Hello all

I have decided to set up a thread for us all to talk openly and honestly about Amniocentesis and CVS procedure.

My reason for doing this is because I recently underwent the CVS procedure due to my screening test for Downs came back high risk and I was put in a category of 1in13 chance of carrying a downs baby. Very scary considering I am only 25 years old!

But I had to weigh up the pro's and con's of having the procedure and considering the risk of me having a downs baby was so much higher than miscarrying, I went ahead and did it.

Amniocentesis and CVS-Chorionic Villus Samlping are very similar procedure's where a needle enters the abdomen, the amnio takes amniotic fluid from around the baby, whereas the CVS takes a sample of tissue from the placenta. They both look for exactly the same disorders just different samples.

I wanted to find out if there are people out there who are thinking about the procedure's due to screening results or age and have any concerns and want to hear thoughts and opinions about a difficult decision to make. Or basically anybody who has been through the procedure or decided not too, what ever your reason for joining this thread please do share you concerns, advice and hopefully reassure other expectant mothers.

Hope to hear from you soon

MGood

When i had the bloods and measurements done for downs i said that if they came back high risk i would get the amnio done (ive never heard of CVS before) purely because i wanted to be prepared.  if the baby had been downs i wouldnt have terminated the pregnancy i just wouldnt wanted to have spent 28 weeks worrying about whether or not the baby would be downs or not.

however a spanner was thrown into the works when i was told that i had rhesus negative blood, not only would an amnio carry the risk of miscarriage but it increases the risk that my blood would create anti bodies against the baby.

luckily i came back in the 1 in 250 chance group and was told this the day after i was told my blood status so never had to re-evaluate my decision.  it would have been a lot harder to work out what to do. 

Hi Lauren & blob

Good to hear your thoughts and experience of having to contemplate going for an amnio. Nothing is ever easy in life is it? but you are fortunate your odd's increased and did not have to go for the procedure. Hope all goes well for the rest of your pregnancy.

Take care

Maz