Pregnancy Info HOME

kd8407 - I'm 28 and didn't have any of the bloodwork done either, but my doctor said that because of my age, it really wouldn't have made a difference anyways. The numbers are truly on our side and she gave me a 1/5000 risk of having a baby with ds. Honestly, read through all of these posts and it will give you a peace of mind about these sole soft markers. The more and more you read, you'll notice how common this is! And keep posting on here with all of these wonderful women (and men).....they are such a great support network! Your mind will get the best of you for a couple of weeks, but after that, honestly, you will calm down and take things into a better perspective! Try to relax and know that there are others in the same situation and we're all going to have beautiful healthy babies :) Diane

Hi Everyone, I first just wanted to say that I'm so happy to have found this group. I've searched for a while and found a lot of inactive message boards on this subject. I am due with my 2nd boy June 1. Five weeks ago I found out he had an EIF. My quad screen came up 1 in 3600 for downs. My doc isn't concerned, but like many others can't help but feel worried. The first couple weeks I cried almost every day. I think I've read every possible piece of info on EIF on the web that was available for free. Now I convice myself that everything is okay, but sometimes still feel like I'm going to be that ONE. All the statistics in the world can mean nothing at all or everything in the world if you are that one person. I'm filled with hope after reading so many positive endings on this board. Sometimes I can't help but wonder if the happy endings are happening to certain ethnic groups (since I've read it is common in asians). I've read that EIF is in about 5% of normal caucasian pregnancies. To me that isn't a lot, but my doc ensures me that is a lot in th medical community. However, then I don't know how to interpret the research then when it says my chance for having a baby with downs is 1% b/c of the EIF. If 5% is a lot, wouldn't 1% be a lot? Has anyone come across research with isolated EIF combined with quad screen? I haven't been able to find a lot out there on what is considered low risk pregnancies with isolated EIF. Sorry this is so long... again, I'm so glad to have found this board and am happy I can "talk" to others that understand how I'm feeling. I just wish I was as blissfully ignorant with this pregnancy as I was with my first son. I feel like I'm cheating myself and my new baby boy from experiencing this pregnancy to the fullest.

kd8407 - This group has made me feel a lot better, since we're all in the same boat. I'm 25 and I did have the Quad Screen done, mine were 1/3200.... but it varies, and your could be much better than mine... with your age, and only one marker found, odds are incredibly in your favor. I opted out of the amnio as well, since they told me 1/300 risk of miscarriage at my clinic. My advice is, try not to worry too much, easier said than done since I almost worry everyday, but its been 3 weeks and I can tell you I feel a lot better, and you know what we all deserve to be happy in our pregnancies... so we can at least try to keep it off our minds a bit. What I do is keep checking the board, you'll find great comforting stories from day 1 back in 2005.... of women who've felt just like us but have delivered healthy babies.

kd - all of us on the board completely understand. I think it is really really good that even though your baby is measuring small it is an overall small and not just shortened legs or arms. I also opted out of all bloodwork and amino. I was 29 at the time, but just turned 30. So just based on age alone the odds of having a healthy baby for a 30 year old are like 99.7%. For 27 year old yours are probably like 99.9%. Some days i wish I had the amnio just I would know but then snap back into reality realizing it was not worth the risk of something happening to the baby. However it really is a personal decision. As the other ladies have pointed out the first few weeks may be rough for you but it does truely get better over time. I'm not saying I don't have a freak out day here and there after 10 weeks of knowing but I can get through the days without crying hysterically. catherine - your odds are great and even with the EIF the chances are way less than 1% I believe. From what I've read EIF can be as common as 7% of normal babies seen. My doc says he sees this in 1 out of 20-30 pregnancies so that to me seems pretty common. My u/s tech also said she shes this all the time and it means nothing. All that is great but it hasn't made me worry any less unfortunately. This is my first baby so I don't even get the blissfully ignorant feeling as you had with your first boy. You will find I have a few links posted on the Facebook Group page. I still need to add one I found about the triple screen and isolated EIF. I don't think I have an article that talks about the quad screen though. As far as the research goes I think low risk pregnancies are those that have excellent bloodwork results (as you do) and if no bloodwork is available women that are under 35 are apparently low risk according to one study I've read. 1moremom- any news?

To the new ladies - welcome to a great group of ladies to talk to about your worries and fears and know that you are with others who are in the same place as you and understand! Talk as much as you want, or lurk.....either or. Some days are rough, some really suck, other days are peachy. Just remember that there are so many great outcomes out there for this and you should just relax and know that the numbers are on your side :) 1moremom - I'm beginning t think my little wee-nut might come before yours. lol! I started having some sporatic contractions tonight, definitely stronger than Braxton Hicks, but they've kind of mellowed out now. Kind of panicked a little bit since the hubby isn't on holidays until March 5th and baby isn't due until March 14th, but at least I know that if my hubby is working, all I have to do is dial 911 and he'll be coming (he's a career firefighter). We'll see.....hope to hear some good news from you first :) How are the February blah's treating everyone? I have a checkup tomorrow, then plan on taking a nice long walk outside in the mild weather that we are having. Hopefully I'll burn some of my two year old's energy off when we go out....but I'll probably be the one who will end up needing the nap. My goal tomorrow.....finish packing my hospital bag!!!!! And get the diaper bag all ready, get baby's room entirely cleaned up and try to relax at some point. Talk to you all soon!!!! Diane

Well, my daughter finally had her HEALTHY,BEAUTIFUL baby boy! Her labor had to be induced so he was monitored the whole time, over two days and his heartbeat was perfect. The OB just laughed when my daughter asked about his heart. So I hope that this is one more proof to all of you out there that this EFS means nothing. Please try to enjoy what should be a very happy time in your life.

congrats momsmom on your healthy grandson! Just wondering were you posting for your daughter that frequently posts on this board? We are waiting to hear about another mother (1moremom) who should have delivered her baby by now.

thanks steffie92s! No, my daughter has never posted on this board, even though she looked at it often to rea__sure herself. I'm sure you will hear from the other mom too with her good news. I can only hope that in the near future, some doc will come up with an article on how benign this spot is... All the docs and midwives my daughter talked to at UNC hospital say that it really doesn't mean anything at all. Now if they could only find a cure for lack of sleep!!

