Should I have the combined test?

[Monkey2021]

This is my first pregnancy and I have my 12 week scan next week. I still haven’t made my mind up whether to have the combined tests or not. I know I will love the baby no matter what and I have I worked with some amazing adults with downs in my career and I don’t think that it would make a difference to me if my child had downs. However the idea of finding out my child had Edwards or Pataus terrifies me because they are so serious. I really don’t know how to decide?

[cmbxm]

Downs wasn’t an issue for me and my partner just like you, but edwards and pataus would’ve been as they’re not compatible with life and I wouldn’t have wanted my unborn baby to feel any pain or suffering and because of this we would’ve wanted to terminate the pregnancy as fast as possible to stop any suffering, I didn’t want the screening, but as soon as I had E+Ps explained to me, I knew a blood test and a scan was a sacrifice worth making. Also if you do come back with a high chance of DS it’ll give your consultant a chance to get you the proper care and support you’d need during your pregnancy, they’ll also be able to inform your NICU as baby might need a little help and support postbirth, in my opinion it’s better for everyone, me, my family, the hospital to just have all the information required at the time to try and make pregnancy and birth as smooth as possible x

[Monkey2021 in reply to cmbxm]

Thanks for your reply, I think if I do decide to get the test I think will just get the ones for Edwards and Pataus for the same reasons as you. X

[Woodspenelope]

I recently had my appointment for the screening tests (around 4/5 weeks ago) which was unsuccessful but the sonographer said that it would only be Down’s syndrome that would need to be ruled out as if baby had the other syndromes she said it would obvious on the scans? I had this appointment at around 13 weeks, I’m not sure if this is 100% accurate I haven’t done too much research as I’m an over thinker but that’s what the sonigrpaher said, not sure if this is helpful but thought I’d let you know my experience x

[Monkey2021 in reply to Woodspenelope]

Thank you, yes I was told that if I don’t have combined test they will be able to see most problems at the 20 week scan as well x

[Sevy571]

I think that if you are undecided it is because you are happy with both outcomes, so it doesn't really matter if you do the screening or not since it is E and P that matter to you the most and you wil find out at the 20-week scan about those. Personally I knew I wanted to do the screening (all 3) even before trying to conceive and we are also going for further tests. It is a very personal decision. The screening itself is very easy - just a blood draw - so it's not too much effort to have. You can also have another test (les accurate) at 20 weeks. From everything you wrote it seems that you would like to know about E of P and so the question I see now is 1) are you happy to find out only at the 20 weeks scan or would you like to know beforehand? and 2) if you decide to terminate the pregnancy in the case of E or P, what is the impact of the week you are in on the procedure for terminating and does that matter to you at all. All in all the probabilities of any of those 3 conditions is very low. There is no wrong choice here!