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I am not sure if your post was from one of my previous comments or on this forum as a whole, but it breaks my heart that you and your wife are so worried. My daughter is now 5 years old and healthy as can be ( albeit a bit sa__sy and a handful!). I worried every day of my pregnancy, and we too did not do a ultrasound because the results wouldn't have mattered. We were blessed to be having a baby, downs or not. Your baby girl is going to be perfect and healthy, please do not worry about it, these markers shouldn't even be linked to downs or another abnormality. ( they told me my chances were 1:100) . This forum is a constant reminder to me to be grateful for my daughter everyday, and I pray that everyone on here can find peace and enjoy the miracle thatis growing (PERFECTLY) inside of them.

Hey there - Concerned Daddy, I found your post very touching when it appeared in my inbox. I just wanted to share an update on my situation, since it may help put your mind at ease. Other positive stories helped me a TON. I can't recommend the Facebook group enough. Our materniti21 test results came back 99% negative for ds or any of the other chromosomal abnormalities. Granted, that's not 100% - only amnio can give you that - but those odds have been enough to let us get over the fears. Every now and then, I will have a hear of being in the 1%, but at each and every ob/gyn appt, the different drs have each said that they have NEVER had a ds child born with EIF as the one and only sign of something unusual. and I've seen numerous websites, blogs, posts about people with multiple signs, in addition to EIFs, who also had perfectly healthy "normal" babies. so please try not to worry too much. It is natural to worry and I remember the sleepless nights well, but everything I have seen, read and heard since then has been rea__suring. Best wishes to you, your wife, and that great baby girl!!

Hi All. Forgive me if this post sounds weird. I have not had much sleep for over a week since finding out the result of EIF in my little girl's heart. My wife and I are first time parents. We are in our mid 30's. Also found out about the result during the 18-20 weeks gest. This forum has been extremely helpful but I was still anxious and worried, not so much about the probability of DS, just an overwhelming concern about the general health of our child. In any event, through my research, I've discovered that there are numerous markers not just EIF that are a__sociated with DS and other medical problems. If you are concerned about EIF a__sociation with DS, know that there are numerous markers that must be met in order to definitively conclude DS. This statement is confirmed by our obgyn doc today. In Canada, there are at least 9 required measures that must be tested. If you read enough research as I have, you'll find out that there are actually more measures that can be considered when trying to determine a__sociation with DS. A finding of EIF is a soft marker and at most it will only increase the chance of DS by 2x that of the blood result for DS. In any event, this chance is still lower than the risks a__sociated with invasive procedures to determine DS. It is not justified to take the risk. Anyway, I just wanted to give a__surances to other to be parents not to worry too much upon finding EIF. Just get educated or ask your doctors for confirmation whether any other markers have also been found in addition to EIF. If only EIF, then just relax and enjoy the pregnancy. I may come back to edit this post. I just want to sleep and hope you all will do the same when you stop worrying. I hear you'll need the sleep especially when the baby is born. Keep up the hope, get educated, and PRAY!!!

Hi everyone. I just had my 20 week scan last week and the doctor found an EIF on my babies heart. My NT scan with bloodwork came came within the normal range and the EIF is the only marker they saw, but I can't help but feel stressed about this still. I feel like it's all I can think about and I wasn't even excited about finding out it was a boy at our gender reveal. I feel like this news about EIF has consumed all my thoughts and that's not fair to me or the baby. I too would love to join the Facebook group if it is still open. Can someone please tell me how I can do that? I think some rea__surance would help me a lot. I just turned 35 a few weeks ago and this whole "advanced maternal age" thing is making me even more nervous because I keep hearing "for women under 35, one marker is not bad......" :(

join the facebook group by sending a friend request to Stephanie Egger.

Thanks Riperdays. Which Stephanie Egger? There are about 10 of them. Could someone describe her profile pic to me? Thanks :)

I am glad that everyone's baby turned out okay. I am in the same boat and scared to death, please pray that everything works out fine for me as well.