HI everyone, I have been following this thread for some time now, but up until now had not posted. My baby was found to have EIF at my 18 week ultrasound. I was instructed to have a followup level II ultrasound. And was rea__sured by my Dr that it was most likely nothing and not too worry. Well as everyone on this post knows, easier said than done. A bit of background on me... This is my second baby, my first sadly pa__sed away at 6 weeks due to SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) So as you can imagine this pregnancy was already stressing me out as I wanted EVERYTHING to be perfectly smooth, my Level II ultrasound showed nothing unusual (no other soft markers were found) I was told to put it out of my head, which I could not do for several weeks. I found the fear to creep back up on me toward the tail end of my pregnancy. I am HAPPY to report that my baby was born on 2/16 perfectly healthy. No chromosomal abnormalities. I am a worrier by nature, and I know it can be very very hard to deal with the possibility of something being wrong... but the bottom line being, try and trust what your Dr is saying and KNOW that the vast majority of babies with EIF are chromosomally normal. Good luck to everyone, I know that you will all have beautiful healthy babies soon! Take care of yourselves and your little ones!

momsmom - well we definitely appreciate hearing from you even though your daughter never personally posted. I think you are absolutely right that they need to really look at all the data on the issue of ECF/EIF's and really understand what it means. I think it is almost slightly irresponsible to make so many women stress and worry for the rest of their pregnancy! Congrats again and many happy days with your new grandson! palegreenstar - Congrats on your healthy baby and THANK YOU for posting your story. I am very sorry to hear about your first baby. I only hope you are able to heal now that you have another bundle of joy. Hearing the positive stories about healthy babies being born can be so uplifting especially if your having one of those "bad days". I am a worrier too and this has been such a difficult experience for me. I too feel that the anxiousness is slightly picking up the closer I get to delivery. Again thank you for posting and take care:) Many happy days to you and your new baby!

Congrats MomsMom!!!!! I wish my Mom can say the same in a couple of months!!!! Thanks you for coming back and posting the happy news, I'm sure everyone here finds it very rea__suring!!! You just gave me a reason to smile about!!!

PaleGreenStar - Congratulations to you too!!!! You must be sooo happy, the EIF days of worry are long gone now..... Thanks for posting the happy outcome even though you never posted before!!!! Its always nice to hear about great outcomes!!!

Hi ladies and gentleman. Well, I had my girl and she is PERFECT!!! The nurses (and visitors and doctors) call her the supermodel baby as she is just gorgeous. :) I was in labor for 22 hours and ended up with a c-section. She came down but wasn't able to make it past the pelvic bone. As she was in the ca___l for so long we thought she'd for sure have conehead, bruises, etc. but she came out just perfect. She was 7 lbs 10 ozs (which is great because she'd measured, in the womb, at 9 lb 5 oz). I really hope this gives you all some peace of mind. I believe my odds were the worst (at 1/80) and all is wonderful. I don't believe I said anything about it in earlier posts but I also had other problems which were worrysome. I have a bicornuate uterus (working with 1/2 a uterus basically), I tested positive for group b strep bacteria, had the eif spot on the heart and positive numbers for downs with my quad screen test. Plus I am 38 years old. All is good with me so I KNOW all will be good for you all as well. This group was such a God send for me and I'm glad we have each other to talk to and share our stories, concerns, etc. with. I said I'd report back about what tests the doctors did after my girl was born. They immediately do the APGAR test and I believe her scores were 7 and 9. After 24 hours they did a hearing test (she did great but don't know the actual score) and they tested her blood for 42 genetic problems. The bloodwork is sent to the state and they should have the results in a week or so. I asked both my doctor and my babys doctor about the eif and what they would do to test her heart. They said they wouldn't test anything. All is great with her and the eif is so common and so meaningless that they do not test her for anything to do with it unless she shows signs of problems such as a recurring urinary tract infection, blood pressure, abnormal heart rate, etc). They also take another blood sample at 2 weeks (can't remember what for). All in all the tests are non evasive and just the sheer sight of my girl let me know she was healthy. If anyone has any questions please feel free to ask and I will be checking in to see how you all are doing. Wishing you a wonderful day!!! Ohmuffin- any more contractions??

::::shrieking:::: OH MY GOODNES!!! CONGRATULATIONS...I am so so very happy for you 1moremom! She sounds perfect!! Palegreenstar - Congrats as well...all of these positive stories are so very rea__suring to me. the closer I get to fdelivery the mor e anxious I am getting but hearing all this news makes me feel comforted. momsmom - Thanks for posting your great news as well...CONGRATS grandma!!! YAY for positives stories.... I just hope there is enough of all this good luck to last....

1moremom - I have another question - I can not recall. After the diagnosis, while you were pregnant, did you have any additional follow-up on the EIF, u/s etc.?

1moremom- congrats on the healthy baby girl. They did all the same tests on my little one as they did on yours. I think those are all pretty routine tests even with babies that don't have abnormal ultrasounds. I know they did all those with my other kids as well and they had normal ultrasounds. I am so happy for you. Enjoy your little one. I am certainly enjoying mine even though he kept me up all night last night :) Gretchen