Thursday, April 12, 2012

Nuchal translucency screen results


Today was the nuchal scan. I was really nervous going in to it. Afraid the baby wouldn't be alive or that it would somehow look terribly deformed.

Before the scan started, we had the usual awkward and painful interchange where the tech was filling out paperwork and asked how many times we've been pregnant. When we said 7, I saw her do a little double-take. She asked how many births - 0. She asked if they'd all been miscarriages - yes. Awful. Awkward. And then we moved on.

We saw right away that the baby was alive, heart beating away. Baby was doing flips in there. At first they couldn't get a good neck measurement, so the tech looked at a bunch of other things instead. We saw the two hemispheres of the brain and she said the skull is intact. We saw the arms and hands. The legs and feet. That the abdominal wall was completely closed. Nasal bone was present and noted. Placenta was posterior, with baby lying transverse, its head on my left hand side. 

All good things.

All amazing things to see.

The tech lowered the head of the table I was lying on to see if she could get the baby to change position. No dice. She had me cough a little to try to move him/her. Finally, we got the baby in a good position. 

Nuchal fold was measured at 1 mm. So under 3mm, which I think is the cutoff that indicates a potential problem at this time marker. Here's an image of the nuchal fold, with a normal nuchal fold versus an abnormally thick one that might indicate a chromosomal problem:

photo credit: fetalecho.com
And below is an image of our little munchkin. Despite all the movement, its hand is STILL up by its face. My goodness this baby likes to keep its hands by its face!!

This is the best picture we could get. Looking more and more baby-like every day!


We had the screen at 1pm...and I've been on tenderhooks since then waiting for the doctor to call with the official results. He just finally called.

Our baseline risk of trisomy 21, considering my age + the fact that we have had a prior trisomy 21 pregnancy, is 1 in 74 (gulp).

Using the nuchal fold measurement + the bloodwork, our risk has dropped to 1 in 990 (!).

Our baseline risk of trisomy 13 and 18 is 1 in 227. 

Using the nuchal fold measurement + the bloodwork, our risk has dropped to 1 in 4,521 (!).

I also asked about triploidy, since that is the one thing we weren't able to test for ahead of time. He said that by this gestational age, a triploid pregnancy would look abnormal and have a smaller amount of amniotic fluid than expected. He said it would also likely screen positive on the nuchal screen. He said he had never seen a pregnancy look this good and turn out to be triploid.

I think it is sinking in.

We are pregnant.

We are really pregnant!

And things are looking good so far!!

Mo

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85 comments:

  1. YIPPEE!!!!
    Will you consider a little pregnancy tracker on the top of your site so we can easily follow along with you and tick off crucial milestones?

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  2. SUCH great news Mo! Congrats!

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  3. Wow wow wow! That is amazing news. I'm so psyched for you! :-)

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  4. Wonderful, wonderful, triple wonderful!

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  5. Yay! Wonderful news!! I second the pregnancy ticker idea...whenever you are ready. :)

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  6. Such great news my friend! Keeping you close in my heart and thoughts in the coming weeks.

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  7. I'm so excited for you!! I hold my breath everyday checking my google reader, hoping you've heard good news.

    So glad you had a great scan!

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  8. Amazing, amazing and wonderful. This brought tears to my eyes.

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  9. Oh this is just AWESOME!!!! What a beautiful baby you have in there. My babies measured at 1.0 too! I loved the NT scan because it was done on the super good machine and we really got to see soooo much. It is amazing how quickly they go from little blobs to completely formed little people just needing to grow.
    I'm soooo excited for you ... so very excited. Wahhooo!!!!
    kd

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  10. Yay--oh YAY!!!! So glad things are looking so excellent!

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  11. So awesome. Love love love watching the little rocking and rolling they do at this stage.

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  12. HOORAY!!!! Best results possible, I'd say! :)

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  13. Yay!

    Yup, real live beautiful baby in there. :)

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  14. What great news! You have a beautiful little baby in there :)

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  15. I am so happy for you!!! (I had CVS so never did the Nuchal test.)Thank you so much for the excellent photo showing the difference between normal & abnormal. While I've never met you in person, your blog is inspirational and if I met you in person, I'd give you a high five and a big hug today. Keep the faith girl! One day at a time!!!!

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  16. I am just grinning like crazy over here! Your baby is so beautiful and I'm thrilled for you!! :)

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  17. So, so happy for you! Such amazing news!!!!!

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  18. Delurking to say I am so happy for the three of you! Sending up lots of prayers and looking forward to the post 29 weeks from now that you've welcomed your beautiful baby boy or girl to the world!

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  19. Yay baby! Good for you! Keep on making your Mummy and Daddy proud!!

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  20. Great news!!!! Congrats!!

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  21. WONDERFUL!!! I'm so excited for you! Those new numbers are fantastic!

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  22. i felt the same way as you are now- after the nt, i felt a sinking in. like, this may be happening! there is a strong possibility! biology is a strong force, and it is happening in you right now! heart beating, forces of nature. amazing.

    our screening numbers were very similar- and things turned out very well for us.

    mo and will, we are all hoping for you- each milestone is a huge step, and the nt and screenings are a huge milestone! a very big step forward.

    celebrate this, and keep on inching forward, one day at a time. thanks for sharing your great news!

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  23. Amazing! Best news all day! :D

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  24. That's some amazing news! Let it sink in.... In a few weeks you'll be a mother :)

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  25. This is the best news! I am so so happy for you and Will! And this special little baby!

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  26. Fabulous news. So, so happy to hear it. And that little one is just getting cuter and cuter.

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  27. Wonderful news!!!! So happy for you and Will!!!! Hope you can really start to enjoy this pregnancy now!!!

