HIGH NT CVS Clear

[Whereto]

I am 15 wks and the NT revealed a 8.4mm measurement. Fortunately I was able to have a CVS immediately which came back all clear for chromosomal abnormalities. My OB seems very relaxed but everything I have read suggests there is a very low chance of a positive outcome. I have my 16wk scan this tuesday and am very nervous. How worried should I be? What should I be looking out for and asking?

[Whereto]

Haven't been on here forever!!! I'm very happy to read about your baby girls and hope that life continues to treat you well! SO they would be about 9 months now and possibly entertaining crawling and keeping you on your toes no doubt xx

[expectingandhopeful]

Just wanted to give an update that my girls were born healthy and happy. They are 5 months old now and are the sunshine of my life. Wishing everyone happy and healthy pregnancies <3

[Whereto]

Great to hear your story so far. Sounds like everything is going really well for you. That CVS result should give you some much needed peace of mind - however I'm quite sure like me you will not be completely at ease until they are in your arms. You lucky girl having twins!! With a "normal" scan at 22 weeks you can be pretty confident all will turn out well. Enjoy your pregnancy :-)

[expectingandhopeful]

I am so thankful for your update!!! So many women hide after the birth and we never learn how things turned out. Must be the busy life they're dealing with when the baby comes. My twins also had a higher NT measurement. I think one was around 3.55 mm and the other one 4.5. I did CVS immediately to make sure that nothing bad is going on. CVS came clear, the echo came clear as well <3 They did detect small cysts in one of the babies heads and a drop of urine in the kidney of the other twin. If the CVS didn't come back clear then these would also be signs of some abnormality. But Dr said that everything looks just fine, babies are growing like they should.  I still don't know 100% It's very frustrating! I am just amazed at how strong all of you are going through so many horrible experiences!!! I can't stop thinking about what other things could be wrong and what else I could test the kids for just so that I know what to expect! I am 24 w 2 d now. My girls are kicking and moving a lot. Love them to death already <3 I wish everyone peaceful pregnancies and a lot of strength during the hard times!!!

[Whereto]

Sorry to hear you have found yourself in a similar scenario. On the 8th January this year I gave birth to a PERFECT baby boy. He had a small amount of loose skin on the back of his neck left over from the cystic Hygroma but otherwise no other problems were detected. So far developmentally he is ticking all the boxes. Born three weeks early due to low fluid and breech position he had always measured on the small size - he came out on the 3rd percentile. Only roughly 2 months ago he had jumped up to the 50th percentile. He is doing so very well. Now 5 1/2 months!
I have read as little as 1% of babies with a measurement this high make it, others quote "less than 10%", so I know I am very lucky to have my darling little guy and I treasure every day. Over 70% terminate upon hearing the grim news. So whilst we are hard to find there are "success" stories out there.

I would recommend the following research paper - it is what my genetics professor commonly referred to.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/uog.4044/pdf

It sounds like you are on the right path but I totally sympathise with what a stressful and consuming path that is.

Feel free to inbox me :-)

[Butterfligirl]

Hi there, I just read this whole thread from beginning to end, its been interesting reading. Please let me know how it all went, how is the baby? Hope all went well?

My baby got diagnosed with a high nuchal at 12 weeks so i have been trying to find out as much info as i can. I have done a CVS and thats come up clear.  I'm still waiting on my 20 week echo and morphology scan.

[mollyma]

Thanks for posting an update! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you and your little guy. It does sound like you've come through lots of hurdles already - good to hear your geneticist sounds positive. Molly

[Whereto]

WOW! You did well to read through all of that!!! I'm now 29 weeks - due end Jan. My baby is still travelling okay. It has been an extremely stressful time. I had another specialist fetal echo at 26 weeks - all fine. As of last week he still has some fluid in his neck - 2 small cysts and extra skin leftover from the Cystic Hygroma which I'm told will still be present at birth given it was so large. He is measuring small for his age and just makes it in the "normal" category for growth. He's so so incredibly strong though and really belts me about. Geneticist has given me a good chance of a favourable outcome so now everything is crossed. Cannot wait until Jan!!

[April162010]

I have read all the comments and now you seem close to give birth?...how is everything?

[Ecologic]

I am happy that your outcome is much better now, 90% is good! You seem to have made your pregnancy official now?

As for the father, you should try to have a talk with him, let him know that if he keeps making you stress, yes you're going to cut him loose and he'll have no one else but himself to blame. You need to keep the stress to a minimal level.

[Birds71]

A huge congrats to you!!!!  This is the best news I've heard all day!  :)

By all means, ramble on and get whatever you need to off your chest.  You've been through a major ordeal.  I hope he comes around and offers some support...and a fight-free drive home!

So happy for you!!

