Early Screening Results

Hi Everyone,

I am new and have just been researching a lot on this site. Today I decided to join. I am expecting twins. I had my early screening done around 13 weeks (to check for Downsyndrome) and the results came back low-risk and doctor does not recommend amnio. Here are my results:

Baby A 1:400
Baby B 1:1000

Here is my concern..why is it that everytime I talk to my friends who are having one baby, their ratio is so much higher...like 1:10,000.

I told myself that if the doctor says not to worry, than I would not worry. But, I just can't help to think that my numbers are so low and it scares me a little.

Can you guys fill me in on your experiences with the early screening results? Were yours just as low because it's twins and not a single baby? Do you think my babies will be ok?

TIA!!

 

Hi and welcome to Twinstuff! :welcome: Congrats on your twins. :Clap:


Sorry I am no help with the results we declined all of those tests.

 

:welcome: to TS

I'm not really sure on the ratio either but ours were 1:500 with both babies.
My twins are just fine and normal even being born 10 weeks early.
Don't worry yourself!!

Take Care.

 

We also declined most of the testing - my drs both OB and peri said that with a twin or more pregnancy the results were not very accurate and if we had gotten results that were less than perfect we would spend the rest of my pregnancy worrying probably for nothing.

 

Our Dr. didn't even screen for downs because he said the test is not very accurate with twins. Maybe that accounts for the numbers different than your friends.

 

My peri screened for downs and the test came back fine but the peri did tell me at one point its just a screening and that they aren't accurate most of the time !! try not to worry

 

I'm actually surprised the doc recomended testing since you have twins. They are not reliable for twins. Try not to worry.

 

I am assuming you had the nuchal translucency (sp?) screening to determine the risk for Down's and hopefully you had a very detailed level 2 u/s at the same time. If so, you had the test at 13 weeks, which is a bit later than is recommended. The test is most accurate at 11 1/2 weeks. My perinatologist was adamant we have it at exactly 11 1/2 weeks, no later because the results would be off. Honestly, I would not be worried with your results. None of the testing is 100% accurate and even an amnio can't test for many disorders, just a few very specific ones. It is completely up to you to have an amnio and no should talk you into or out of it. If you could not go through with the pregnancy if your twins have Down's or one of the other chromosomal abnormalities, then you should get the amnio. If that is not the issue, it really isn't necessary. I support anyone's decision because it is their family and their choice. My results were 1:2000 and 1:800 and neither of my boys have a chromosomal abnormality. Had my results been less than 1:100, then I would have considered an amnio so we would know for sure what we needed to prepare for. I wish you much luck and comfort. Things are most likely just fine.

Kelly

 

At my peris office the test is recommended up until 13 w 6 days. And all info on the internet says the same. We had ours done at 13 w exactly and our results were 1:4675. I had originally been slated at 1:465 and I will be 35 when I deliver.

 

QUOTE(joyful noise @ Dec 30 2008, 01:13 PM) [snapback]1126459[/snapback]
I'm actually surprised the doc recomended testing since you have twins. They are not reliable for twins. Try not to worry.



Ditto this, I declined the testing with my other kids as well, so even if this was a singleton I would have declined. Being twins I really declined as there is much evidence that the numbers are based on a single baby not multiples and therefore have a higher chance of being incorrect.

 

QUOTE(scrappycindy @ Dec 30 2008, 12:38 PM) [snapback]1126403[/snapback]
Our Dr. didn't even screen for downs because he said the test is not very accurate with twins.


This is what my doctor told me as well. :hug: I'm sorry you have this worry to walk around with, but I'm sure that it being twins is why your numbers are different from your friends who are having one. :hug: Try not to worry. :hug:

Welcome to twinstuff and congratulations on your twins. :Clap: :Clap:

 

First welcome to Twinstuff! You'll never leave now! Second...I'll give you a slightly different perspective...

I did the nuchal ultrasound with my boys. Not for the results-I just wanted the ultrasound and to see them and know that things were ok. Selfish on my part probably! I was at work one day when I got the phone call from my OB. She had the results of the test. Why in the world would she be calling me? Something was off...

I can't remember Nicholas' numbers-but he was fine. Anthony? His chance of Down Syndrome? 1 in 49. I eventually lost it-I tried so hard to keep myself together while I was on the phone with her. She told me it did not mean he had Down Syndrome. A 1 in 49 chance was a 2% chance that he had it, and a 98% chance he was perfectly healthy. The 1 in 49 sounded worse to me vs the 2%.

