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I wish you luck. If you've read some of the other posts here then you probably already know that I had a positive screening (1:10) for DS and so far so good. I didn't choose amnio, so nothing is 100%, but so far there are no markers and I have stopped worrying about it. I have researched some options and resources should she be born with DS, but at this point it is simply a matter of being prepared "just in case" A level 2 u/s is simply a more detailed u/s where they spend extra time looking at different organ development to determine if everything is ok. It really is no different from a regular u/s except they take more time and look at more 'stuff" for lack of a better term. lol I wish you luck.

Hi SeldomInn, It sounds to me like you already have a very positive outlook on everything. The odds of you not having a baby with DS are on your side, but if it does, you're right, God will see to it that the baby is a blessing to all of you. I have heard of more false positives than accurate tests (except amnios) on the screenings for Down syndrome. I was barely 36 when I got pregnant with my third. I pa__sed on all of the "screening" tests because of that reason. We did want to do a level 2 u/s however, because we wanted to know the baby's s_x and b/c of "advanced maternal age" insurance paid for it. I never imagined Down syndrome, but during the u/s the doctor started noticing various "markers" for DS. 5 to be exact. Thick nuchal fold, short "long" bones, ventriculomegaly (enlarged ventriculars in the brain) and one other, though I can't remember what it was right now. It scared me to death and took all the fun out of being pregnant. However, we also found out that he was a boy and when my dh had tears rolling down his eyes during the u/s, I thought he was crying because the baby most likely had DS, but he said, these are not tears of sadness, I am crying because I am so happy it's a boy. :-) We decided to have an amnio so we could be prepared (though that just amplified my fears times 50. That was 6 years ago and he has been the most beautiful thing to grace our lives. He plays t-ball, he attends Kindergarten, and he can be a real pill. :-) He never meets a stranger and everyone loves him and vice versa. I wish you the best. They really are a true blessing. Steph115, sounds to me like you also have a very positive outlook. I think you made the right decision to not get an amnio. If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't. It just made the worry twice as bad. I do hope I have it to do all over. My dh and I are waiting for karotyping to come back so we can try again. I am 42 and time is ticking. I have two other children by a previous marriage, both are healthy, then my third who has DS and then I miscarried a little girl at 39 with Trisomy 15. So the two we conceived together have had trisomies, so the fertility doctor just said she would recommend it. Hopefully, that will check out A-OK. We have been waiting on the results for 5-6 weeks. I am getting so frustrated. They said the lab is backlogged on preparing reports. That doesn't bode well, when every day is like an eternity when you want to get pg. :-) Good luck to all!

SeldomInn - DO NOT PANIC. I am 38 and having my first (late bloomer I guess - we have been married for 13 years). My doc requested the Quad, I requested the amnio (knowing full well all of the odds - I needed to be sure everything is fine). I had my amnio results back last Thursday at 5 pm - all normal. One hour later, I had a call from my OB. My Quad gave me a 1:11 for Down's. Come on!! Please! The amnio is absolute as the test is against the fetal cells, so the baby is normal if the results are normal. The Quad is all based on probability scores - nothing concrete. So with your age the system automatically throws you into the "abnormal" category. Go for the Level II US, they will look at the markers for Downs. Then have an amnio. It's not scary and very safe. I was shocked at how much of a "non event" it turned out to be. The peace of mind is really priceless. And seriously, calm down, the Quad is a stupid test designed to scare the hell out of you. They should banish this test given the amount of false "positives" it produces!

SeldomInn - I'd wish you luck but I would rather bet my last dollar you and your baby are going to come out of this fine. Please keep us posted.

Hi seldom, You may have read my posts...i have similar story to Steph. I am 42, and 26wks pg w/my second child. My AFP/quad screen came back 1:10 chance for downs. I had my level 2 u/s and there were no markers/indicators of DS. I had a follow up 5 wks later...and everything looked great. I did not due amnio as a result and feel very confident all is fine w/my baby girl! So try to relax until your level 2. Its great you are so positive...i was also and i think it helped!! Take care

hey suze42 - when is your due date? Just curious. I know we are close. Sorry to change the subject ;-)

Well..an update... :) I feel pretty good today. My husband and I went in to talk to my doctor today. And by the way, the test that I was given was not the quad, it was actually the triple screen... AFP. He gave me these ratios.... 1:55 for Trisomy 18, 1:84 for Downs.. and with my age, 1:150.... so all in all, I do believe he said that my probability of having a down's baby was signifigantly low.... under 1%, I do believe he said... I so wish that I wouldn't have opted to take the AFP test. But what's done is done... and I'm going to renege on what I said earlier.... my husband and I chose for me to receive the amnio..our area does not offer the Level 2 U/S, I would have to travel a distance to receive one.... and I think, just for my peace of mind.... regardless the outcome.. I want to know one way or another.. I don't want it sitting in the back of my mind for the next five months..... I want a solid YES or a solid NO! I don't like the gray area... .it plays with me..... so I am going in on the 27th to get it done.... I do NOT like th idea of big ol' needles.. but my peace of mind is something I value.. also, my doctor had told me that in all the years of practicing, he has never ONCE delivered a downs baby and that probably half of those women received a positive result on their AFP.... why do they have this test???? It's just craziness!!!! But you know what I'm more excited about than anything?????????? I will 100% find out what the s_x of the baby is, too!!! YEA!!!!!! So I'll keep you all updated... I still have my u/s on the 3rd..... looking forward to all of these doctor visits... NOT!!!!! Thanks for all of your input... it does ease one's mind.......