[Whereto]

I should feel confident with 90% yeah??? Still worried. The father of the baby is still not happy with that and keeps going on about it just being a guess. He called it a guess to the genetics professor who promptly corrected him to it being an "informed opinion". Gotta love that!!! He is giving me a majorly hard time about it though. Last week I was in trouble for not doing enough. A blood test, three phone calls and an amnio booking later and I'm now in trouble for organising that without consulting him first!!! I'm so close to telling him where to shove his opinions of me its not funny. It seems now that every appointment he attends he plays the role of supporting father to be and the moment we get out he uses any piece of negative information he has gleamed to focus on and try and sway me. I organised for my sister to take me to the amnio appt next week and he is angry as he would like to be there for the information side of things. Quite frankly I only want someone for the support and fight-free drive home! A large part of me feels enough is enough and to somewhat cut him loose but I also feel that may be heartless and inconsiderate of his needs. I'm just so sick of spending every other night in tears until like 2am in the morning fighting over the same old stuff - having to get up early in the morning to get my two boys off to school and tackle my work day. Oh and I don't think I mentioned I'm also in trouble for not closing my business to deal with all of this. . . I can't afford to! All this stress is really taking its toll.He gets me so worked up and that doesn't seem to concern him at all. It can't be any good for me or the baby. God I'm rambling everyone - so sorry!!!! no one else to ramble to. Even if no one reads this I've still got it out I guess!! :-)

[adgal]

It is so true....they worry you to bits.  Everything is always worse case scenario.  I am glad to hear your Dr.s' are more optimistic, and remember..even if something is "wrong" the second you have that baby in your arms it won't matter.  Please keep posting and let us know how you are doing!!

[thisbabygrama2one]

ohh, what good news!!  And i dont know if you followed our friend"courtcoop" but boy did they put her through the ringer and she is now holding her little angel with NONE of the worries she was given..  Prayers for some comfort now, and at least a bit of enjoyment for this preg...  bless ya

[worried2451]

WOW! A 90% likelihood of a good outcome! You must be sooooo pleased! Start enjoying your pregnancy! Pregnancy is such a rollercoaster ride! :)

[Whereto]

WELL!!! Where do I start. . .
I had the "20 Week" morphology scan at 19 weeks 1 day. For the most part it went well. The NF was 8mm. It looks from behind as if you can draw a straight line from his ears to his shoulders. It's one broad neck that's for sure. The only other thing they picked up on was slighlty shorter femurs relative to the growth of the other bones. The doc I saw on the day said she "wouldn't have said anything if it weren't for the very high NT on the 12 week scan and that is was just within the usual range". This had me a little freaked out as it is a symptom of Noonan's. All else looked great.
Whizzed over the other side of town and saw the genetic's people. By the time I had got there the doctor that oversees all the doctors at the ultrasound clinic had reviewed the scan and disagreed with the doc I saw and rang the genetics professor to tell me that . . the femur length should carry absolutley no weight in my decision making at all being well within the normal range and that the cystic hygroma he would not have expected to go by now being initially so big and that given the size of the baby he thinks it is actually resolving and should be completely gone in 2-3 weeks. He would almost go so far as to say it is now a thickened nuchal fold not a cystic hygroma". So after an emotional outpouring and statistics thrown allover the room I left with an 80% chance of a good outcome (previously 45%). The genetics pople then rang me the following morning to say that having spoken again with the doc at the U/S clinic they have decided to up the likelihood to 90%.

This is great news and makes me so much more comfortable in proceeding however they still cannot rule out Noonan's. Grrrrr. 7 weeks for those results so I will let that slide!

One other thing that has been worrying me - the CMV infection. I rang my OB today and hassled her out as the "more than likely nothing to worry about" wasn't good enough for me. She has discovered one of the labs still has my blood from in June and they are going to test that tomorrow and compare the results with the August results and hopefully that will show if the infection was primary or recurrent. Why she did not do this before I dont know. After researching some more I found out that an amnio can determine the presence of CMV in the baby. So I told her I want one and she is organising that for monday! Not looking forward to it. To rule out CMV will give me some peace of mind however until I see my little man safe and sound in my arms I don't think I will get rid of this sickening anxiety.

[adgal]

Definately not an easy decision.  I wish there was more we could do to help you through this.  All I can say is that very rarely are things worse case scenario.  And even when we think they are, they don't usually turn out that way.  What I mean by that is hearing our babies may have something "wrong" is awful to hear.  But once they are here, it usually doesn't seem like such a big issue.  I know I can't speak from experience right now, but am speaking based on what I have heard from others.  One day at a time and listen to your heart.  You will ultimately make the decision that's best for all of you.

