25wks pregnant - possibility of spina bifida or other spinal abnormaility.

Hi, hope this is the right place to post....
I am 25 years old and 25 weeks pregnant and all has seemed to be going well. At 20 weeks I went in for my anomoly scan. Everything that the sonographer could see seemed normal but she could not get some shots of the lower spine because the baby was in an awkward position (breech with it's spine against my spine). Since then I had 2 more ultrasounds with her but she was still unable to see the lower spine. Two days ago she called and said that she had consulted with the obstetric specialist at the hospital and that they were not too concerned and that they would take no further action for the moment. BUT then yesterday, I got a message from the birth centre saying that they wanted me to come in and see the obstetric specialist. At this appointment the specialist felt my stomach and did a quick scan. She said that the baby seemed to have moved a bit (it's head down now apparently but still with it's spine against my spine) and might be in a bit better position to see. She went to get the sonographer but she was not available. When the obstetric specialist came back she had already been on the phone to a Maternal Fetal Specialist in a place 4 hours away. She said that there might be something wrong with the spine, that she was glad I come in today, and that she wanted me to go to this Maternal Fetal Specialist in a week or 2 when an appt became available to see if he could do a scan to rule out spina bifida or other spinal problems. She explained that if they still couldn't see properly in this scan they would try to do an MRI scan.
My questions are:
*Is it abnormal for the baby to have been sitting with it's spine against mine for all 4 scans between 20-25weeks?
*Would they refer me to a Maternal Fetal Specialist just because they can't see properly or would they have to have noticed something yesterday that could suggest a problem but haven't wanted to tell me directly?
*Are MRI scans safe to do while pregnant?
*Before I knew I was pregnant I had taken ecstacy for the first time at a party. When I found I was pregnant I freaked out about it but all has been going well till now so I thought it must be okay. I think I was around 3-4 weeks pregnant at that stage (I think the party was on or around the 5 Oct 07 and I am due the 15 June 08). I have not taken any other drugs or smoked since but could this put me at an increased risk for a problem with the spine?
*If it is spina bifida is it less likely to be the severe form as at 20 weeks the scan showed that the brain seemed normal?

I didn't ask these questions to the specialist because I was a bit shocked at first and didn't think of anything. I called her later in the day with some questions but I felt she wasn't too interested and was too busy to talk to me.
Am going to try to get an appointment with my GP in the next few days for a second opinion but in the mean time I am going crazy worrying and not really knowing / understanding.

[foz07]

Does a doctor reply at all on this forum? Am interested in any help but was trying to find one where a doctor can comment as well.  

[Cheyenne_08]

Here is all I can think to say...

The neural tube forms and closes within the first few weeks after conception. It is usually aleady developed before many people know they are pregnant. When I was pregnant, my quad scan came back extremely high and showed spina bifida. On the ultrasound, my OB saw nothing...but he said he did not have the best equipment and refered me to a Maternal Fetal Medicine Center for a High Resolution Ultrasound. That ultrasound showed NO spinal abnormalities, and the specialist was fairly certain that he did not have spina bifida. What htey did find during that scan though was low blood flow to the baby, and said I would deliver pre-term. I went into labor at 27 weeks and then again at 29 weeks and ended up having my son at 31 weeks due to the cord being around his neck. So, basically....sometimes doctors refer JUST TO BE SAFE.....but, also, you did ecstacy during the time the neural tube was developing and it could have caused some damage. I am afraid to say that in your case, probably only time will tell. Good Luck.

[jd1419]

The doctor is not going to respond onthis forum--it is patient to patient or poster to poster--the doctor forum is in another section and it says it is doctor to patients.  If you still want a doctors answer you will need to go there.