Friday, March 20, 2009

Sequential Screen Results

The Sequential Screen is a three part test that shows the odds of your baby's risk for Down's Syndrome, Trisomy 18, and other neural tube defects. The initial screen takes place in the first trimester and consists of a finger prick blood test and an in-depth u/s. The second part of the screen takes place after 16 weeks of pregnancy and consists of bloodwork. I just received the overall results of the screening, and our results were "screen negative", which is awesome news.

The nurse provides both the odds for defects based on age alone and the odds based on the actual screening. Based solely on my age, the risk for a baby with Down's Syndrome was 1 in 260. When they calculate the odds based on my screening, the odds change to 1 in 7800. That is awesome! The odds for Trisomy 18 were 1 in 10,000, and the odds for neural tube defects in general were 1 in 6000. The mini seems to be a healthy little one! No test is perfect, but these results certainly make us feel good about our situation.

Now we just need to know what we are having!!!!!!!!!!