[Whereto]

I seem to be good at bad dreams - and yes it's common. With my previous pregnancies I had the most horrific graphic, violent and morbid dreams. I was beginning to think I had completely lost it. I never knew sleeping could be so exhausting!!! So far this time around they are all about horrid things being wrong with my baby. Probably as a result of all the pictures I've come across during my research as to what may be wrong.
In continuing, adoption would not be an option for me.

[happynifer]

lean on whoever you can, it's never an easy decision.
i think most of us are having bad dreams, it's part of the fun of pregnancy.
if the baby is looking to be a typical baby, have you considered adoption? you are half way through your pregnancy at this point....
something else to think about...
good luck with whatever you decide.

[Whereto]

Can't believe I am 19 weeks today. He is wriggling and kicking like mad and I still haven't decided what to do. I'm so, so scared now and feeling so down. I'm having the most horrendous dreams and feel so alone.

[adgal]

I'm glad he is trying to be supportive..you so badly need that right now.  I think for many, actually seeing their child on that screen is a reality check...that is their flesh and blood after all.  So I am glad to hear it.

I also think it's great you are getting all the information.  I personally hope you choose not to terminate, but do respect that that is your right if you do, and I don't live your life so not for me to say.  I truly hope they can give you some sort of true diagnoses so that you are not left wondering either way.  I am so hoping for a positive outcome for you.  I am keeping everything crossed and sending lots of positive thoughts your way!!

[Whereto]

I most certainly know what you mean and wonder that myself often. The doctors acknowledged that with such a slim chance for a good outcome (based on statistics) I would probably feel more comfortable in terminating if I could see something physically wrong. Of course not in a million years do I want something wrong wih him - but I can relate to what they are saying for sure.
Have just returned from the "big smoke" today. Yesterday I had the fetal echo and the heart is showing to be perfectly normal however the nuchal thickness is persisting (really not a good sign I was told.) However I had an appointment with my ob straight after and she seemed (as always) not at all worried about that. I am getting such conflicting opinions. I was also told from my infection screening that I showed evidence of a past CMV infection which as long as not acquired or a recurrent infection in the first or third trimester poses no real threat. They are "reasonably" confident that this is not an issue - is extremely common for adults to test positive to this virus -  and is seemingly not pertinent to this pregnancy. Even if it were recurrent there is an extremely low chance of a related defect.
I now have two appointments on monday - the morphology scan - then an appointment with the genetics people. They are going to basically provide me with statistics and info to take home and consider. With nothing wrong in my family and a slim likelihood in the fathers, apparently due to the distant nature of his affected relatives, there is nothing they can really test for. In Australia the test for Noonan's is actually sent off to America and takes more than a few weeks to get the results - not an option for me now - I am too far along.
If you can have any sense of humour in this scenario at all I had to have a little giggle to myself when the father came to my OB app't. He has quite a broad neck, which I have noticed before, also a symptom of Noonan's Syndrome, and in discussing it she looked at him and said "ooh actually you have quite a broad neck don't you". Then when the genetics people rang they asked if he was coming and if not can I bring a photo of him. She must have told them. He was gobsmacked. He is very good looking (aware of it - but not bigheaded), verging on obsessive compulsive with cleanliness and a little vain about his body so for him this was a tad hard to hear. But after all I have copped from him I couldn't help but feel a little amused by it! That being said he is trying pretty hard to be there for me right now. Having dragged him along to a couple of appointments has been a very healthy reality check for him. To see it on the screen was a massive wake up call.
Come monday all avenues for answers will have been exhausted. Fingers crossed for a good ultrasound! Then it's time to weigh up all the info before me once and for all.

[adgal]

I honestly wouldn't worry about that.  It sounds like the father of your baby is putting way more stress on you then need be.  I think you have convinced yourself (based on the NT measurment) that something is seriously wrong and now you are looking for it.  I don't mean that negatively or to hurt you...I did much the same thing.  I understand.  I just think you need to slow down a bit.  If you choose, take the tests offered.  Then recognize that whatever is going on (if anything at all) is just as likely a very minor issue as a major one.  I hope that made sense, I know what I mean..jsut having a hard time finding the right words.  I worried so much, and honestly, all it did was take away from the beauty and miracle of feeling my baby grow inside of me.  It sounds like the father does not want this baby...so be careful. He may be telling you things that are less then factual to try to get you to terminate.  Try not to jump to conclusions.  (((hugs))) to you. I know this cannot be an easy time.

[thisbabygrama2one]

Unbleaveable news from the "father".   Im hoping he's not just yanken you around because he doesnt want to have the baby in the first place.or mabie i hope he's just being a jerk, and it's not true at all.  I just hate to see you going through something like this.  Your a smart lady, your going to whats right for you.  Just want to send you some support and comfort while waiting.   I just wish the best for you