positive for spina bifida

[2songbirds]

I just got a call from my dr's and I have to go back for more bloodwork tomorrow. They said my triple screen test came back positive for spina bifida. They said however they do get a lot of false positives. If this comes back positive as well, is there any other tests that can be done?

Is this serious? I remember reading about it can cause paralysis of the legs and curving of the spine.

[sheddybear]

Sorry to hear that.  I know it must frightening but try not to worry too much just yet.  It could be a false positive. I've heard that can happen if your dates are off or with mupliple gestations. If they retest it and it still comes back positive they'll do a Level II sonogram.  Basically that's the only way to confirm it or not.  On the sono they'll be able to look directly at the spine to see if there's a defect.

[brentlie]

I had my triple screan a couple of weeks ago and the dr. told me before I had it that it comes back abnormal alot but they could do a amnosentiss (sp) and know for sure if it came back questionable.  Maybe this is one of those cases where there is really nothing wrong.

[cantwait4baby]

DO NOT panic yet.  I just had mine done and I am waiting on the results and I told myself I would not panic if it came back positive because I know of 2 people (3 pregnancies) that came back positive and their kids were fine.  Spina Bifida would mean your child has a crack in the spine, this would mean he would be paralized.  Even if an amnio (that will be what they want you to do next, but it is a risk test the baby could be hurt) came back positive I watched a special where they did a surgery in the womb to correct that.

[newbie2b]

Hi.  I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am that you are going through this.  I just had my done last week and apparently, my Dr. will call me if there are any problems.  I would be a total wreck if this were to happen to me.  But again, as everyone else is saying, there are a lot of false positives as I'm told.  Makes me wonder what the point of the test is, just to give us something ELSE to worry about?  I hope that you and your baby are fine and this is just another false positive.  What is the next step as far as your Dr?  An Amnio?

[mum2beagain]

Spina Bifida affects each individual differently not all have major physical problems, google ASBAH, it is a great site with lots of information about Spina Bifida. I wouldn't be worrying just yet, there are more tests and U/S they can do, but it is nice to know all the information about the condition before you have to make any decisions. Best wishes.

[2songbirds]

I totally freaked out, and I have to go to work tonight (waitress). As matter of fact, I won't find out these results until next monday. What a way to ruin your week. And I have to keep a happy face for the customers.

This is my 3rd child, and I've never had a positive before. I have to go have the test redone tomorrow morning. The nurse said the doctor looked at my u/s results and compared them with the bloodwork, and he's still concerned. I don't know what they would have me do next. My mind went blank at that point, so I didn't ask. I should've never even had the stupid test done. There's a high chance of false positives if you're off on your dates by a couple weeks, or if there's more than 1 fetus. But I already had 2 u/s done which came back fine.

[cantwait4baby]

I mentioned to my doctor when they did the test - I said on my last u/s the baby was jumping all over and kicking because he/she did not like the tech bothering him.  I said the fact that he was kicking is good right and he said yes.  I am a worry wart they had just drawn the blood and I think the worst.  So if you u/s showed movement that is good - although one of the last posts said it could mean other things not just being paralized so I am not sure.  Just call the doctors office again and say that you are too stressed out to even work and you just need a few questions answered.  I am sure he will call you back.  You must be going nuts I would but just keep remembering there are so many false positives.

[2songbirds]

thing is, I've felt the baby move over the last couple weeks, but I told my hubby it's nothing like our other 2. It's real light. He doesn't jump around or anything. I'll feel a poke here or there.

I got to thinking that on both u/s, he wasn't jumping around or anything. Just moving his arms. I was really disappointed with my recent u/s because I drank a LOT of juice so he'd move around to see what he was, and he didn't. Now I'm even more worried.

With my 2nd, which is a boy, he went crazy jumping around starting at 14-15 weeks. This one's real quiet though, and I'm supposed to be 19 weeks.

[Tasha456]

I will start out by saying that I have a form of spina bifida. I just have a slightly abnormality on my lower spine.  It affects everyone a little differently.  Although we didnt know I had spina bifida until I was 16 years old.  They had to do an Xray on my back because I fell out of a tree. (yes, I was 16 and climbing a tree)  So please do not freak out too much.

[thendricks]

I will be keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers, I opted out for the test due to the high number of false positives, so keep your hopes up there are a lot of false positives, God bless

PS I think anamnio can to detect the spina bifida

[Me2mommy2b]

Hi...My baby was also very passive throughout my pregnancy.  I kept going in to my dr's for u/s to see if everything's ok b/c I could go the whole day without feeling her move around.  I wouldn't go just by that...Plus, I agree with above posts that it effects everyone differently.  I have a very dear friend who has spina bifida and he is married and has two healthy teenage boys.  When I was doing the test, I also was told that with those tests they do get a lot of false positives (like someone mentioned above, then why bother with it, just to give us something more to worry about?)  Are you sure you're not carrying twins?  That can throw off the numbers.

[cantwait4baby]

I will keep you and your little one in my prayers, I did see a special on the Learning Channel about how they can fix certain forms of spina bifida in the womb.  Hopefully this is a false positive but if it is not I do believe there are options to help fix it.

I am 18 weeks - almost 19 now and I still have not felt my baby.

[cantwait4baby]

Your post was very interesting to me.  I too fell when I was 16 - right on my butt and in an xray they told my mother that I too had spina bifida - she screamed and I had no clue what it was.  The doc at the time was very suprised that she was never told this earlier.  I told my OB and he wrote it down I just wonder if it will somehow effect me during childbirth?  Do you have any children?

[2songbirds]

I used my doppler today, which the baby hates. Boy, did he start kicking me, so that was a relief. It was enough to see on the outside too