Dear all, I would like to introduce myself. I'am Jennifer 26 years old from the Netherlands. Past may we were also diagnosed with Echogenic foci in the left ventrikel during our 20 week scan. Our first trimester blood screening and NT measurement were both fine! In the Netherlands one softmarker is no reason for further a___lysis. For further a___lysis multiple softmarkers need to be found. After our 20 week scan we got the advise not to worry about the Echogenic focus, because everything else was fine. The only question is: How do you do that? One mistake I made was searhing on the web, to find anwsers. I could not handle this very well. I was totally devistaded. Luckily this forum is still around and i have read all the story's (all positive) And therefore i would like to thank you all very much! I am very happy to announce that our perfectly healthy daughter was born on 26 september! For all the people that are in the same situation right now, try to enjoy the pregnancy as much as you can! How difficult it sometimes might be. You are in my mind!!!!!

I realize this is an old forum but I don't use Facebook & I wanted to share my story. This board gave me hope when I was pregnant & I hope my post can also provide some comfort to anyone going through this now or in the future. I was 25 when I conceived my second child (26) when I gave birth. However at my 20 week level II ultrasound they found an isolated EIF. I'm in California & did the Full Integrated Serum Screening which combines first trimester blood with second trimester blood screening then they combine it with a NT ultrasound. My results came back 1 in 3900, after the EIF was found I was told my new risk was 1 in 2700. The doctor told me he's not worried and no follow up would be done. I was convinced I would be that "one", since I wasn't even given the option for amnio & wasn't informed of the finding till my 24 week appointment, I had nothing to do but Google frantically & worry for 15 long weeks. I can't tell you how many times I looked at his ultrasound pictures/video debating whether or not I could see characteristics of Down Syndrome even though I know you can't tell from a 3d ultrasound... I couldn't help myself. Fortunately by the grace of God I gave birth via c-section to a healthy baby. I asked the pediatrician about the EIF and he didn't even seem phased about it, he said it's seen in 10% of babies and doesn't even show up in the echo after birth. Yes, my son had to have an echocardiogram after birth for a slight heart murmur (which they explained is completely unrelated to an EIF and happens to some babies and goes away 24 hours after birth, which his did) & everything came out clear. Good luck to everyone!!

Hi!! not really sure how old are this posts, but just wanted to said how helpful its has been for me, my daughter had an echogenic focus found on her heart at 20 weeks and tomorrow we are going for another ultrasound, it's my 1 st. daughter after 2 sons...and I was praying for a little girl since I found out I was pregnant, so I didn't get to enjoy finding out for long, as after a week they inform me about the "focus", and it's has been a rollercoaster of emotions since then, crying lots and at the same time feeling guilty because I know a child with DS it's a blessing too...and it can happen to anyone, my blood test at 13 and 16 week were normal...can someone please tell me how to find the facebook group??? I have been looking into and I don't seem to find it...thanksss and God bless you all..

Hi, I am new to this forum but I am so thankful I found it!! I have read all 1300 plus posts because on February 23 at my 21 week ultrasound I was told that our baby has an EIF/Spot on the left ventricle. Then the doctor dropped the bomb on my husband, 2 children and I that this can be a "soft marker" for DS. It was so surreal, my husband and I had really thought that we were done having kids, we have a 7 and 5 year old, but this past summer we decided that maybe we should have one more. At the ultrasound we were just so excited, especially since we were not finding out the gender, and had just such a fun time with our sonographer. I never expected that the doctor would come in with that news. It was like the wind was sucked out of our sails. I cried basically for the next two days despite the fact that the doctor told me not to worry, I just couldn't help myself. I called him the next day to go over the rest of the ultrasound findings, asking specifically about the femur length and growth etc... He was very kind and ured that they hadn't find anything else. But I am still so scared. I never did the quad screening or early 2nd trimester blood work because I always knew that it wouldn't matter either way, but I am kind of kicking myself now because the only odds I have to go on are my age (33) which I believe it is 1/650 but because of the EIF I believe would be cut in half (1/325)?? Also, I was adopted at birth so I have very little family medical history, but what I do have does not show DS or any other chromosomal abnormality but it also isn't current. I so appreciate all of your posts and I would love to be included in the FB group. I emailed Stephanie Egger but haven't heard back yet. Please keep me in your prayers, I go for the Level 2 Ultrasound and Echocardiogram this Thursday. Again, I am so thankful to have been able to read your posts and hear your success stories, it has given me so much hope!

