Unexpected anxiety

[powerlovesoundmind]

For some reason, the stats on genetic anomalies didn’t phase me one bit (honestly, didn’t even look at any #s) before getting pregnant. Which probably sounds irresponsible but it seems so commonplace to wait until later to become parents these days. BUT , Now that we are well into our first trimester, I have freaked myself out by googling the odds of DS etc. and it seems much higher than I would have thought. Suddenly, I can’t stop worrying about all the “what ifs” associated with advanced maternal age. I know this is my last pregnancy and really want to just enjoy it. Instead I feel paranoid.
Hubs thinks it’s my hormones and doesn’t want 1st trimester screening incase it’s a false positive and we end up harming an otherwise healthy baby with diagnostic testing in search of answers. (Which we would definitely want).

Anyone have insight on the stats (especially for genetic abnormalities) being out-dated for 35+ age range? I’ll be almost 37 at delivery …should I push to get 1st trimester screenings even though there are many cases of false positive flags?

I am just so worried I might have messed things up for my two healthy children.

 

[jl090812]

@powerlovesoundmind We were both over 40 at conception and did the NIPT. We were able to do it through Labcorp for $299 and it was worth it for us for the peace of mind

 

[hopeatl]

@jl090812 Yeah I definitely recommend getting the NIPT. It’s 100% worth it

 

[behindcrossroads]

@hopeatl What is NIPT?

 

[jl090812]

@behindcrossroads Non-Invasive Prenatal Test, also known as Cell Free DNA. It’s a blood draw from mom when the fetus is 10-12 weeks. Fetal DNA can be pulled out of mom’s blood and checked for chromosomal abnormalities. It’s a screening test rather than diagnostic like amniocentesis, but it is HIGHLY accurate.

 

[behindcrossroads]

@jl090812 Thank you

 

[rauch]

@powerlovesoundmind I’m 43, and our DS NIPT test came in at a 1/10,000 chance. Our baby was born without any issues.

 

[angir]

@powerlovesoundmind It honestly put my mind and heart at ease once the genetic testing came back and everything was good. I was worried sick about it, being 39, and was able to breathe and enjoy my pregnancy after knowing all was well. The stats are still very much on your side-but I know how scary it is. Whichever way you chose is the right way

 

[sheviree]

@powerlovesoundmind I had the nipt test, it helped some. But I worried the entire pregnancy and she is perfect. I was 38 when I had her.

 

[conner007]

@powerlovesoundmind You should totally do NIPT testing. At your age, as long as it’s pre-authorized, most insurance will cover it. It’s not positive/negative, it gives you a risk score. You then use that to determine if you want to do more invasive testing such as amniocentesis. So your husband doesn’t need to be concerned about “false positives”.

 

[huskeyboy]

@conner007 I did the qnatal nipt and it didn't give me a risk score. It just came back negative for each one. What lab was yours through?

 

[conner007]

@huskeyboy Natera and last pregnancy I did Myriad.

 

[scrooge]

@powerlovesoundmind I’ll be 38 when I give birth , genetic testing all came back low risk, but I still lay in bed very anxious that I’m having this baby later in life thinking of things like developmental delays and other things that come up with maternal age that cannot be picked up in pregnancy tests.

 

[wendylu4u]

@powerlovesoundmind I was 37 at delivery of my first and she is perfect! We did NIPT at 10 weeks to screen for genetic abnormalities.

 

[ipancake]

@powerlovesoundmind I am 38, and did the NIPT, with no anomalies.

 

[aspenoden]

@powerlovesoundmind Definitely worth getting the NIPT done. Based on what my OB told me those tests are 97-98% r”accurate and can give you reassurance that your baby does not have any chromosomal abnormalities (such as Down’s syndrome). I was definitely full of nerves waiting to get back those results, but it’s truly such a gift to be able to find out this information early on.

I am now awaiting the results of my carrier screening as my brother had a rare disease which I have a 50% chance of be a carrier for, and I’m a bag of nerves awaiting those results. just so thankful that this kind of testing is available!

 

[rpd26]

@powerlovesoundmind how would you have messed things up for your 2 healthy children?

 

[powerlovesoundmind]

@rpd26 Making their lives harder by having a sibling with significant disabilities that would dramatically alter all of our lives. (If, for example, I don’t test and do end up having a child with significant health issues). They didn’t ask me to have a third child.

 

[nhouse9]

@powerlovesoundmind there are some videos on youtube with doctors who have siblings with issues like down syndrome who talk about how much their siblings inspired them to become doctors and enriched their lives. having a disabled child will be different than one who isn't but it won't necessarily make your older children's lives worse or better. it would just be different.

 

[haji007]

@powerlovesoundmind I completely agree with your logic and feel the same way. I had my kids at 36 and 38 (youngest is 5 months). We might try for a third still but we'll see how things go. I received NIPT testing for both and if anything had come back as a high chance, would have then done amniocentesis to verify what if anything was wrong and to make a choice from there. I personally am pro choice and believe people need to make decisions that are right for their family and what they can handle/think is right. However, be assured the chances of anything being wrong is still incredibly low, but it's smart to be as thorough as possible if it's available to you.