Wife preg with twins..dr told us to do the AMNIO

[bread43]

My wife and I are very good. we did 2 blood tests with the dr to find out if our twins are doing find. the end result is one baby has 1 in 116 and the other is 1 in 500. We are very scared and nervous and the dr told us if we want to be sure that the amnio test is accurate to see if the babies are doing fine. She is scheduled to have a markers test done in mid may. Now does we wait for the markers test. or would the amnio be more accurate to check for anything thats wrong with the babies.

we are both very scared and what are the risks of doing any amnio on both babies?

[rjfly68]

"The reason an amnio isn't as accurate in twin babies is they may share 2 sac's instead of one."...

Some Identical Twin info:

Identical Twins occur when a single egg is fertilized by a single sperm to form one zygote (monozygotic) but the zygote then divides into two separate embryos. The biological mechanisms that prompt the single fertilized egg to split in two remain a mystery. The two embryos develop into foetuses sharing the same womb. Depending on the stage at which the zygote divides. identical twins may share the same amnion (in which case they are known as monoamniotic) or not (diamniotic). Diamniotic identical twins may share the same placenta (known as monochorionic) or not (dichorionic). All monoamniotic twins are monochorionic.
The later in pregnancy that twinning occurs. the more structures will be shared. Zygotes that twin at the earliest stages will be diamniotic and dichorionic ("di-di"). Twinning between 4 to 8 days after fertilization typically results in monochorionic-diamniotic ("mono-di") twins. Twinning between 8 to 12 days after fertilization will usually result in monochorionic-monoamniotic ("mono-mono") twins. Twinning after 12 days post-fertilization will typically result in conjoined twins.

Dichorionic/Diamniotic : each twin has his/her own placenta, chorion and amniotic sac

Monochorionic/Diamniotic: twins share placenta and chorionic sac but have their own amniotic sac

Monoamniotic/Monochorionic : twins share placenta, chorionic and amniotic sac

SEE link:

http://www.twinsuk.co.uk/twinstips/4/140/twin-pregnancy--multiple-births/types-of-twins--identical-fraternal--unusual-twinning/

For Support Look-up:
Lone Twin Network
& Twinless Twins

Sincerely, A Lone Twin from Birth
RJ

PS: Lone Twins & Twinless Twins are affected by their loss throughout their lives.

http://www.twinlesstwinsorg.dreamhosters.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Leading-the-Elvis-Story.pdf

[shell1925]

As far as the blood test goes for chromosomal markers I don't rely on them in the case of twins.  My sister had the bloodwork done and they told her that she had a 50% chance of her CHILD having down syndrome.  They then realized she was having twins and that chance dropped significantly because like others have said the results can be misleading when you are carrying twins since there are 2 different people in there.  She refused to go with any further testing because of the risk factors involved with the amnio, especially in a multiple-birth pregnancy.  Unless you and your wife are considering terminating the pregnancy if the child/ren have down syndrome, then I wouldn't do it....too much of a risk.

Shell

[martikadragoon]

By the way... I forgot to add.. if you don't plan on terminating.. why get the amnio?

I got it because it would affect my birth plan if the baby has my skin problem.

If the NT test came back normal, then I'd say you have almost NO worries! be happy about your babies! and enjoy what you can of the pregnancy (other than her Morning sickness and stuff)

[bread43]

they did blood tests and gave us a ratio one of the babies is 1:116 and the other 1:500 i dont think they did a chromosone rest how would we know...the nt test they did came back within normal range is this a big indicator of ds

[carissarae]

i say no to the amnio. are you really going to terminate if they have downs syndrome? my opinion is god doesnt give you anything you cant handle,  i know quite a few people with downs syndrome (my aunt runs a group home, and i have a friend who has a 9 year old daughter with downs) and they are some of the happiest sweetest people i know. good luck

[heatherlynn22]

i'm currently 19 weeks 4 days pregnant with twins and my ob never did an amnio to test for down syndrome. they just did regular blood tests and a chromosome test to see if i was a carrier for the disease...which i'm not. have they done regular blood tests at all or chromosome testing?

[martikadragoon]

It's your choice for the amnio, but I want you to know. I had an amnio done at 16 weeks because  of a rare skin disorder that my baby has a %50 of getting from me.

Turns out he has Down Syndrome. They are %99.9 sure of it. he has trisome 21 (that's what causes it). They let me know I had an option to terminate, but that was NEVER an option for me.

I want you to know that My husband and I are both 21 years old and had a very low chance for D/S.. well we got that 1/1000 baby who has it. I will be 6 months pregnant in 3 weeks.
I am DEFINITELY keeping him, and there are early intervention things you can do, as well as special classes and sign language you can teech your baby/babies when they're little. Since finding out I"ve done TONS of research.

