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Hello everyone, I found this post months ago and it helped me tremendously. I too was told at my 23 week US that the baby had an echogenic foci in the left ventricle and that it was linked to DS. This was our first baby and we were of course crazy with worry. We had the follow up US and they found no other markers and said not to worry - yeah right. I did not enjoy the majority of my pregnancy because of this constant fear. I am happy to report that on Sept. 12 we had a perfect healthy baby girl! When I asked the pediatrician who evaluated her after birth if he was going to check her hear via x-ray or something he said that if he checked every baby diagnosed with a foci, that he would never leave the hospital. I know it's impossible not to worry, but with each happy post I felt better and hope that mine provides a little more hope for all of you. Goodluck and enjoy your pregnancies!!!

Thank you Renee, for sharing your story... I wish I could just try to enjoy the pregnancy. I am probably the biggest worry wart one will ever meet! I am so thankful for my two little girls... I am a stay-at-home-mom, and they help stay busy with other things... of course the "bright spot" is always on my mind, but what can I do. Anyway, congratulations on your healthy baby. :)

Hi Peredot...I know how you feel. I am 23 weeks pregnant with my 4th child. I will be having my 4th section on feb 7th and have a history of severe preeclampsia so am already in a high risk clinic with a fetal med dr. I was given IPS testing to check placental function and my results came back 1/69,000 for spina bifida and it was 1/22 for DS. They then realized my weight was recorded wrong and rerean the test and came out with 1/46 for ds. I have had 2 level 2 scans done by my fetal med dr and so far no markers have been found. So, I have bad blood results but no markers. I had been devasted and scared for 1 month and just recently have been able o not dwell. Its tough, I am worried too but unless you have the amnio you won't know for sure. Even amnio aren't 100%. We decided not to do the amnio and are just waiting it out and keeping our eyes on God and our faith is pulling us through. I know scary and bad things happen to all people, believers or not but I have learned its going to be OK either way and am going to enjoy this last pregnancy of mine. hang in there, try not too worry and I'll add you to my prayer list, much love xo

Hey you all, Novembergirl thats so crazy, thats exactly what my 2 year old has, i have heard it is a common sergery. Amasing what us and our poor children go through. Periodts hang in there i feel very similar. Thank you all for your support

Good News everyone. I had another sono today and no spot was to be found. It made me pretty happy but you know what, I won't be worry free until she is born and they tell me she is allright. Three weeks left so I will keep you posted.

After my initial ultrasound found the echogenic foci I paniced and had the quad screen down at 20 weeks. I am happy to say that it came back negative. I am not sure what my ratio is, but will ask at my next prenatal visit. I have a level 2 scan tomorrow. I will let you all know how it turns out. I too have two other children, and both have had some sort of problem. My oldest was tongue tied and now has a lisp we are dealing with. My second has really bad vision, which caused his eyes to cross. He just had surgery to correct it about three weeks ago. His eyes still are not perfect, but they are much better. And, speaking of a hernia, I also was born with one of those. I had mine fixed when I was three. I since have had another hernia most likely from being pregnant before. Hopefully my repair holds up this time. All I can say is God never gives us more than we can handle, and nobody is perfect. I would never trade either one of my boys for a perfect child. No matter what happens with my baby girl, she is mine, and I will love her just as much as if she was "perfect". I'm sure most of you feel the same way. You are going to love your babies no matter how things turn out.

hi everyone! just to update you all, i took matthew for his 2 week check up this past tuesday! my pediatrician says he is just perfect in every way! he said the echocardiogram that he ordered before we were released from the hospital showed a completely perfect heart with no calcium dep/bright spot, not even a heart murmur! he gained right at a pound in 2 weeks, he now weighs 9 lbs & is 20 1/2 inches long! he grew a half an inch as well! i made myself sick with worry about my baby's health, i am an excessive worrier anyway, for no reason at all! i couldn't have asked for a more perfect son! i still think of all you going through this everyday & say a little prayer for you & your babies! i know exactly what each of you are feeling~i promise, it is going to be ok, trust in God, he will see us all through! i am like the others who have delivered already, i am sad that my pregnancy was so miserable with worry! as someone else said, things like this make us even more proud & thankful for our perfect little miracles! God bless!

Thats Good news Novemberbabygirl. I'm wanting to go for my next US and wondering if the longer i wait maybe the chances of the spot not being there will be better. I'm so worried about my next US sometimes i wonder maybe i should of done the amnio so i can know for sure, then i can prepare myself for this beautiful gift. it's just scarey i guess. I'm 26 weeks. Does anybody know if markers can change from the level2 US to the next US you have? I hope my question makes sense.

Lydia, iam so happy for you, Enjoy your healthy family, and please keep in touch. My baby is due Jan26th, Take care

Thanks for the support girls... and thanks for the update, Lydia. Everything sounds great with your wee one. :) Downunder - we are due very close together. I am due January 30 - with a repeat C-section scheduled probably around the 23rd. From what I have read, whether the spot goes away or not, it doesn't change that it was there at one time (as far as the "odds" they give us). Not sure if that's true or not.... just what I read. Not sure if that is what you are asking or not... Like lovemy3, I am also under the care of a Perinatologist due to a previous high risk pregnancy. I have cervical length ultrasounds every 2 weeks (up until 28 weeks) since I had a shortened cervix in my last pregnancy. Anyway, I go in tomorrow for a cervical length check... and I decided to have an amnio as well. I just need to know either way... I'll keep you posted.

I had my level 2 ultrasound today, and everything looks good. The echogenic foci is still there. They gave me odds of 1 in 2500 of my little girl having down syndrome. I will take those odds. I am not having the amnio done, because of the risk of miscarriage.

peridot..i was told the same thing, once its there your odds stay the same even if it disappears. hope your amnio goes well and you will no longer worry. hugs. midwest...i didn't have an amnio either and my risk is at 1/46 and i'm 38 yrs old. 1/2500 sound great to me. hugs!

Just wanted to update that I got FISH results today from my amnio, and they were negative for T13, T18 and T21 and confirmed I am having a boy. I will have the full report in about 7 more days. I am so glad I did the amnio... I had actually had one with my last pregnancy (at 34 weeks for lung maturity) so I wasn't at all scared about it, and it was a breeze - again. I'm still praying for everyone!

Peridots, Thats great news, Congrats, i hope your pregnancy is a little more smooth and not so stressful!

Downunder - thanks. Unfortunately, I also learned my cervix is shortening (the problem I had with my last pregnancy). So my GOAL at the moment, is just getting as fas as I can with this baby. I hate wishing the pregnancy away... but I just want January to get here asap. Hopefully my next u/s will show no more change. Good luck to you as well! I know everything is FINE!

that was... "just getting as FAR as I can..." I never proof read. :)