Anybody not do the 12 week NT scan?

[lanet]

We've decided against it because 1) it wouldn't change how we proceed with the pregnancy and I wouldn't follow up with amnio
2) it is wrong sometimes and causes worry for no reason (my dr says 1 in 16)
3) the bloodwork that goes with it can be confusing with twins
4) I will have the 20 week scan
But it seems like everyone else does it? Although my dr said most people don't.
Thoughts?

 

[mammag]

We don't do them at all where I live, I probably wouldn't have done it even if it were offered.

 

[RebeccaR19]

I am having one, but what they find/don't find won't make a difference. I would carry any baby like a normal pregnancy. I wouldn't ever have an amniocentesis done.

Sometimes the scans are helpful because my cousin's daughter needed surgery right after birth due to a problem with her stomach. The early ultrasound helped them find it and track it so they would be able to care for her immediately after birth.

 

[Cattia]

I think it's a personal choice and very much depends on what you would do if you knew you were having a child with downs. For me I want to have the test as I doubt I would proceed with the pregnancy but I think it's something that every parent has to weigh up because obviously there can be big implications either way.

 

[Fizzyfefe]

We declined because of the exact reasons that you stated (except we're not having twins). We didn't want the worry, and we would never terminate the pregnancy anyway.

 

[Amythyst]

I have a thread about this in the Pregnancy over 35 board. I want to have the genetic screening (Harmony/Panorama test) instead of doing the NT screening. But my doctor's office was very insistent about it and told me it the genetic testing shouldn't take the place of the NT scanning. But I'm thinking if the first trimester screen can be inaccurate and give false positives why should I sit around worrying about that then have to wait to get the genetic test?

 

[misscyn]

I'm doing the test but it's mostly because I'm hoping to find out the gender. When I was pregnant with DD they told me they were 85% sure it was a girl at 13 weeks.

Also, though I'm not 100% sure of what I would do if I found out my baby had Downs, I do know that I would want to know ahead of time to mentally prepare myself for raising a child with a disbility, as opposed to finding out at birth.

Btw, where I live all women are automatically referred for a NT scan. It used to be only women over a certain age, but they changed the policy 2 or 3 years ago to include everyone. You can opt to go to a private clinic where they will add a blood test to the scan to increase accuracy, but then you have to pay for it yourself, and it costs about 400$.

 

[VJean]

I have a thread about this in the Pregnancy over 35 board. I want to have the genetic screening (Harmony/Panorama test) instead of doing the NT screening. But my doctor's office was very insistent about it and told me it the genetic testing shouldn't take the place of the NT scanning. But I'm thinking if the first trimester screen can be inaccurate and give false positives why should I sit around worrying about that then have to wait to get the genetic test?

Wow! It's amazing how different dr's opinions can be! I had the Panorama test done and did not do the NT scan. There was no need for it. I did do my Panorama test early enough to leave time for an NT scan if the results from the test were inconclusive.

 

[lanet]

I agree that if there's a problem that needs fixed after birth, or that you would want to be prepared for, then it's good to know, but the 20 week scan would tell us that.
I've heard the harmony test is more accurate, and you can even find out the sex, but again with twins a blood test just isn't going to do it.

 

[LilFooshFoosh]

This is our 3rd pregnancy and for the third time we will not be doing the NT test. For the reasons you have stated and because I am going to get a number of scans this pregnancy due to my history so I will be avoiding any extra ones where I can.

 

[lanet]

I hear you on that, I've already had 7 and I'm only 10 1/2 weeks!

 

[AMAS86]

I have had 4 u/s so far (complications) but none were NT. I had that scan with my other children as their father had a sis with downs but I decided to opt out of it this time as I'm not married to that man anymore and the child I'm carrying has a different father than my other 3. It's really a personal choice.

 

[Bookwrmgal]

I'm doing it. I'm actually waiting for a call back from my OB with the appointment date. I'm over 35 and really would like to prepared in advance if there is any sort of potential issue. I know it often gives false positives so that would help calm me in case it is bad news. Forewarned is forearmed for me.

 

[MrsKChicago]

I'm doing it, but I seriously considered skipping it. It wouldn't change how I proceed with the pregnancy, but I think I'd want to be prepared if there was any issue. I would only go forward with CVS or amnio if I was really very high risk, and since I'm not in any particularly risky groups, I'm going in mostly for reassurance. And it won't hurt to see the baby again, you know?

 

[SJDsMommy]

I wasn't offered with my first.. I was offered with my 2nd though and I refused because I really didn't think I needed it. I still had a 12 week ultrasound though because they saw a subchorionic hemorrhage. I will probably refuse this time around too.

 

[Scout]

I have a thread about this in the Pregnancy over 35 board. I want to have the genetic screening (Harmony/Panorama test) instead of doing the NT screening. But my doctor's office was very insistent about it and told me it the genetic testing shouldn't take the place of the NT scanning. But I'm thinking if the first trimester screen can be inaccurate and give false positives why should I sit around worrying about that then have to wait to get the genetic test?

My OB was the exact opposite LOL I wanted the MaterniT21 test (I was over 40) so he saw no need for the NT screening since the MaterniT21 is so accurate and gives you a yes or no and not a ratio. I did have a scan tho bc I was already high risk and was being scanned every week anyways.

But yes, its a personal decision and no right or wrong answer. I wouldn't have terminated regardless but for me information is power and gives me a sense of control and since I was already high risk (higher risk for trisomy 13 or 18 than for down syndrome) I was already so worried the test results gave me a chance to relax. It does bug me that a lot of people assume if you choose testing it means you'd terminate if something was wrong with baby and that's not always the case. I had a couple people assume that about me and it couldn't have been farther from the truth. OP, I think I read that twins can skew the results on the Materni as well. Best of luck, ladies.

 

[lanet]

I definitely don't assume people would terminate because of test results, I was just wondering if i was the only one that wasn't getting it done.
It is a personal decision, it's nice to hear both sides.
I also have an sch and have had some major bleeds so I gets scans frequently.

 

[misscyn]

I agree that if there's a problem that needs fixed after birth, or that you would want to be prepared for, then it's good to know, but the 20 week scan would tell us that.
I've heard the harmony test is more accurate, and you can even find out the sex, but again with twins a blood test just isn't going to do it.

However the 20 week scan won't reveal the risk of Downs. The liquid they measure at the back of baby's neck is reabsorbed after 14 weeks, that's why the NT scan can only be performed between 11 weeks and 13w6d.

 

[River54]

We aren't getting it done. No pressure either way from our OB about it.

 

[lanet]

However they would be able to see many other risk factors for downs at the 20 weeks scan.