the other things outweigh the desire to know ahead of time. I also have experience with a cognitively impaired sister, so I don't feel that it would take me as long to get support and resources if I was "surprised" by the birth of a special needs child.

Remember that the risk is gradually increased as you get older. 35 is not a magic age. The reason testing is done beginning at age 35 is because that's the first age at which the risk of the test causing a miscarriage is equal to the risk of the child having a problem. For example, the test may carry a 3% risk of miscarriage (I'm totally making that number up...no idea what the real risk is). So at age 34 your likelihood of a child with problems may be 2%, then 3% at age 35, 4% at age 36, etc. Again, the numbers are made up just to illustrate the point that you wouldn't do the test at age 34 because the test is riskier than the possibility of a child with problems. At age 35 the risk is the same, then at age 36 the likelihood of a child with problems is slightly higher than the risk of losing the baby with the test, etc. I apologize if you already know this, but I talk to a lot of people who think your risks jump way up at age 35, and they don't. Every year brings more risk...it's a continuum.

Hi T.:

I personally know of two women who had that test done, received negative results, were stressed their entire pregnancies and ended up having perfectly healthy babies!

This is just my opinion, but don't bother taking it! No need for the added stresses involved. I pray you have a happy, healthy baby.

Hi T.,

I was 34 when my daugher was born, so if we decide to have another child I will be in that 'over 35 category'. I did all the research when I was pregnant the first time around.

First, there are many many many complications with each of those tests. Each test carries a risk of harming the baby in some way. Although the doctors will tell you it is not likely, it still can happen.

Second, the tests are not 100% accurate. Matter of fact, some of them have a pretty LOW accuracy rate. So, you can end up getting a fals-negative result. Which of course is just very stressful.

Third, the REAL increase in birth defects happens around 40 or 45 years of age, not 35.

My husband and I discussed at length this whole thing while I was pregnant. My doctor asked a few times if I wanted them done since I was 'older', even though I wasn't 35. We opted not to. We are christians and knew we would be keeping the baby regardless of what any test said. We do not believe in terminating a pregnancy just because they say something is wrong with the child.

There is the argument that if you know in advance you can prepare yourself. I really don't think that is the case. There is really no way you can prepare yourself for this kind of thing. Also, the bond that takes place during the birthing process between mother and baby is quite strong and in most cases can over come any 'problems'.

If you know in advance all you are doing is putting stress on yourself and in turn on the baby. Also, there is the fact that you can get a fals-negative reading. So then you have undergone all this stress for no reason.

In my opinion doctors too often want to control each and every single moment of a woman's pregnancy and L&D. They do not wish it to be the natural process that it is meant to be.

If I were you, I would not have the testing done. You chose to get pregnant, which means you want another baby. If it were me, I would just accept whatever gift was being given to me, no matter what package it is being offered in.

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

IMO - unless you would give up the baby if there WAS something wrong, it's an unnecessary thing to put yourself and your baby through.

I say it depends. I went ahead with testing that my doc recommended because I really didn't know any better. I assumed that I needed these tests. One came back slightly high so the world of possible Downs was thrown in my face! I decided that I needed to know...not because it would change my decisions...but because I didn't want undue worry for the rest of my pregnancy. I needed to prepare and educate myself if, in fact, God put a Down's baby in my hands. My amnio was normal and I was glad I had it done. The next go-round, however, I opted NOT to have the blood tests.

I should mention, however that I have had 3 amnio's (different reasons) by 3 different docs...it's all about technique. Do your research and find a doc who is well practiced in them...on of the docs I had was TERRIBLE!

~L.

If you want to know and have to know for sure whether your child has genetic defects, do the amnio. It's the most accurate test but it does carry a risk of miscarriage. I can tell you from experience the other tests - blood tests, ultrasound, etc. do not tell you. I have a son with Down Syndrome and my tests all came back normal. I was 26 at the time. I have friends who had those tests come back with problems and their babies were fine - all that worrying for NOTHING. Keep in mind 80% of children born with Down Syndrome (the most common genetic defect) are born to mothers UNDER 35. With my second child we opted not to have any testing - just a few ultrasound pics for the scrapbook.