Claudiadls8 - How did your ultrasound go? What is your due date?

Hi Mamaof3!! thanks for your reply, I am very calm now, we went for the ultrasound yesterday and the "focus" is still there, I wasn't surprised and kind of prepare that could still be present, but I was praying that nothing else new appear , no new marks, and they told me everything else looks fine!! and the focus is soo little they don't even consider it of any clinical significance or nothing to be concern, just a variant, so I feel much better now, I am 28 week nows, due date is May 24, and is has been really hard since they told me, 2 months ago, but after all the crying and worrying and thinking, the last 2 weeks something happen in me and I am tired of feeling like this, I really wanted to enjoy this pregnancy and I haven't, first because I wanted a little girl sooo bad, and I was anxious to know the gender, then after finding out, I was over the moon!! but Like I said didn't get to enjoy it for long, but I have decide enough is enough!, this is crazy!! is my last pregnancy, my last baby, and is just not fair for us o be worrying like this, and have been thinking and coming to terms with whatever happen, I love my baby soo much already I don't care anymore is she has downs or not, and that have been giving me more internal peace, I'm still very confident that she will be fine still, but if not, I don't care anymore...is time to start enjoying our little blessings!!

I haven't read the latest posts but if you need access to the FB group, please email me at contino at cfl.rr.com

I am glad you are feeling more calm claudiadls8. It's been almost 6 years since I visited this board. I remember how upset and stressed I was after finding out about the EIF on the ultrasound. With my blood work and other soft markers (short femur) my odds were 1/100 for child with Down's. I wasn't a spring chicken either. Turns out my daughter is a typical child with short legs ;) She may have had some kind of spot on her brain too in another ultrasound...it all blurs together and I was mess during that time. If I could get in a time machine I'd go back and actually enjoy my pregnancy. Prayers of comfort for you and best wishes.

Hi everyone. I've been reading this forum ever since I found out about my baby's EIF during my 19 week anatomy scan. Not sure if anyone still reads this but if you are like me who lurked for a while, thought id share my story. I'm from Canada. I turned 35 this month and due July 3. Here we do a standard NT scan at 12 weeks, then 1 blood tests at week 12, and another one at 15 weeks (IPS) not sure if it's the same as the US. Anyway, my numbers for DS came back normal, 1:2630, OB said that's pretty good for my age. Everything was fine until my anatomy scan. My OB told me they found a calcium spot in baby's heart, a soft marker for DS and yes, it cut my ips screening numbers into half (so now it's 1:1315) Like everyone's been told, my OB kept trying to re ure me that it's common and nothing to worry about. In fact, she didn't even tells until 4 weeks later at our appt! Despite her re urance, nothing could ease my fears bc everynight I thought about the "what ifs". I was afraid I'm not strong enough to care for a DS baby, how was I going to tell our family and friends etc. I had many negative thoughts and whenever ppl asked about my pregnancy I didn't want to talk about it. I never told anyone except for my DH of cpurse so I felt really alone. Anyway, long story short, I pushed to see a high risk specialist, who also re ured me of ots an isolated findings with good screening numbers, it is nothing to worry about and didn't recommend doing the amnio. However, I could do the mom invasive blood test called Verifi (or materna13?) to confirm any chromosomal abnormalities. He said its 99.9% accurate bc it looks for specifically the DS chromosomes. I did not qualify for the test bc my risks were low (another positive I guess) but he managed to get me approved for the test by the government. My blood had to be sent to California for this since we don't have it here in Canada. My results came back today and was told my baby is healthy and normal! No DS or any other abnormalities! I'm so happy and relieved I started crying right away. I know it's not the same as actually giving birth to a live baby type of re urance but it was enough for me to know that my baby is ok, and that I can finally enjoy the rest of my pregnancy without this lingering in the back of my head. Hopefully my story will help those who are still worried. Id encourage those who are afraid to do the amnio to do the non invasive blood test for a peace of mind. If you're not covered I believe it's $900 but it's worth every penny! Good luck ladies!