Re: Amnio - To have it or not?

i can't share any insight or experience, but good luck! i know its a tough decision- we have things in our family (though i guess everyone does)... but i worry too, and i'm not even close to TTC yet. Im sure when you get results back from the sono that you'll kow what the right decision for your situation is.

Re: Amnio - To have it or not?

Posted by Corinne

its funny becuase i got about 5 fms saying that you always bring drama and think your always right. mrs j wanted everyones opinion and i gave mine. stop taking away from her post and making it about yourself. dont you see that she edited her first question. you must be a very bored person or have alot of time on your hands to be so critial of everyone and if monkeybride worded her comments differently thats great i agree with what she wrote. next time i will send you my comments for approval before posting.

Re: Amnio - To have it or not?

Just wanted to wish you luck with your decision. Deep down you will know what is right decision for yourself in your situation. None of us are in your shoes right now so we really can't give you suitable advice. Good Luck :)

Re: Amnio - To have it or not?

MrsJ, you have some difficult decisions in front of you.... I am sure you will make the right decisions for you and DH when the time comes. I hope and pray that everything is OK for you.

Re: Amnio - To have it or not?

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Re: Amnio - To have it or not?

Good Luck to you and DH. Hope all goes well with whatever you decide.

Re: Amnio - To have it or not?

I hope Kathy, it wasn't me who scared you. I have a true fear of amnio's and I don't like how Dr's make you feel something is wrong when they DONT know for sure and pressure some patients to have something that could possibly end their pregnancy or cause them to lose a child.

My first PG , my AFP panel was very high, I had a second level sono and they were not sure if everything was ok, but were 75% sure. I went for the mandatory genetic counseling and Im sorry but they scare the CRAP out of you with the videos and percentages...yet NEVER mention except on the waiver you sign the percentage of M/C's and premature baby death that an amnio could cause, which if you research is HIGHER then the chance of something being wrong with the baby in the first place.

I decided not to have the amnio and was given such an attitude about it, when my own decision was that the results would not affect my decision regarding the pregnancy so it wasnt warranted.

Now again, my own opinion is that if they showed me some more proof that there was a VERY good chances something like Downs was a factor, and I mean sono proof or specific blood tests then I might go along with a sono if I felt it would affect my decision to continue carrying the child. So yes its 100% an individual decision.

My major concern is that the Drs NEVER fully explain the severe risks of a M/C and what your test results are. I think I would ask the Dr for every last detail about what the tests showed and the percentages.

Keep in mind the chances of having a baby with a heart defect is almost 20 times greater then having a baby with a genetic disorder yet no one asks you if you want to discuss that, or the other disorders that are much more prevalent.

The bottom line is they CAN test you for certain genetic defects and very well should and you should have every option to have it, but its one of the only things they can test for these days unfortunately and so for some reason its pushed on people.

As you can see I have strong feelings, but they are personal opinions so please no one take this the wrong way. I do not judge anyone, nor do I think people who amnio's are wrong in any shape or form, just expressing my own concerns and why I wont have one. My personal experience added to the fact that I have two friends who lost their babies immediately after their amnio makes it too much of a risk for me, unless I was very certain something was wrong and I wanted to decide about furthering the pregnancy or not.

Kathy- I wish you all the love and luck in the world. I truly believe little bean is going to be fine, but I understand your facing a difficult decision and so lots of

Re: Amnio - To have it or not?

OOooo Kathy-

I choose not to do the AFP testing, because I felt since I was young and these risks did not run in my family, and I knew no matter what I was keeping this pregnancy, it was not necessary... The AFP tests give MANY false positives...which is another reason I choose not to do it.. I too feared having an amnio (I know myself and if the AFP test results came back negatively..I would push myself to have it done) So I skipped it all together...

Then who would know at 36 weeks, Id be faced with making the decision to have an amnio again..not once but twice...

I did not HAVE to have it done, but since I was truely miserable dealing with PUPPS, and with my father leaving for IRAQ they wanted to do the tests to make sure that if they induced me early the baby would be "fully cooked"... I denied the tests the first opportunity, however ended up doing it the 2nd time the offered it to me..

In this case we did not test for any "diseases" we simply just tested his lungs, and fetal development... (Everything was fine and he was born 2 days later..)

NOW- I will say an amnio is ALOT safer in your third trimester...for you cant miscarry-however they can break your water causing you to go into labor, when your baby may not be ready....

The procedure was uncomfortable-but def. not as bad as I thought, and in my case it was successfully done...had the baby not of been ready he wouldve just stayed inside until he decided to come out...

Now- just ask yourself what you wanna know these test results for??? Do you just wanna know to prepare yourself.. Or will you (Totally your pref) choose to terminate the preg?

If you just wanna know to know...I would wait til your at the end of your pregnancy...Its ALOT less riskier..

You WILL make the right decision, and I totally understand your concerns... If it ran in my family I would be struggling with the same decisions...

If there is anything else ya wanna know.. ask me! I did go through it... at a different time..and for different reasons.. but Ive been there sweetie...I know how hard it is to make these kinds of decisions!!!

Message edited 10/27/2005 10:50:45 AM.

Re: Amnio - To have it or not?

Marissa, Thanks so much for sharing (yes, it all made sense LOL). I'm going to talk to my doctor on Monday and see what she says. Once we get the results of the Ultrascreen and talk to her I hope to have a better idea of what to do!

Donna - No you didnt scare me (don't worry ) You just made me think about what could happen - and now I'm not so sure I want to have the amnio and put my baby at risk. I truly appreciated your input! All of it!! Thank you!

And thank you to everyone for your input!

ETA: DH and I were talking about it last night and I think we're leaning towards NOT having it done...that is pending the results of the other tests and talking to our doctor.

Message edited 10/27/2005 11:45:48 AM.

Re: Amnio - To have it or not?

just a note about amnio. I am now 36. I did not have an amnio because I I had the Nucleofold at 12 weeks and an AFP at 15 weeks. All was normal - I then had teh 20 weeks sono where they measure everything and everything was good. My doc said if all is good with these it is not necessary to have an amnio. I was glad because I didnt want one.

- Shari