T.,

I had my first child at 36. My husband and I were trying to get pregnant from the very beginning of our marriage and it took awhile. My doctor asked me about the tests as well. I told him no. There are risks with the tests. I told him it wouldn't matter if the baby had any issues (ie Downs Syndrome), I would keep the baby and deal with it at that point. I had a healthy baby boy. At 39, I had a healthy baby girl. I did not have tests with either. Also, I had healthier pregnancies than women 10 years younger than me.

What I hear is that you take good care of yourself and had a healthy baby the first time. Basically, "If it is not broke why fix it?". It is your choice.

Something else, if you are a spiritual person, consider praying. I believe praying to God is stronger than any test!

M.

My friend just went through an amnio last week as the ultrasound tech suspected downs syndrome in her unborn son. She decided on the amnio and everything is now fine. But....I personally don't feel the risk of miscarriage was worth it. As I told her, "Would you love the baby any less if he has downs?" I would opt out unless the ultrasound shows some sort of extreme deformity, which is highly unlikely. I personally feel that doctors overreact when it comes to age issues. 40 is the new 30. I had my son at the age of 34 and he was fine. What's another year or two? The stars are having babies in their 40's and women have been doing this forever. Doctors need to chill out a bit! I wish you the best and please keep us updated. :)

I encourage you to do it. It's testing that's available to you and will hopefully help to put your mind at ease. The pros definintely outweigh the cons.

T.-

I'm 38 and 18 weeks pregnant with my first and can understand yor concern about this matter. I was overwhelmed with fear after reading a bunch of pregnancy books at the beginning of my pregnancy because of all of the statistics thrown at us "older" moms-to-be. Then, I decided that it really wouldn't matter what the results of the tests were, I was going to have this baby no matter what. Also, I have since discovered that the only reason these tests are recommended at 35 is because the risk of the tests causing an abortion is equal to the positive results, which are both 2% of babies tested. Also,the overwhelming majority of positive results are wrong (about 80% according to my research) for these "risk factor" tests (which means they test the possibility of a defect not the actual presence of one.) A family friend had the down syndrome test when she was pregnant and received a positive but decided to keep the baby anyway. She had a very stressful pregnancy, but delivered a perfectly healthy and "normal" baby.

I hope this helps alleviate some of your anxiety. There is also a very positive and uplifting magazine called PLUM that I found at Borders that is published specifically for pregnant women over 35. I found it inspiring. It's only published four times a year, but I am guessing the fall issue will be coming out soon. I highly recommend it! It put a lot of things in perspective for me and made me feel confident as an older mom to be about what I have to offer my baby, now and after she is born.

I wish you all the best!
-N.

The question I ask myself whenever "tests" are recommended - How will this change the outcome of anything? If the answer to that truly will change the course of treatment then I consider it; but if the answer does not change the course of the treatment and is just for knowledges sake, I would really question it.

Just to reinforce what others have said. If the test doesn't reveal anything 100% or that they can fix, why take it. I didn't take it because it didn't matter to me and I wasn't going to abort regardless. Have Faith!

congratulations!
i was 36 when i had my first son and declined all the testing. my ob/gyn sent me down to a doctors in saginaw and they did a 3D ultra sound and did all the measuring and such that they do to rule out any downs and others. I wouldnt of loved him any less if he was downs anyway, but this was apparantly their practice. i have to admit, the 3D was awesome too!!!
follow your heart!
good luck
kim

Well, first off you have to figure out that if you for some reason did get bad news that the baby has something wrong, would you abort or do anything like that? If you would not abort, then, in my opinion, what is the point of even knowing? Enjoy your pregnancy and just pray! :)

T. - I am a mom who had all the testing. The test showed something was wrong and they continued to push forward with more tests. Every test was screwie not specific to exactly what was wrong. Interestingly my son was delivered at just shy of 4 lbs with what they call failure to progress. While there were things they could rule out that could not tell me exactly what the problem was. I did have the amnio which also ruled out some additional things but again I worried for many months carrying the burden of what could the problem be. I am happy to say that despite his small size at birth I have a health son now many years later. Interestingly my mother had some testing done with my youngest sister years earlier, she too had unusual test results turns out my youngest sister was born with club foot. Just understand that tests results are not the end all be all and they can cause confusion. I would say that if I had it to do over it would not matter if I did the testing or not the results and my reactions to the results would be thesame.

