[Submitted Question]

This will be my first baby and I am already 38 years old. The doctor recommended some prenatal testing, but I am not sure what to do. I have heard that prenatal tests carry a risk of miscarriage. This might be my last chance for a child and I definitely don't want to risk anything but on the other hand I would feel better if I knew for sure that everything is fine with the baby. What should I do?

Ronja E., Kansas

[WombToBloom]

I think I would definitely talk some more to your doctor about it. Amniocentesis does carry a slight risk of miscarriage. If this makes you really uncomfortable, ask your doctor about other testing and screening – like additional genetic screening, nuchal translucency testing and level 2 ultrasounds.

[journeybirth]

Also ask yourself what you will do with the results. Would you terminate? Do you want to be prepared if something is wrong? If you wouldn't do anything differently, do you need the test?

[Knoxville Doula]

Remember, too, that not all tests are 100% accurate. Worrying about our babies is what we as mothers are naturally made to do. Some women do want to have the testing done in order to prepare, or terminate. It's a very hard and personal decision, so don't let anyone pressure you into something you aren't comfortable with.

[Catmuse33]

I agree wholeheartedly with what Journey said. Also, there is a completely non-invasive test for Down's Syndrome that involves just an ultrasound and blood tests. It's not *as* accurate as anmnio or CVS -- and it carries a risk of a false positive, which would lead to a desire for amnio -- but that may be the way to go.

Personally, I am 100 percent against amnio. It's practically barbaric in my opinion. That's just my opinion and don't let me scare you out of getting one if it's what you want. But basically if the result were positive and you would still continue with pregnancy-- I don't see a point to it. I'm not sure if there IS a way to mentally prepare for something like a child with a serious handicap.

Wishing you all the best and I am SURE everything will be fine for you, whatever testing choices you make. And congrats on the pregnancy!

[Kadi]

I had seven children and my last was conceived with an IUD still in my body. It was a scary thing to know that my body could spontaneously abort, but I did not opt for testing because it did not matter to me whether or not the baby had deformities or conditions. I love my babies unconditioanlly and did not want to risk a test upping my chances of miscarriage. I did give birth full term and he was perfect in all ways.
Follow your gut feeling and you can't go wrong!

[iambarefoot]

My mother was told that I would either be severely handicapped or I would die shortly after birth. They recommended that she terminate the pregnancy. So much for their tests. I am a normal healthy adult and glad my mom didn't listen to her doctors.

If you are uncomfortable with the tests, don't do them. I was older when pregnant and opted not to do the test with all three of my girls.

Best of luck!

[Catmuse33]

Barefoot-

Wow that's pretty scary. And a very compelling reason to not have the tests!

I had a similiar--albeit MUCH less serious--issue with my daughter. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and they wanted to induce labor at 36 weeks. I was NOT large and I kept the GD in check with diet. (Actually, I think I was mis-diagnosed.) If not for the midwives in my corner on this point, they MFM dept. probably would have pressured me into it. My husband and I got into it with one doctor, resulting in an apology phone call from the midwife and a note on my chart that this particular doctor was NOT to come near me -- ever. Fortunately, there were always two doctors on duty at the hospital should I have needed one, which I didn't.

My daughter was born 2 weeks late and only 6 lbs. 4 oz. So anyone can do the math on how little she would have weighed at 36 weeks... we would have been in NICU with a severely underweight baby.

Point: Trust your instincts on every matter. Doctors do NOT know everything and tests are not error-proof.

Sorry for threadjacking. And for being so anti-medical establishment. Midwives and doulas on this forum, y'all rock in my opinion.