Sick with worry since my NT ... but thankful for this site

[cndadri]

Hello all.

I have been reading so many uplifting and supportive messages from here this past week, and although I am sick with worry... I don't feel alone.

I know that none of us can predict what and how things will turn out.. but knowing you are not alone is very helpful.

I have no one really to talk to. My loving husband is the optimistic and happy type, my mom is not at all someone I can get encouraging words from and my poor dad has no clue about these things, nor do my friends.

I got married May 5th to my loving husband, and we began trying right away... and on my 1 month wedding anniversary I found out I was pregnant! (5 days before my period.)

From the start I was sick as a dog, fainting etc so by 5 weeks pregnant I was in the hospital. My HCGs were so high they assumed twins! Ultrasound didn't show much.

7 weeks pregnant... back again.. (fainting and extreme nausea) And again the doc pointed out very high hcgs. He actually told me I was off on my dates and I was closer to 15 weeks pregnant if it wasn't twins (impossible as we were not trying and I had my period on my wedding) Went for an ultrasound.. there was one baby.. with a heart beat and I was dated at 7 weeks 3 days. it was the happiest day of our lives. The next doc as well as my doc said they were high but still normal.. (in the 96th percentile )

Fast forward to our 12 week scan... the NT is measured at 2.4mm. I did the blood work, but get no results till next Monday as the obgyn is away. The receptionist who is very nice said yes the nt was high but normal.. she didn't have the blood back yet but yes there can be a risk with an nt of 2.4mm and high hcgs. The heart rate was also high normal (170)

I am sick with worry. I know I shouldn't read google but .... its there and I did.

The ultrasound tech also would only give me two pics... I cant see my baby's limbs.. one a head shot and a back shot. I keep looking at the pretty face... (def has daddy's nose!)

Anyone who has a down syndrome baby.. I don't want to offend anyone.. so please don't take it as I am saying your child is not perfect... but I want my baby healthy.. and I am sick with worry over this. It has been a long 3 years. I lost my brother to schizophrenia.. who I loved more than life itself.. and I have one brother who has special needs (He was born healthy but developed a blood clot on the side of his brain 3 months later) He went to a special school, has a gf (with severe mental disabilities) and although I love him more than anything.. I see the effects on a family.. I see how my parents worry what will happen to them when they pass away as he has severe behaviour issues and does not have the skills to be independent nor does he wish to learn (he is 42) I see some of his classmates who lost parents and are now in homes and not doing well.

I am 30 years old.. my husband is 20+ years older so I have to face facts here.. I will be a single parent when my kid is 40. I have no other support.. so it scares me beyond belief. No one understands, and no one an reassure me... I know. But reading everyone's kind words to each other.. really helps and I am very grateful for this board.

I wish everyone a happy and healthy pregnancy.

 

[Amygdala]

I understand that you're worried. And I'm also notorious for googling things and know "don't do it" is easier said than done when you're worried. Here's hoping you get results soon to reassure you! But honestly, I think you'll be fine. 2.4 is not a very high measurement and even if the nt measurement was much higher, it would still only give you a risk (typically 1 in 10 or so for very high risk), not a certainty. So most babies with high nt measurements are still fine! Try to take your mind off it until you have your results. If baby really does turn out to have special needs, you'll deal with it. You've seen your parents do it and I have no doubt that you can as well. But chances are that baby is just fine, so try to keep yourself busy and don't dwell on the what-ifs just yet.

 

[steph.]

My hcg was through the roof, 5x the normal, and my nt was 2.6mm. Combined with a low Papp-a of 0.6 I got a 1:20 chance of ds at 27 year's old. When I received that phone call and for the following few weeks all the thoughts you have mentioned crossed my mind- how would this baby cope, how badly affected would she be, what if something happened to me, how would this affect my family, would my toddler have to take on the carer role once I was gone. The worst time in my life. I had the amnio and she doesn't have ds! What a relief.
Try not to worry too much until you get your results. I had high hcg with my first, 3x the normal and nt of 2.1mm and she didn't screen high risk. Hope everything turns out ok x

 

[Popples1]

Is 2.4 high? I though the 'normal' range was up to 3.5? I did some very quick googling through - didn't want to freak myself out after my own result of 1.8...

 

[vtjess423]

I don't have any exprience with this but I did want to say I can understand your worries. I know it's easier said than done, but I'd try not to worry until you know there's something to worry about. As other's have said, 2.4 isn't really high and so there's a high chance that your baby will be perfectly healthy. Take some deep breaths and try to stay calm. Worrying won't change anything and I'm sure no matter what the outcome you'll figure out how to make it all work. You'll love your new little baby no matter what. Good Luck to you!

 

[Jin]

I'm a little confused. With this baby the NT measurement was 2.4 and the sonographer was very happy with that and said it was totally normal.

My last baby his NT measurement was 3mm and they didn't say a word to me so i googled and read that anything up to 2.8 was completely normal so of course I panicked and spent my pregnancy worrying especially after my bloods came back with results of 1:205. He was born completely healthy.

What I'm trying to say is that an NT measurement of 2.4mm is perfect from what I've been told and have researched.

 

[younglove]

My hcg was off the charts high too! They thought it was twins but it wasn't. My HCG was 250,000 at 7 weeks, when it should have been 100,000 at most. I was really worried (I too had read about the risk of high HCG being related to down syndrome). However, I found other women on this forum who had really high HCG and had healthy babies.

My doctor explained it as "There is a normal distribution of HCG scores. There is always bound to be someone on the extreme end. It doesn't necessarily mean there is a problem".

My baby's highest recorded heartbeat was 171. My NT was 1.2. My doctor told me any NT under 3 is considered good.If there is a nasal bone, that is another good sign.

I think it's not just overall HCG that they test but "free beta HCG". Plus they do the screening tests at a particular time (11-13 weeks, 15 weeks)... so I'm not sure how indicative our early HCG tests will be of any issue.

Please keep us updated hun. xox I have to wait another 2+ weeks or so to find out.