The genetic counselor phoned with the first trimester screening results today. Everything came back as a "screen negative"!
Our odds for Down's Syndrome went from 1 in 470 (based on my age) to 1 in 2700! Our odds for Trisomy 18 went from 1 in 1600 to 1 in 10,000.
So with a screen negative I can breathe a sigh of relief that the odds are very good we'll have a healthy little baby come December!
Showing posts with label NT Scan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NT Scan. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Heartbeats, Ultrasounds, and Dr. appointments...Oh My!
So it's been a while since I've updated. This week has been crazily busy. Monday we had to drive from one end of town to the other to take the IL's from the airport to their home after they were delayed on their return trip from NC. Tuesday was our first trimester screening that included the NT Scan. Wednesday was resting up from Monday and Tuesday, especially since I woke to bleeding that morning. Thursday was an unexpected trip to my OB due to said bleeding on Wednesday. While it had stopped for the day, it started up again over night and kept going until Thursday mid-morning. Currently, the bleeding is unexplained and the baby is perfectly fine. I'll continue to be on pelvic rest, rest in general, and no lifting. Of course all of this is going on while I need to complete a project for work. Go ahead...ask how that project's going. I may or may not answer you truthfully but I'm sure you can take a guess!
The first trimester screening went very well. The purpose of the scan was to measure the nuchal thickness, which is the fluid present behind the neck/spinal cord area. A few other measurements were taken all to check for Down's Syndrome and Trisomy 18. Our measurement for the fluid was 1.1. They consider anything less than 3 normal but we have to wait for official word when the blood work is processed. It looks like we're out of the woods for Down's or Trisomy 18, though.
The baby was being stubborn, not wanting to move around. The tech had to press on my belly several times with the transducer to get the baby moving. It took a while but the baby started moving all around. It was kicking its legs, stretching, jumping, and waving its arms. Prior to moving, the baby was just chilling out with its left hand raised by its head. It was very cute and you can see the raised hand in the ultrasound pictures.
In addition to the ultrasound, we've rented a fetal doppler from BabyBeats. With all the bleeding issues we knew it would be comforting to hear the heartbeat ourselves so we can keep an eye on things here at home. Thursday night we were able to get a good read on the heartbeat and have recorded it for friends and family to hear.
Some of the initial sounds were from the doppler wand but the wind-like sounds are from the placenta. The fast thumping/beating sound is the heartbeat and the bubble sounds...well, I have no idea. Either Baby J is moving around or lying in there blowing bubbles.
The first trimester screening went very well. The purpose of the scan was to measure the nuchal thickness, which is the fluid present behind the neck/spinal cord area. A few other measurements were taken all to check for Down's Syndrome and Trisomy 18. Our measurement for the fluid was 1.1. They consider anything less than 3 normal but we have to wait for official word when the blood work is processed. It looks like we're out of the woods for Down's or Trisomy 18, though.
The baby was being stubborn, not wanting to move around. The tech had to press on my belly several times with the transducer to get the baby moving. It took a while but the baby started moving all around. It was kicking its legs, stretching, jumping, and waving its arms. Prior to moving, the baby was just chilling out with its left hand raised by its head. It was very cute and you can see the raised hand in the ultrasound pictures.
In addition to the ultrasound, we've rented a fetal doppler from BabyBeats. With all the bleeding issues we knew it would be comforting to hear the heartbeat ourselves so we can keep an eye on things here at home. Thursday night we were able to get a good read on the heartbeat and have recorded it for friends and family to hear.
Some of the initial sounds were from the doppler wand but the wind-like sounds are from the placenta. The fast thumping/beating sound is the heartbeat and the bubble sounds...well, I have no idea. Either Baby J is moving around or lying in there blowing bubbles.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
11 Weeks!
Here's what's happening with Baby J this week:
Baby J is between 1 1/2 -2 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig.
Is it just me or does the fig look smaller than last week's kumquat??