I was 36 in 1990 and had an amnio. Nothing bad happened.

I would at least ask why the doctor thinks you should have the test. What is the doctor basing it on? Just the age factor?

At least when I had mine it was because I'd gone through 2 miscarriages previously, so they may have considered it better safe than sorry, considering that plus the age factor.

Get some answers first and then decide.

Hi T., I had my 1st child at 36 and just recently had a 2nd child at 37. she is 3 months old now. I went thru that decision with my 1st child. I chose not to have an amnio. The risks I felt were greater having one than not having one. Especially if you have no birht defects with your other child and your family history. My 2 year old is fine and typical (terrible two's) and my 3 month old is very healthy and adorable. I hope everything works out.
C.

Hi T.,
You will get varying opinions on this, so I thought I'd throw mine in there, too! :)

I am 37 and due with our 2nd baby just after I turn 38 this November. I also had a very healthy baby at 33...so I understand!

I had the blood tests and ultrasounds done this time because I am older...and if something is going on in that womb, I want to know about it. I don't think I could wait to find out if the baby has Downs or something like that...I wanted to be prepared mentally and in my heart in case I was going to have a child with special needs.

So after the first 2 blood tests, they saw some levels that were strange...indicating Downs. I was encouraged to have the Amnio...and my doctor told me that from what he was seeing on ultrasound and in the blood tests, the risk of miscarrying from an amnio was less than miscarrying from complications due to a chromosomal problem with the baby. So I decided to also have that.

It was a scary time, waiting for the results (you get a 99% answer in 3 days and a 100% answer in 2 weeks). However, I am not sure I would have been able to wait, like I said, and then be handed a child with Downs or other serious disabilities, totally unprepared. Especially since there were already concerns!

Come to find out, the blood tests were totally off and we are having a healthy baby boy. WHEW!

I think it is a very personal decision. You really have to do some soul searching and decide for yourself what is best for you. It is something none of us want to think will happen to us, but let's face it, the world deals us some pretty interesting cards sometimes and we just have to play them the best we can! So why not play them prepared?

See if you can do the testing that doesn't involve anything "dangerous" before you agree to anything more risky. The blood testing and ultrasounds done by a specialist should be enough unless there are other problems found.

Best of luck!

C.

I had an amniocentesis for the same reason. The question to ask yourself is would the knowledge change anything. If you would have an abortion for a baby with a severe genetic problem, have an amniocentesis. If you would have it regardless, then what is the point of an amniocentesis?

I chose to have one because I had a viral illness in the first trimester, and I knew that that increases the likelihood of a neural tube defect, like spina bifida, etc. I knew that if there was likely one, then a C-section was a better idea. Nowadays, they have the alpha- fetal protien test that can tell you that without an amniocentesis.... so that isn't a good reason anymore. Ask yourself would it make a difference to you to know.... and let that tell you what your answer would be.
Have a healthy baby, L.

Tisha,

I am 8 weeks pregnant (second child) and am 36 years old. I am not going to do the genetic testing. I have heard of too many false positives, and women having perfectly healthy babies when they are told their child has something wrong. I would not terminate my pregnancy if something was wrong, so I just pray every night for a healthy baby.

You have to decide what is best for you and if your doctor disagrees then it may be time to get a new doctor.

I wish you the best of luck and a perfectly healthy child.

I was just shy of 37 when presented with this decision. I choose the blood test, which revealed that I had the chance of a 25yr old to have defects, so I opted not to have any more testing. Yes, they were pushy but they respected my choice.
35 is an arbitrary age - women well under 35 stand a chance of defects as well. Yes, the chance of defects does rise with age, but there are other factors as well (health of the mother, eating/drinking/substance habits, how much amniotic fluid exists, etc.) that also factor in for defects.
I guess the questions you need to ask yourself are: would it change the outcome of anything? Will you abort if there's a severe defect? Is there something in your family genetic history you'd rather know about earlier to prepare for?

Good luck with your decision.