The reason an amnio isn't as accurate in twin babies is they may share 2 sac's instead of one. that mean's it's tougher to get a sample of dna from each babies fluid, and they may have to stick your wife twice. that's if they're fraternal. if theyre Identical that's when the problem of getting a sample from EACH baby comes in.  Which can raise her risk of miscarriage to 2/300 or so. I didn't have any issues with my amnio and followed doctors orders to rest for 24hrs afterward. No bleeding cramping nothing.

I suggest if your wife has had a healthy pregnancy with no bad cramping or bleeing/spotting and if you feel you MUST know that you go ahead with the amnio.

I just wanted you to have my story, and if you want to talk Id be happy to discuss what I know and have learned from the research I've done on Down Syndrome since finding out. It is devastating, but you will never be given more than you can handle.

if it turns out your baby or babies have D/S they will do a fetal Echo within a couple months. I'm having mine next saturday at 22 weeks.

My email is ( ****@ yahoo.com ) just put Down Syndrome in the subject line.

I hope this helps you!, Good luck and I'll be praying for you,

Cindie

[bread43]

if there was something wrong yes. but we did the NT test and it came back normal and then they did 2 blood tests and gave us a ratio that the blood work was abnormal and the ratio was 1:116 and 1:500.

so is it true that is the nt test comes back within normal range but the blood work comes back abnormal that the nt test is more accurate?

the dr told us to do the genetic counseling and then the next day to do the amnio to make sure eeverything is ok...

i hear that the side eeffects for the amnio is low and there is no cramping etc..how long was the severe cramping...was your baby ok after the amnio was done?

[evthing4reason]

My question though is If there was someting wrong with one baby, would you terminate? losing both babies?i say not to get the amnio, thre are risks to the babies with a amnio. I had one done and had severe cramping and some spotting after, i only had the amnio done as we were given a 0% chance of the baby survivng

[Brown Eyed Gurl]

good luck and I will be praying your twins are good and healthy....if you'd like we can keep in touch.....you send me a PM any time you'd like....I'm a few months ahead of your wife so I might have some good tips and advice of what to expect....

[bread43]

ok thanks. yea i hope everything works out because im not sure how accurate these blood tests and the ratio really are at detecting that something is wrong with the babies...i know the amnio is 100% accurate and can find out if anything is wrong.

[Brown Eyed Gurl]

I don't really know I thought after there was a heart beat it was not a good idea...but I'm not sure on the law..  I'm not sure what the ratio means...I think some labs do the testing on a ratio and others just a yes or no on the risk....have you considered giving the babies up for adoption instead of temination?  But even though the tests come back a high risk of downs doesn't always mean it will actully be that way after the birth....even with the amnio.

[bread43]

well if it comes back that the baby has downs the dr said that we still have time to do the termination of the babies is this correct. shes going on 4 months. see our dr gaves us a ratio because the blood test came back higher than usual i guess and the dr wants to do an amnio to make sure and then a week later we are doing the markers test to make sure that everything is ok...does this makes sense

since the dr gave us a ratio what does that mean?

[pmperez]

I get my 1st trimester screening the 13th and thats all I plan on doing even if something bad comes back...I dont see any need in doing the amnio like she said theres nothing you can do if its bad news, I have a cousin and a sister with downs and there is alot more help now than there use to be, my sister only has features she really doesnt have any mental problems because of it, a little slow but thats it

[Brown Eyed Gurl]

The amnio in my opinion is just to dangerous

[Brown Eyed Gurl]

i'm not really sure they didn't give me a ratio they just told me the triple marker test was ok...he told us we could do the amnio but there's nothing you can do even if it shows pos......so we just plan on waiting to know 100% til they are born...but he said the amnio really isn't necessary unless you are just really really concerned but I think most babies show a small risk.....even on the triple......but the triple marker diagnosis is made by the level of HCG in you blood to tell if there is a risk of downs.....but with twins your HCG level is higher than normal anyways.....so I just figured if the triple marker was ok no need for anymore testing.

[bread43]

the dr is saying that amnio is the only way to find out that if the babies have down syndrome. no we dont know yet what they are. we are very nervous. she is 4months and both tests she done came back with a ratio of at risk..do all pregnant women take these tests and are given this ratio?

we are nervous about the side effects of the amnio as well

[Brown Eyed Gurl]

The amnio's usually aren't as accurate in twins and neither are the triple marker tests with twins....at least that's what my OB told us....so we did the triple marker and not the amnio....and it showed ok but they say none of the tests are real accurate with twins.

congrats on your twins do you know if they are boys or girls or both?

My twins are due Aug 24 and we're having a boy and a girl