Echogenic Focus in My Baby Heart

If a baby is born with Downs doest mean it shouldnt be alive. At 21 weeks the baby is almost viable, why would you abort her now? I have a son who is bipolar and I wouldn't trade him for anything. And I would feel the same way about a downs baby. I wouldn't do the amnio because to me it wouldn't matter if the baby had it or not, I would still want/love her the same.

They found the same thing on my daughter's heart. The doc said that it is a soft marker for down syndrome but since they only found one that I should not worry. Yeah, ok. After doing lots of research and talking to other moms who also had this with their children it seems more common than we think. My Ob/gyn said she has had around 10 moms who have had this and all their babies were born without downs. Hopefully your mom can come and give you some much needed rest. Good luck.

I have a beautiful niece with down syndrome who has brought much joy to everyone 's lives. I know it 's hard for my brother and his wife sometimes but they wouldn't change a thing. I hope everything is fine I just wanted you to know that down syndrome is not the worst thing. Hard, yes.but not the worst.

My son had fluid on his kidneys (can't remember the technical term for that). Anyway, that is also a soft marker for Downs. I was 38 when he was born. He is a happy healthy boy. I should also add that the fluid resolved itself around the age of 2. Try not to let this ruin the enjoyment of your pregnancy. Good luck.

Also wanted to add that I didn't get an amnio. At 21 weeks it's too late to terminate, in my opinion. Also, there really isn't much you can do with the info. The outcome is out of your hands at this point. Again, wishing you the best. Congrats on your pregnancy, btw. :)

I would not do the amnio, I would just hang in there and trust your instincts. You have a beautiful baby growing right now, and if you terminated this pregnancy you have no idea the emotional anguish you would feel.

I would recommend the amnio because you cannot go the next 19 weeks feeling like this. It is risky but being under the care of a perinatologist is great. Unless it has changed, the risk is 1/250. I haven't had the same experience as you but I had a pregnancy with a serious issue. Sadly, ours didn't make it. I can say however, I have heard countless stories where it was looking like the worst could happen and others babies were born perfectly healthy! More good stories than bad, like mine. Don't give up and stress about this just yet. While the ratio you gave us isn't terribly comforting, it could be MUCH worse! Worst case is 1 in 47. Those are still pretty decent odds. I'm sorry you are going through this. I know exactly how you are feeling and it is excruciating.

You need to ask yourself what you are going to do with any information you get from the amnio. My SIL was in a similar situation and she chose NOT to do the amnio because it would not change anything. She would have the baby regardless. The risks didn't justify the test for her.

You say you would terminate if you found out she has Down's so it sounds like you need to have the amnio for your own justification of termination. However, you may be too late to have an abortion. YOUR life is not at risk. I am unclear as to what the late term abortion laws are at the moment. That is something you need to consider and research.

If you do have the amnio and you can't terminate, then you need to decide if you are going to give the baby up or keep her. These are serious questions that only you and your DH can answer. We on this board can only offer our experiences and views, but the decision is wholly yours.

Good Luck!

A 1 in 49 chance of Down Syndrome means that your baby has a 98% chance of being healthy and a 2% chance of having Down syndrome. A 1 in 97 chance it is even more likely you will have a healthy baby.
An amnio is the only way to know for sure but the odds are greatly in you favor! Best of luck!

Edit: the risk for miscarrying after an amnio are extremely low especially when the test is preformed by a Pernatologist. Your doc can tell you the statistics but my doc performed amnios every day of the week and claims she never lost a baby. If it was that risky do you really think it would be such a routine procedure? They recommend it for everyone if you are over 35.

Sorry you're going through this. I can understand the anxiety you're experiencing. You want to know exactly what's going on with your baby, whether you choose to do anything with that info or not. Knowing will just help you sleep at night.

An echogenic focus in the heart IS a soft marker for Downs...but it's a soft marker for a reason. Many many many normal babies have these calcium deposits in their heart and they DO fade away. Having it there will not affect how the heart performs or grows. If no other markers (soft or hard) were seen and your bloodwork screening tests came back within normal limits then chances are your baby is just fine. The reason they recommend an amnio is because they're saying your risk of having a Down's baby is greater than having a miscarriage from an amnio. That's also why they recommend getting an amnio once you're 35.

But it's a very very personal decision. No one can tell you what to do nor should they offer their opinion. You, not them, will have the sleepless nights not knowing OR the miser if something were to go wrong with an amnio. It's a decision you alone have to make. It was only one soft marker though, and with normal bloodwork you're baby is most likely perfectly fine!! Just do what's in your gut...either way.
Best of luck!

My daughter had a bright spot on her heart around 18 weeks (I think). Even though that can indicate the possibility of Down's Syndrome, it can also be a simple calcium deposit. Since my other Down's tests came back with good numbers, my doctor and the specialist weren't worried. Sure enough, the spot disappeared around 30 weeks or so and she was born perfect. If you're really worried, go for the amnio, but the risks of miscarriage with an amnio are pretty high.

I know a few ladies that had the amnio done and it showed that the babies had downs Syndrome and they were upset and crying the rest of the time. Turns out that the babies were born just fine and healthy with no downs syndrome what so ever.

Why don't you get an amnio? This way you can be fully informed and either make the decision to term or go into be a parent of a special needs kid fully informed.

Good luck!!

I am so sorry for all this stress you are under. While I cannot offer advice on the two options you were given I would definatly go find out as much information on the topic as you can. I personaly would not terminate a pregnancy. The power of prayer is a wonderful thing. God can heal or He can give you peace that you are looking for. Call KSBJ They might be able to help you (281) 446 -KSBJ (5725)

I think you're talking about Down's Syndrome? Is that right?
I had amnios with my 2 younger children because of my age (40 and 42 when pregnant). The risks weren't that high, and I had no complications. The procedure is a little scary with only the pain of anything involving a needle. I had great peace of mind with good results. Those 2 kids are 22 and 24 now, so this was back when amnio was the best choice for testing. If it will ease your mind, you should go ahead and have the test.