I had a CVS test as I was also of advanced maternal age. I needed peace of mind as we had some other genetic concerns, too. However, I would most certainly do this test again if I ever were to have another child. It was completely pain free and felt like an extended pap. (Took about 5 minutes.) It is not just a blood draw. The doctor uses a catheter (not a needle) inserted through the vagina to suction some of the cells from between the placenta and the uterus. It does not go into the amniotic fluid or sack at all, nor does it touch the baby at all, so there is not a risk of leaking as with the amniocentesis. The issue with CVS is that it's done earlier than an amnio. It's impossible for the doctors to know if a miscarriage during that time is due to natural causes or if it's due specifically to the procedure, which produces potentially higher risk rates. So, the comment about amniocentesis being safer is incorrect. I investigated the actual miscarriage rate where I had my CVS performed and it turned out to be a 1:1400 record, hence making it statistically safer than an amnio. Of course, keep in mind that all procedures are subject to the doctor's experience with performing them. Good luck to you, and congratulations!

If you have any other questions/concerns, please let me know and I'd be happy to share more information with you privately.

I'm am in a similar situation - 39 years old and 12 weeks along with my second child. My husband and I have decided to go with the "full integrated test" which consists of two blood tests and a specialized ultrasound that together can test for several genetic abnormalities. I had an amniocentesis with our first child because I was over 35 but I regretted it. It went fine but it was more invasive than I was prepared for and I didn't want the potential (though slight) risk this time around. The full integrated test has to be done at a certain time in the pregnancy: first blood draw at 10 to 13 weeks, nuchal translucency ultrasound at 11 to 13 weeks and the second blood test at 15 to 22 weeks. Most insurances will cover the test if it's medically necessary, which includes women 35 and older.

My doctor wanted me to have the testing -he got pushy about it and I switched doctors. I asked--"what can you fix if there is a problem?' - the Dr said - nothing. So-- I decided not to have the testing - had healthy twins at age 42.5

it comes down to your choice on if you would terminate the prgnancy or not-it never was a question with me--I was going for it no matter what. -if you consider that - then to me it was not worth the risk of miscarriage.

they were able to do the test for downs syndrom by ultrasound.

There are tests they can do to see if you are at higher risk for birth defects first. If those tests are normal, I wouldn't bother with the others, unless you would chose to terminate if there was a problem.

Good luck.

They have to tell you to consider it for legal reasons. The decision can be based on your family risk, mostly. I'd also ask for statistics on his personal "complication" stats. I think the risks are mostly due to doctor error. Also, consider what you'd do with the knowledge of a defect in your baby. Does it prepare you or freak you out? Would you consider termination, etc. I had my 1st at 35 and declined all 3 times. I wasn't in the least "encouraged'. If my family history included defects they may have.

Well, obviously the choice is yours and yours alone - but I had my first baby at 38 last year and I too was given the option of testing. After I thought about it - I decided that since the tests are risky to my unborn child - and I would not terminate the pregnancy if there was something wrong with my baby - there was no reason to do it! That was my decision - Good luck with yours.

Unless you are considering terminating the pregnancy if you have a less -than - perfect baby, what's the point? You're not all that old and many women are having babies much older these days. I think the docs are afraid parents will sue them if their child has problems.

T.,
I was in this same situation. My husband and I declined to take the tests because 1) I also had healthy pregancies over the age of 30 and this one wasn't different, and 2) we knew that we wouldn't terminate the pregnancy if they did find something. So unless there is a real concern that needs to be checked out, stick with your gut feeling.

Good Luck!

It partly depends on what the results would mean to you. I said "no" because we planned to raise whatever baby we got. And I didn't like the risks. And too many false positives from what I could tell from the results. Just because a procedure exists I don't think they are all truly beneficial! Plus, part of it is to protect themselves from being sued. I have two beautiful girls, and we felt good about NOT doing the testing.

I am 38 and just had my first baby 2 months ago. My doctor suggested genetic testing too. My husband and I talked about it a lot...the pros and cons. Those tests aren't 100% and they produce a ton of false positives. Also, we wanted to enjoy the pregnancy not stress through the whole thing. We decided it all boiled down to this...it didn't matter what the test outcome was...this was our baby no matter what and no test was going to change the love we already had for her. We didn't have the tests done. We have a beautifully healthy baby girl named Lillian Grace. HTH!

Good luck,
A.

