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if the results come back showing concern, is terminating the pregnancy an option for you? If it is not, then is either test really necessary?

I am 43 and just had the CVS last week, or should I say tried to have the CVS last week. It was terrible. I had the amino w/my last one and it was a breeze. I wanted the CVS for earlier detection too. I am heavy, 5'9" and pushing 300 pounds; due to my weight and the fact that my uterus was so far up in my pelvis they 'tried' for close to 20 minutes to get a clean scope before I could no longer stand the pain and called it quits. Maybe if you are thinner it would work for you, but I felt terrible mentally and physically after the test. I will go back at 18-20 weeks for the Amino. I am not sure if I would abort anyways, I just wanted to be prepared. I wasn't prepared for the CVS that was for sure! I hope all works out well for you, what ever you decide.

I recommned an amnio at 15 weeks. I am 40 and had mine done at 15 weeks with the intent of termininating if the tests came back positve for chromosomal abnormalities. Amnio carries an additional 1/1000 chance of miscarriage outside of the intrinisic 2% chance for miscarriage in all 2nd trimester pregnancies. CVS odds are higher.... The amnio wasn't too bad and they had to stick me twice! Thankfully the results were totally normal.

I would recommend a amnio, although of course it is a personal choice for you to make. I do not want to alarm you and what happened to me according to my dr. is very rare about a .5%. I ended up getting a GBS infection in my placenta due to my CVS procedure. I was tested for GBS and found to be neg. but some how between the testing and cvs I got it, it seems GBS is not easy to detect and if you have low levels it may come back as a false neg. 15-40% of ppl have this common gut/v____al bacteria and is usually not a problem until your later weeks of preg. 35-38wks. Talk to your doctor about this if you do not know if you have been tested for this recently, if not they can treat you with antibiotics after CVS if an infection is suspected but I never had any symptoms of infection until my water broke at 18wks. I hope I have given you some useful information. I wish the best for you and your twins.

smartinez- I've had two CVS and they were no big deal. I'd highly recommend getting the CVS because if there is an issue, you find out right away. My first pregnacy was diagnoised with Trisomy 13 which is a horrible chromosonal issue. Basically the pregancy isn't viable. Knowing this at an early stage made it more bearable. If I had found out via amino much later in the pregnancy I think I would have lost it.

We wanted to avoid invasive testing so we had the First Trimester Screening Test or Nuchal Translucency test (combined ultrasound and blood test). It's not a diagnostic test but can indicate whether you might want to get further testing. Our chances for Down came back something like 1 in 3700 so we opted not to do amnio or cvs. Sometimes the test does have false "positives" where you'll be given say a one in ten chance of a problem, that a follow-up amnio may prove wrong. I believe also that any major neural tube defects will be detected with a Level II ultrasound around 18 weeks. Not sure if any of that is different for twins, but it was a great choice for us! BTW, I am also 38, but my doctor didn't seem concerned about that at all.

My doc pushed me away from CVs (her words "why do something invasive?") I took First Trimester Screening Test or Nuchal Translucency test at 12 ish weeks, then had an elected amnio and all was normal. Go amnio, it's a breeze and well within limits if you choose to terminate. But I am sure your results will be fine.