Down's Screening - Been told no point having blood test?

[LancyLass]

Hi

Just had my first appointment with the midwife and she said there's no point having the blood test to screen for DS because as I'm over 36 it'll automatically come back as high risk. It's the first time I'd heard that. Has everyone else been told that too?

Surely if they're looking at the chemicals in the blood they can still give you a greater or lesser risk within your age category?

Just wondered what other over-36s experience of the screening process has been?

 

[Mbababy]

Well I am 38 and just got my blood test back...and am low risk. I'm not sure where your doc is coming from...

 

[lilmamatoW]

Hi

Just had my first appointment with the midwife and she said there's no point having the blood test to screen for DS because as I'm over 36 it'll automatically come back as high risk. It's the first time I'd heard that. Has everyone else been told that too?

Surely if they're looking at the chemicals in the blood they can still give you a greater or lesser risk within your age category?

Just wondered what other over-36s experience of the screening process has been?

I was 36 when I was pregnant with my first and I had blood tests and the nuchal screen and it came back low risk despite being 36. So, I am not sure where your midwife is getting that from. I would go back and request a test, if you are able.

 

[smellie_melli]

LancyLass, I have never heard anything SO ridiculous!

When assessing your risk they factor in your age, your blood results and the measurements from the scan. This gives an accurate estimate and without one aspect that wouldn't be the case.

When I had my scan a couple of weeks ago the sonographer gave us the measurements and actually said "that all seems fine but you need to wait for the blood results as that gives a much more accurate indication".

If you want to know your risk DEMAND the test. I do find that sometimes m/w do what they think is best and you have to push for what you want if it's different.

For what it's worth, my result for this baby (I'm 37) was low risk and my last one (I was 36) was also low risk so age doesn't equal high risk!

 

[AngelUK]

I agree with the other ladies here, what you were told is just not true. I am still waiting for the results of my blood test. I was told the same as smellie_melli: that my NT scan looked fine but that the blood test would be more conclusive. My friend who is the same age as I (41) and who just had her second baby, was low risk too. She had her first baby at 39 and she told me that her numbers were actually better on the second baby than on the first. Do insist on the tests if you want to have them. Good luck xxx

 

[happymamma]

This is exactly what I was wondering a few weeks ago. I heard that just by factoring in our age, it makes it higher risk then if they were to put in that you were say, 25. I feel that they automatically consider us high risk because of age,and not going solely on the blood results and the scan measurements. I dont understand why they have to put the age in? Its an assumption! Dont you think?

 

[Torontogal]

I am 36 and I was offered the tests too (and am getting them). Never heard anything like that!

 

[animalcracker]

Honestly, the advice some of these Drs and nurses give patients scare me LOL. Let me guess..are you NHS?

I am 39 years old. Pregnant with my first and my NT results came back low risk (numbers were 1 in over 1200 for a chromosomal abnormality).

I'm sorry you are getting this wrong information!

 

[Garnet]

Wow I was 36/37 and 39/40 when I had my kids and I did both tests done on my children.

 

[Omi]

i had mine done and im 41 and low risk too..

 

[rjsmam]

weird! I specifically asked my mw today if i'd automatically be high risk as i'm 36...... she said no - not until you're over 40......



x

 

[happymamma]

Why would even being over 40 make you high risk? I dont understand all this, all I know is Im getting the tests done, if I can get an apt for it,and Ill ask my dr questions after. Im kinda anxious as to what my dr will say Ill let you all know!

 

[rjsmam]

Why would even being over 40 make you high risk? I dont understand all this, all I know is Im getting the tests done, if I can get an apt for it,and Ill ask my dr questions after. Im kinda anxious as to what my dr will say Ill let you all know!

good luck will defo be interested to hear how you get on as we'll testing too!


x

 

[Mrs B mum2b]

I had scan and blood tests for screening and came back low risk - at 38yrs old! I think I would change mw if possible!! Good luck

 

[LancyLass]

Thanks ladies. Yes, I'm NHS - and unfortunately I have no choice of midwife, it's the one that comes with my GP practice and it's supposed to be the best GP practice in town so I don't really want to change!

TBH I'm a bit confused. I've been reading the NHS leaflet the midwife gave me about screening and it seems there might be two different blood tests? There's an early blood test you have with the NT scan or there's the triple/quad test for between 15 and 20 weeks. I think it might be that one she was saying there's no point having. I vaguely remember her saying something like 'the quad test.' She wasn't particularly good at explaining it.

I don't get the NT scan on the NHS anyway so am having that done privately and they say they take a blood test at the same time as the scan - so I guess that covers it?

 

[AngelUK]

I have no idea about the quad test, I wasn't offered one, just the amnio if I should be high risk. But why aren't you getting the NT scan on the NHS? I did. And the blood test that comes with it. xxx

 

[LancyLass]

I have no idea about the quad test, I wasn't offered one, just the amnio if I should be high risk. But why aren't you getting the NT scan on the NHS? I did. And the blood test that comes with it. xxx

I guess it's the NHS postcode lottery. My health authority doesn't offer it.

 

[AngelUK]

That is strange. May I ask how much it will cost you to have it done privately? And will you have to travel really far to get it? I don't think it right that some get it for free and you have to pay for it just cause of where you live xxx

 

[LancyLass]

That is strange. May I ask how much it will cost you to have it done privately? And will you have to travel really far to get it? I don't think it right that some get it for free and you have to pay for it just cause of where you live xxx

Just looked it up. Mine is one of only about two or three PCTs that don't offer it: https://fetalanomaly.screening.nhs.uk/localscreening

You're right, I think it's disgusting and I'm furious! It seems to work on the basis that if your local hospital don't offer it then you can't have it, which I find really odd because I thought you were supposed to have patient choice on the NHS and be able to choose any hospital in the country for treatment.

I'd write to my MP except I don't want to tell anyone I'm pregnant for a good few weeks!

It's going to cost me £169. As for distance, that's an odd one. Both my midwife and my doctor told me the nearest place that does it is Leeds (I'm in North Lancashire and that's an hour and a half journey at the minimum.) However the midwife said she wasn't allowed to give me any details because it's private and she's NHS! She said I should google "Leeds screening". However I couldn't find anywhere with that name! But I did find somewhere in Preston that does it, which is just 20 miles away and also in Manchester - still much nearer than Leeds. So the whole thing is just bizarre and ridiculous and frankly pretty appalling!

I'm having coffee with a pregnant friend tomorrow. I'm going to see what her doc told her (she's at a different practice to me) and then work out how far up the NHS food chain I've got to start complaining!

 

[SabrinaKat]

Well, I was 43 when I became pregnant (am 44 now) and am only considered 'high risk' because it's my 'first' pregnancy (I had an m/c in August 2009); my ob/gyn said that she at 29 was high risk for her first pregnancy.

We did the bloods/NT test at 12wks and my odds went from 1/27 (age) to 1/162, after the 20 wks scan went to 1/300 for downs, others went from 1/140 to 1/955, so we decided not to do cvs or amnio as nothing seemed to be 'abnormal'... I am still a little worried, but am cautiously hopeful that all is well...

best wishes