Positive Quad Screen A Question
3 Replies
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I posted this on another thread as well...I'm hoping someone can help me work through this.
I know this has been talked about on other threads, but here we go again. My quad came back at 1:64 for Down's. I read a lot of reassuring comments about negative US and amnios, but I was wondering....has anyone ever hear of someone coming out positive with that risk quote? I'm extra scared as my daughter (who turns 2 today) suffered a perinatal stroke around the time of her birth. Although she is doing well, the risk of a stroke is 1:4000, so, as you can imagine, the number 1:64, although not terrible, still sounds horrifying to me. I'm 32 and this is my 4th pregnancy, just a few months following a miscarriage in my 3rd. I have a healthy son who is almost 4. I think it will be a little reassuring to know if no one had heard of someone coming up positive with that risk ratio (or even lower?) My US and amnio are scheduled in 3 days. I'm not sure if I should go forward with the amnio because I likely won't terminate the pregnancy regardless, but the devastation that I went through with my daughter is still so fresh in my mind that I feel I need to prepare myself ahead of time...any thoughts?
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Hi there. I am 38 and pregnant and having my section in 2 weeks with my 4th child. My quad screen back at 1/46 for DS. we decided back at 20 weeks not to do the amnio due to the small risk of the amnio. It has been a LONG wait. I have had numerous scans done looking for markers and none have shown. Had a fetal echo, heart is good. femours measuring above avergae, nasal bone good etc. BUT still the 1/46 for ds bloodwork. It was very upsetting at first, but as time has gone on its gotten a little easier. I look at it as 45 chances for a negative. For me, ven the small risk of m/c with the amnio was too much. I wasn't going to terminate, but boy the wait has been tough as well. Only you will know whats best to do. Its a tough call. Keep us posted and many prayers. xxo
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 | hcw - January 16 |
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hi docmom, i didn't have the quad screen - in part because i had the nuchal and in part because i heard it has a high false positive rate. however, i did have an amnio this week because at 41 i needed to know what was in store for us in case of anything unusual. it was nerve-racking, but i'm glad i did it. i looked into it very carefully and the amount of risk really depends on where you have it done. at my hospital, their interanl audit said the risk was about 1/900 of something going wrong. other recent data have shown a risk around 1/1000. the often-quoted 1/200 risk is based on 30 year old data, at a time when they didn't even use u/s to guide the needle. so, although it's a tough call, we felt that it was the right thing to do for us - even though it was stressful, i'm already worrying less since i know that shortly i will know for almost certain what's happening with my little one. i'd suggest that you ask your hospital what their audited risk factors are, ask how often they do the procedure and how often the person doing yours does them (when i went, there were at least 10 women waiting for theirs, and they do them every day there! so plenty of practice to get really good at it). just my two cents, but good luck and best wishes with your little one...
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So, I went ahead with the amnio yesterday. The genetic counselor told me she has had people with 1:63 risk come up positive with Down's, but I suppose I should have expected that given the quad screen misses 20% of Down's babies. I decided I just needed to know and prepare myself ahead of time. I know from experience that the post-partum period is a bad time hormonally to get bad news. Luckily, the US didn't show anything bad (although the perinatologist said it didn't reduce our risk either) so whatever we get, at least we can look forward to no major structural or heart defects. The place I went was a referral center, and they too had lots of women lined up for the amnios. The doctor was very kind and rea__suring, and, he too talked more about the risk of 1/1000. It certainly wasn't the most comfortable thing I've been through, but at least it didn't take long. I get preliminary results tomorrow. I'm trying to not get too worked up....I'm a very anxious person....especially when it comes to my kids. Lovemy3, good luck with the c-section, I hope all goes well. Hcw...good luck with your amnio results...we will both be anxiously awaiting news.
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