Anyway, back to development.. Baby J is now almost fully formed. His hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under his gums, and some of his bones are beginning to harden.
Baby J is already busy kicking and stretching, and his tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as his body grows and becomes more developed and functional. I won't feel the baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will I notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that his diaphragm is forming.
I had an OB appointment on Tuesday. Everything was completely normal. All lab work came back as normal, my HCG level was sky high and my uterus is "getting nice and big". We also got to hear the heartbeat. Dr. S found it very quickly and it was around 170 bpm.
I'm on pelvic rest until I hit 14 weeks. I'm still spotting but she wasn't worried. Next Tuesday we have the first trimester screening that includes the NT Scan. I'm really looking forward to seeing the baby but most importantly, I'll be thrilled to learn it's healthy!
Baby J is between 1 1/2 -2 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig.
Is it just me or does the fig look smaller than last week's kumquat??
Anyway, back to development.. Baby J is now almost fully formed. His hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under his gums, and some of his bones are beginning to harden.
Baby J is already busy kicking and stretching, and his tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as his body grows and becomes more developed and functional. I won't feel the baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will I notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that his diaphragm is forming.
I had an OB appointment on Tuesday. Everything was completely normal. All lab work came back as normal, my HCG level was sky high and my uterus is "getting nice and big". We also got to hear the heartbeat. Dr. S found it very quickly and it was around 170 bpm.
I'm on pelvic rest until I hit 14 weeks. I'm still spotting but she wasn't worried. Next Tuesday we have the first trimester screening that includes the NT Scan. I'm really looking forward to seeing the baby but most importantly, I'll be thrilled to learn it's healthy!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Update!
Today was my "establish your pregnancy" appointment. The staff for the NP were a tad confused as to what I had or hadn't had performed so far. It sure made me miss the competence and knowledgeable staff at Dr. H's office. Once the confusion was cleared up we were on our way.
I had a pelvic exam, discussed my history, and calculated my expected due date (EDD). Their office wanted to measure from my last period instead of insemination. My EDD changed from 12/5/08 to 12/3/08. I'm now at 9w1d from my LMP. I also had the requisite urine sample and blood draw, as well.
For the next three Tuesdays, I have appointments. May 6th will be an OB orientation class. Is it bad I'm hoping to get a bunch of goodies as a result?? May 13th will be my first full exam with my OB. I should get an ultrasound and likely hear the heartbeat. May 20th will be the first trimester screening with NT (Nuchal Translucency) Scan. The NT Scan is basically a detailed, non-invasive ultrasound to determine the baby's risk for Downs Syndrome/Trisomy 18 and can also detect congenital heart problems. A series of calculations, including a blood test to check the HCG levels and PAPP-A (Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein - A), my age, and the scan results will determine our odds of the abnormalities detected by the scan.
It's going to be a busy few weeks! I'm looking forward to moving on with the next steps in the pregnancy and getting a chance to see our baby!
I had a pelvic exam, discussed my history, and calculated my expected due date (EDD). Their office wanted to measure from my last period instead of insemination. My EDD changed from 12/5/08 to 12/3/08. I'm now at 9w1d from my LMP. I also had the requisite urine sample and blood draw, as well.
For the next three Tuesdays, I have appointments. May 6th will be an OB orientation class. Is it bad I'm hoping to get a bunch of goodies as a result?? May 13th will be my first full exam with my OB. I should get an ultrasound and likely hear the heartbeat. May 20th will be the first trimester screening with NT (Nuchal Translucency) Scan. The NT Scan is basically a detailed, non-invasive ultrasound to determine the baby's risk for Downs Syndrome/Trisomy 18 and can also detect congenital heart problems. A series of calculations, including a blood test to check the HCG levels and PAPP-A (Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein - A), my age, and the scan results will determine our odds of the abnormalities detected by the scan.
It's going to be a busy few weeks! I'm looking forward to moving on with the next steps in the pregnancy and getting a chance to see our baby!
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