Tessting (amnio etc)

I will be 35 when I have baby #2.
For our first child, I gave birth when I was 33- I didnt have any testing done for Downsyndrom or anything.
Im not so sure I want to do it this time either. My Dr. said that its suggested because of my age- my husband says no and I dont think I want to.

Im curious to see if anyone DIDNT have any of the testing done if you were this age- am I horrible for not wanting the tests done?

Re: Tessting (amnio etc)

I am a little younger then you so I am not in the same position. However, after doing a lot of reading about all the testing, I did notice many women opt not to get tested at all. If it makes no difference to you then don't get tested. You have to do what is right for you and your husband. You are not a horrible person for not wanting to get tested- you already love your baby so much! And if you wanted to get tested you wouldn't be a horrible person either. :)

Re: Tessting (amnio etc)

I delievered DS at 31 and had an amnio because one of my early screening tests came back high for downs. We did the amnio not because we were going to abort the pregnancy (I was already 19 weeks and completely in love) but because I felt that I wanted to be prepared if this was the way things were going to be. baby #2 will be delivered while I'm 34 and I did the initial screens but no amnio because everything came back normal. It's completely up to you and DH to do what you feel comfortable with. For me it was the right decision with #1.

Good luck with your decision!

Re: Tessting (amnio etc)

I'm 43 and only did the NT scan and screening and AFP screening. We had already decided against amnio regardless but our results from the initial testing came back within normal limits. I'm comfortable with our decision.

Good luck with everything.

Re: Tessting (amnio etc)

I am 38 and just had an amnio done.

Here was my thought process behind what to do and not do.

The NT Scan is not diagnotic. It can give such crazy results and would probably not come back in my case just based on age and I would start to worry and probably have the amnio.

So I skipped the NT.

I discussed with DH the amnio. I was not worried about the risk of miscarriage because if done by a Dr that performs them regularly then it is minimal.

If you need to know then I suggest the amnio. If the results are not going to make a bit of difference then you can skip it all.

I know some people wouldn't so a thing different if they got bad results back but DH & I had to know and then discuss options from there.

As for my actual amnio. The lead up was way worse than the actual test. It took all of 10 mins and my baby was sitting far on my right side so the dr had a large area to go in to get the sample. Pain wise it was more uncomfortable than pain.

Honestly the worst part was waiting the 7-10 days for the results. I just got mine on monday and everything came back normal. To me it was worth the piece of mind.

Re: Tessting (amnio etc)

Posted by ODonnell

I'm 43 and only did the NT scan and screening and AFP screening. We had already decided against amnio regardless but our results from the initial testing came back within normal limits. I'm comfortable with our decision.

Good luck with everything.

Re: Tessting (amnio etc)

I think testing is not about terminating most of the time. It's about being prepared. having the right doctors in the delivery room, being at a specific hospital that specializes in whatever you need, etc. Time, in these cases, is super important and you don't want to be separated from the baby if they need to be transported.


It's not just Downs. I had abnormal cells in my placenta for chromosome 12. Congenital heart defects were one possibility. I would want to make sure I was in a hospital that had stellar pediatric heart doctors. I would want to research them before, and not have to do it searching on my smart phone in the recovery room KWIM?