SeldomInn - Like I said, the amnio was SO much a "non event" that it kills me that so many women are scared off by it. Take your DH with you, put your hands behind your head (while squeezing all the blood out of his hand :) and stare at the ceiling - NOT the procedure. The procedure lasts for like 30 seconds - maybe less. They do conduct a detailed U/S prior, that's what takes so long. I took the day off, and the day after off and just slept (not too difficult a task - it's all I seem to want to do now). Work on your stress, tell yourself "it's ok, it's ok." Breathe during the procedure. All of this is more about your nerves than anything going wrong with the amnio. Last, make sure you request the FSH test (this is VERY IMPORTANT). You will have results back in 2 days, and then the full results in 14 days (and the full results will be the same as the FSH). Our baby is a confirmed Girl!

I second what MelissaK says. I am 36 and decided not to have the quad or triple screen and went straight for the amnio. I didn't want those crazy odds messing with my mind. Anyway, all came back totally normal and the amnio was no big deal at all. Make sure you go with your hubby. As soon as the doctor took out the needle, I just shut my eyes and let my hubby watch what was happening. It was so easy. A pap actually is more uncomfortable to me than the amnio was. Good luck!

I am 41 and have just had a nuchal ultrasound/ blood test with a high risk of 1:110. After many tears and much praying we have decided not to have an amnio. No matter what this child is ours and a blessed surprise. Thanks for your question as it also rea__sures me in our decision. I hope everything goes well for you. The more I read the more I don't know why I even bothered with the test.

first of all calm down when i had my 3rd son I had the afp test done and I got a call saying that I needed to come in right away ok that scared the c___p out of me so i leave work rush to the docs office and this doc that I had never even seen before tells me that my afp screening came back 1/41 chance for trisomy 18 which is similar to ds but way worse this is her words so right away I freak out and I ask her about the false positives with this test and she tells me well that is not likely I myself have never seen any....(her words) so I am crying and so upset and she leaves the room after telling me I need to have an amnio done oh and did I mention that she the doc was pregnant at the time herself so she knew what I was going thru but she did not act as if she even cared and she told me that I would also need to have a level 2 sono done too so to make a long story short I did have the level 2 done they found my ds was perfectly healthy no soft markers at all for trisomy 18 and when I went back to the doc I happened to get her well she looked at my level 2 results and you know what she says to me "oh you did not have an amnio done?" and I said no there was no need for one and then the next time I went to the doc I asked the nurses to give me any other doc but her...my ds was born 1/11/06 perfectly healthy!! so just wait and see what the level 2 shows before you get all upset and good luck to you ( :

I am 39 and just gave birth 12 days ago to my fourth child. My first three were born in my 20's and this was my first pregnancy in my 30's. I have always declined screenings like AFP or the Quad screen even when I was young because of horror stories I heard. With this baby we did have the nuchial fold screening but not the blood test, the doctor pushed me to take the blood test but we declined, I had the level 2 ultrasound with everything normal. At the end of the pregnancy I started to have thoughts the baby would have ds and was very scared, especially when I read that some mothers did not find out until hours and hours after giving birth. My mother had me her 5th at almost 44 and so many woman in the neighborhood I grew up in had perfectly fine babies in their 40's. I think we are scared so much today even when the majority of ds babies are born to women under 30. Good luck to you all, we want to have a fifth and I know it is scary.

mom23 what is karotyping?

Well..I've had about four/five days to think about all of this.... and after talking to a lot of good friends at work and listening to their opinions, I may just cancel my amnio..... I don't care.... I don't need an amnio to tell me whether or not my baby is going to have DS or not... I don't know, but I am leaving it all in God's hands... love will be there regardless.... it's not weighing heavy on my mind like I thought it would. So I'm going to give it until Monday to decide whether to cancel it or not... I will discuss it with my husband and go from there... besides that, I have an ultrasound scheduled for the 3rd and that should ease my mind a little..just seeing baby..... but as far as easing my mind..I seem to be at peace regardless.......

well that is a good idea and the level 2 is just great you will see such a clear image of your baby I am in a way glad I had the afp done just because I got to have the level 2 done and I did have a follow up one done about 4wks later just to make sure and when i had that one done they did the 3 and 4 D images and I have some really wonderful pics of ds that I other wise would have not gotten so there is a bright side and I am willing bet money that when you have yours done on the 3rd you will be on here telling us how everything is perfect ( :

When I got my results the Dr. rang and told me I needed the amnio and had scheduled an appointment. I decided to cancel my appointment and now very happy with my decision. Someone wrote to me and said her Dr advised against testing as you get older as the test will nearly always come back in the high risk area. I have had 3 u/s and have all looked fine. I guess I wait for my 19wk scan now. The day I made my decision not to have the amnio, I was told of a friend who had recently miscarried from the amnio with a healthy normal child. God confirmed my decision and I know God is in control of this situation. I hope this encourages you in your decision also.