Just ask yourself, "Will it make a difference if I know?" If you won't change anything about your pregnancy or how you prepare, then there really isn't any reason to have the tests done. Also, these tests are not completely accurate. I know a women whose tests showed her baby to definitely have Downs Syndrome and she worried for months and grieved and prepared... baby didn't have it. Perfectly healthy. Just lots of extra stess during the pregnancy. Of course, if the baby HAD had it, she would have already been prepared for it. Just some thoughts.

well if what you would find out wouldn't change your mind on your child, then I wouldn't get them done. They just seem unnecessary, especially since there are risks involved

Hi T.

When I was pregnant I had the blood test and it came back high risk for downs syndrome. I then got an additional ultrasound where they checked for abnormalities, but I opted not to have an amnio. I was going to kep my baby no matter what, so I wasn't wlling to risk its life to satisfy a curiosity. I educated myself just in case, and then waited to see what happened.

I guess I would say you need ot decide if the results of a risky procedure will affect your feelings about keeping the baby. If they won't, I would say don't risk it. I know that the chances are slim of anything going wrong, but I figured, why risk it?

Good luck and congratulations!!!

Tell your doctor you want to have an ultrascreen done between 11 and 13 weeks before having to decide on the CVS or Amnio. The ultrascreen is an ultrasound and blood test which seems to be cutting down on the need for these 2 risky procedures. I know my OB was against these 2 procedures unless the ultrascreen came back positive. Good luck. I am not sure where you live but I had this done at the IHA Maternal Fetal Medicine on Clark Road. I guess it depends on what hospital you use.

I was 39yrs old when I had my first and only child. I did not have any of the test done because I was going to keep the baby no matter what. When I was 38yrs old I was pregnant with twins and had a misscarrage at 12 weeks. My doctor told me that was due to the fact that there was something genetically wrong and it was for the best. I agree with some of the other messages that you need to decide if you have the test what you would do if you got bad news. My friends have a down syndrome baby boy and he is wonderful. My husband and I are going to start trying for our second child this month and I am not going to have the test this time either. So many women now a days are waiting until their late 30's or early 40's before they start a family. I think the medical world needs to update their information. We are taking much better care of ourselves now such as not smoking and exercising. I will be 41 in October and I am in just as good shape if not better than in my early to mid 20's. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Hello T.,

I personally am against genetic testing. When I was 42 years old I lost a 14 week pregnancy to CVS testing. They want you to have the testing so you can be "Prepared" if there are problems, but why worry yourself during this time. I feel it is just a requirement of the doctors and do not do us parents any good at all. If you both have a good family background there is a very, very, very good chance that your baby will be perfect.

PS: There is alot they can tell also from the ultrasound later in the pregnancy too.

Best of luck to you, L. S.

Hi T.. My sister-in-law got the blood test done when she was 9 weeks pregnant. She was 36 at the time. They told her that her baby had down's syndrome and she had the option to abort. She refused, said she was having the baby no matter what. She also refused the amnio after this as well. She made a superior choice. Her baby was born perfectly normal. He is now 5 years old and just started kindergarten. Trust what your body tells you. These tests, as they clearly tell you, are not 100% accurate.
Good luck with your baby! I am sure it will be a beautiful, healthy baby.
P.S. I know of a lady who had a healthy baby at 54, despite all the risks they hounded her with!

Hi and congratulations! I had my boys at ages 34 and 36 and had CVS with both. I'm the curious type and wanted my husband and me to be prepared for any of the major genetic risks. My first one was born 3 months early, and with my second, I was on bedrest for almost 4 months! I believe that was due to my genetics than the CVS. I had early contractions starting at about 20 weeks for both boys. They are now 12 and 14 and are doing wonderfully!

T.,
I am 36 years old and due to deliver in about 2 months. I know exactly how you feel. The doctors were scaring me about all of the risks and testing and finally my husband and I decided that it would be better not to do the tests. We figured I would be less stressed which would be better for the baby because with every test I would have to wait to hear and sometimes there are false positives. Not that I don't think about what could happen, I do. So far I am glad I didn't go through with the tests. Of course you have to do what feels right for you. I wish you all the best.

D.