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  28. Whooohoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

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  29. What delightful news. Thank you for sharing this update!

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  30. Fantastic! This is such a huge milestone to cross. Yup. Pregnant with a healthy baby. Awesome.

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  31. This is fantastic news! A huge milestone to have reached. I am thrilled for you and Will!!

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  32. Happy happy joy joy!!

    Seriously, don't these drs know the internets are waiting with baited breath? Mo! You're going to be a MOMMY! Can't wait to see you sporting a baby bump. You are going to rock that bump! xoxo

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  33. Yay! This IS really happening for you! Always nice to see someone on their way to the "other side." :)

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  34. I cannot believe that after everything you've been through, that this pregnancy is going so, so well! I am just thrilled for you! It amazes me that this transfer, the one you weren't even sure about doing, resulted in your lasting pregnancy! It's such a great success story! Congrats to you both!

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  35. So glad everything went well!!!

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  36. Yay!!! So unbelievably amazing still!

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  37. I am so happy for you and your husband. Believe me ever step of this pregnancy my mind felt the same way yours does. Seriously the negative thoughts never stops. Right now I am just counting the days to get to 24 weeks!
    Hope all continues to go well!

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  38. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Enjoy it because you ARE pregnant!

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  39. WWOOOOHOOOO! u r preggers!!!

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  40. Whoohooooo! Fabulous results. Oh my gosh, I am so happy for you!!!

    It's crazy-- even in my last trimester, when I could feel my baby moving as I walked into the ultrasound room, I still held my breath until I heard the heartbeat. That fear never really went away, though it became more manageable. And every ultrasound was easier than the one before. I hope they are for you, too!

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  41. Love this!!!

    I will use my 'teacher talk' to share my thoughts on this pregnancy:

    'Clearly, Mo, it looks like this pregnancy is exceeding expectations. You should be very proud of your accomplishment.' LOL!

    Wowzers! You are rockin those numbers girl!!! Awesome!

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  42. Great pic and measurement! This is going to work this time! So happy for you & Will!

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  43. You may never feel secure until you are holding that baby in your arms, but this is great news! It looks like you are going to have a healthy baby soon! Congratulations!

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  44. Yay! Did the tech give your guess on babies gender?

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  45. Yay! Did the tech give you a guess on babies gender?

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  46. So very glad that all is humming along nicely. Will continue to hold hope that this will be the new normal with wonderfully boring "everything looks great" kind of ultrasounds and tests. Yay for such good news!

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  47. hip hip hurray!!!!

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  48. Yay, congratulations!
    Your LO has such a cute nose and chin! It's so wonderful when thoses tiny features start to appear.

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  49. Yay! I'm so pleased and happy and pleased for you! Oh, go on, have some more yay!! :D

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  50. Amazing - I'm so very pleased everything is going so well. Relief all round!

    When is your baby due?

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  51. So happy for your wonderful news! Just overjoyed for you. I've commented once before- we share the same due date. I also had my anatomy scan yesterday and it was the first time I saw the baby move- that's when it sank in for me that this was really happening. My NT was also a 1, big sigh of relief. Thanks for mentioning the new tests available now, that's what I asked for. Just curious, did they offer to tell you the gender of your little bean? I am so happy for your family.

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  52. This is such wonderful news! I'm so happy for you guys!!!

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  53. *does yet another happy dance* Oh Mo, I'm so pleased to hear this wonderful news! Congratulations on the results! And what a beautiful view of your baby. I'll be smiling from ear to ear all day thinking about you, Will and your amazing news. This gives me incredible goosebumps girl! Woo hoo!

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  54. Yay! What great news! Congrats on meeting another important milestone. Keep them coming!

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  55. That is fabulous!!!
    Your pregnancy is really and truly official in all ways possible. Your 12 weeks (jut about), you have passed all first trimester screenings, and your ultrasounds are beautiful! Congratulations!!!!

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  56. birds and squirrelsApril 13, 2012 at 9:47 AM

    Your baby is beautiful! Look at that gorgeous neck! I am so glad that your NT results are so good. Things are looking good! So happy for you and Will!

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  57. 12 weeks tomorrow!!!! Hello 2nd trimester! Can you believe it? I'm SO SO excited and happy for you!

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  58. Yipeeee!!! Huge milestone and you are moving towards 2T! I know you'll never relax but I hope you are able to enjoy moments of this very special time.

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  59. Your NT scan sounds exactly how mine went. So glad to hear the everything is perfect!!

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  60. Oh my goodness!!!! You are only one week away from your second trimester as well. ALL GREAT THINGS!!!! Mo-you are going to have a baby!!! I am so so so happy for you. And, I agree with the earlier person who posted that it's time for a pregnancy ticker!

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  61. i've never commented before but have read your blog a long time. i'm a CCRM success story with a history of loss and FET and, now, have an amazing 18 month old son. i couldn't keep from replying today - i've been so anxious for you during this pregnancy and just have tears in my eyes reading your post. hoping only more and more good news for you - you truly deserve it after everything you've been through. so happy for all three of you!

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  62. So happy to read this!! YAY!!

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  63. I am so HAPPY to read this update and to hear your coming to acceptance with this blessing!! I'll still be praying for you every day... but take a deep breath and enjoy the thought of your healthy little bean snuggling up with her/his mommy!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

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  64. Fantastic!!!! SO thrilled for you!

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  65. Excellent news!!! So excited for you!!!

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  66. first time commenting here although I've been following your blog for a few months: I'm all teary eyed!! so happy for you!!

    Hazel

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  67. Fantastic. Wonderful. Stupendous. So glad. Nearly into the second trimester!

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  68. Sqquueeeeeeeeeeee!!! Can I say that again? Sqqquuueeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! Brilliant news! :)

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