DH and I decided if there were other factors(more than one) that we MIGHT have more testing done, after we had the big u/s. Well-at that u/s they couldn't really see his heart well, but his femur was really short-a marker for Down Syndrome. Here I went hoping to have answer and instead we were left with more questions. We went back every 4 weeks-never got a clear answer-just that he had a short femur. We opted to not do any other testing-as it would not change the outcome of the pregnany. We would love him no matter what. It took us 4 years to get pregnant and nothing was going to take it away.

Fast forward to delivery day-He was born perfect in every single way. So-those tests-yeah I don't hold them to heart. They are not set in stone/cut-n-dry.

We did do the test again for this pregnancy, and all is well. I also think genetics play a part in it-my dh is Italian-the short femur-and his dad's side of the family-they have big necks.

Good luck with everything!

 

QUOTE(megkc03 @ Dec 30 2008, 08:41 PM) [snapback]1127109[/snapback]
First welcome to Twinstuff! You'll never leave now! Second...I'll give you a slightly different perspective...

I did the nuchal ultrasound with my boys. Not for the results-I just wanted the ultrasound and to see them and know that things were ok. Selfish on my part probably! I was at work one day when I got the phone call from my OB. She had the results of the test. Why in the world would she be calling me? Something was off...

I can't remember Nicholas' numbers-but he was fine. Anthony? His chance of Down Syndrome? 1 in 49. I eventually lost it-I tried so hard to keep myself together while I was on the phone with her. She told me it did not mean he had Down Syndrome. A 1 in 49 chance was a 2% chance that he had it, and a 98% chance he was perfectly healthy. The 1 in 49 sounded worse to me vs the 2%.

DH and I decided if there were other factors(more than one) that we MIGHT have more testing done, after we had the big u/s. Well-at that u/s they couldn't really see his heart well, but his femur was really short-a marker for Down Syndrome. Here I went hoping to have answer and instead we were left with more questions. We went back every 4 weeks-never got a clear answer-just that he had a short femur. We opted to not do any other testing-as it would not change the outcome of the pregnany. We would love him no matter what. It took us 4 years to get pregnant and nothing was going to take it away.

Fast forward to delivery day-He was born perfect in every single way. So-those tests-yeah I don't hold them to heart. They are not set in stone/cut-n-dry.

We did do the test again for this pregnancy, and all is well. I also think genetics play a part in it-my dh is Italian-the short femur-and his dad's side of the family-they have big necks.

Good luck with everything!


Thank you everyone for the warm welcome and for sharing your stories. They definitely made me feel a lot better. If knew I could decline the test, I probably would have.

 

My ob pushed for me to have the test because i'm over 35. The original results came out 1 in 110 for Downs, at 18W, but the peri changed that number to 1 in 220 because she had just cleared the babies on u/s.

We refused amnio because of the risks, but even now at 22W i'm still freaking out about the possibility of an abnormality. i have done enough research to know that AFP results between 1 in 30 and 1 in 270 are referred for more testing. Being at 1 in 220, we feel our chances are pretty good of them being healthy and normal, and yet i still have my fingers crossed and will until they are born. If i could go back and NOT have the testing done, i would, just so as to save myself the constant worry and stress over numbers that may not even be accurate.

 

Since I'm over 35, my regular OB sent me to a Regional Specialist for the genetic counseling and testing. My NT scans from them came back as 3.6 and 4.6, with a final outcome of 1:5 chance of some chromosomal abnormality. (They didn’t split it between the twins.)

My OB had told me that any thing over 1:350 is nothing to worry about and no cause to have any further testing.

We chose to follow up w/ the amnio b/c the Regional people just went on and on about all the bad things that could be wrong based on their NT numbers. My amnio went perfectly, and the risks from that were, I felt, better than me stressing for the next several months.

When my amnio’s came back, everything was fine.

I’m glad I had the amnio, because the worry was HORRIBLE!!! I know how important good nutrition and adequate sleep are for me and I was hopeless at both for weeks.

If it’s a worry for you, have the amnio. If you can put it out of your mind and have a stress-free pregnancy, don’t bother.

 

our # with are singeltons was much higher but they did blood work with them
with the twin pregancy they only did the measuring and no blood work to back there measurment because the blood work isnt accurate with twins. dont worry about it hun, just enjoy your pregancy

 

Welcome! I have read other's stories where they had 1:6 and the baby turned out fine. Try not worry. Your little ones will be blessed!

 

QUOTE(Heathermomof5 @ Dec 30 2008, 11:53 AM) [snapback]1126343[/snapback]
We also declined most of the testing - my drs both OB and peri said that with a twin or more pregnancy the results were not very accurate and if we had gotten results that were less than perfect we would spend the rest of my pregnancy worrying probably for nothing.


Ditto everything she said. That's why we declined the screening with this pg (I was considering it this time even though we declined with our two previous singletons).