I was only 26 years old with my first pregnancy but at my first ultrasound (at 12 weeks) I was advised that from the measurements taken my baby was at very high risk of Downs Syndrome. I was told they measured very high fluid around the top of the spine. I was strongly advised by my doctor to have CVS testing done. There was actually a higher risk of the cvs causing a miscarraige than my baby actually having Downs Syndrome. I decided that if my baby had any defects I would carry on with the pregnancy anyway so there was no need to put my baby at any further unecessary risk. I was actually chastised by my doctor and told I was "burying my head in the sand", but I stuck with what I felt in my heart. A lot of people asked me if I was worried not knowing if there was anything wrong with the baby and I just said what will be will be. As it turns out that baby is now a healthy 5 1/2 year old boy. My advice to you is go with your heart, no one can tell you what is right for you to do, especially if you would plan to carry on with the pregnancy regardless of what the test tells you. There isn't much point in putting the baby at risk if that is the case. If you feel you need to know then that's ok too, but only you can make this decision, don't let anyone try to make it for you.
Good luck and God bless.

I think it's important to thoroughly discuss all of your options with your doctor and your partner. If you elect not to do a full amnio, please do everything non-invasive you can to carefully monitor your child. My experience is slightly different in that my concerns are not specifically age related, but birth defects are a possibility even without any known family history. We discussed the quad test and amnio and also elected not to do so (justifying our decision by saying we would love our child no matter what and we maintained excellent pre-natal care). Thankfully our first two were completely healthy. Our third child however developed a very serious heart defect that thankfully was detected in ultrasound. Although the additional testing did not change our decision to have our child, it did allow us to make arrangements to deliver at a hospital best qualified to handle his needs and have necessary specialists and equipment on hand for the delivery.

We had two children prior and both pregnancies were easy-peasy and both children are completely healthy. Prior to our marriage, my husband had two children and again both are very healthy. So, you would have to guess good genes and odds are on our side, right? It's uneducated to assume so.

*** An update just to clarify -
If I had it to do all over again, I would do every test available. It would not change my decision to love my children, but it would allow me (and the doctors) to be as educated and prepared as possible. It is safer for the child and safer for you to be informed.
Also, just a note...
In my last pregnancy, we underwent something called a fetal cardiac intervention. At 35 weeks they actually performed surgery on my son's heart while still in the womb!! It is an amazing advance in technology. It clearly is an invasive procedure with many risks, but ultimately I carried him to term and had a natural delivery. Just sayin....

Would the outcome of those tests matter to you? If they would, then I would get tested. If the findings were abnormal, but it wouldn't matter to you, then I wouldn't even bother. I have passed up the routine alpha-fetal protein test both times because if my baby ended up having Down's or whatever, I would not choose to terminate the pregnancy. That's how I looked at it, and it helped me decide against the test. Hope that helps. Congrats and good luck!

Hi T.,

I agree with the other moms - the decision is very personal and should be done after some soul searching. That being said, let me tell you about my story. I had my first two children when I was 29 and 32. God surprised us with another when I was almost 37 years old. The first doctor in my ob/gyn practice alerted me to genetic testing because of my age. I worried and worried and did so much soul searching, finally deciding not to put myself and the baby through these types of tests. What solidified my decision, however, was when I spoke with a different doctor in the practice. This doctor showed me the birth defect statistics of a 37 year old mom vs a younger mom. In the grand scheme of things, the percentages weren't that much higher and it all really put it into perspective with me. Good luck! K.

Hey T.,
I had my fist baby at 41 and my second at 45!! I did not opt for any of the genetic testing for my own personal reasons. My husband and I believed that what ever God did decide to give us that we would keep our little baby. I know that some people want to know if there is anything wrong that maybe they can be prepared for.
It really is up to you. You have to decide in your heart if you are willing to raise a little life the way that it is given to you or would you make a decision to abort the baby if it wasn't going to be "normal". Everybody deserves to live. Who really gets to say what is "normal" or not. Many people might dispute that I was born normal!!
Good luck in making your decision.
Both of my boys were born beautiful and healthy!! They are now 23months and 5yrs. They are healthy enough to cause me a lot of T-R-O-U-B-L-E!! Ha Ha!

As Paula said... what will you do when you get the results? I knew that I was going to carry my baby to term no matter what the results told me, so I decided not to have any tests done.