[Full Court]

I will tell you what happened to me.

I was 41 and had just found out I was pregnant. I had a 13 year old son, and no others because we (my husband and I) were never able to conceive again. (Except for one infant who was born premature at 21 weeks and did not survive.)

A few months into this pregnancy I had an ultrasound. I was at the high risk department at a major teaching hospital in the South, because of my age and some other risk factors.(My first son was born prematurely at 31 weeks.)

The ultrasound technican excused herself during the procedure to get the Dr., which was worrisome.

He looked and then asked me to come to another room that had a better ultrasound, newer and such like.

He did the ultrasound himself (he was the geneticist of the group) and told me that he saw something worrisome, a large nuchal fold. (Extra skin around the back of the neck of the baby.)

He went on to explain that it was one of the best visual markers for diagnosing Downs Syndrome, and he recommended an amnio post haste.

I refused the amnio because in so many instances they cause miscarriage. And even if the baby had Downs I wouldn't have an abortion, so what would be the point?

He then offered me a blood test, I think it was alpha fetal protein and another test, the name of which I can't remember. If I googled I could probably find it.

I agreed to those tests, but since I had a friend who's alpha fetal protein test came back a false positive, I knew not to put too much stock in it.

The other test was more worrisome, because it was supposed to be more accurate.

The next visit, the geneticist told me that "both test came back positive."

He still wanted me to have the amnio and I still refused. All the Dr.'s in that practice pressured me to have the amnio, but I just could not do it, the risk of miscarriage was too high.

So we carried on, not knowing but trusting God with the outcome.

The "outcome" will be two in June and if you click on my screen name you can see his photo. :-)

[Zavien Doombringer]

see my 9

[MeanWestTexan]

Not to give too many details (set out in my private reply, for Theo's eyes only), but same result here.

Completely healthy.

The risk of the amnio is about the same and the CPCysts causing a problem. And what would one do with the information? Kill the baby?

[Antoninus]

The "outcome" will be two in June and if you click on my screen name you can see his photo. :-)

It is truly scary to me how even the slightest evidence of possible Downs makes certain "doctors" immediately start suggesting dangerous tests and "termination." Every time my wife goes to the OB when she's pregnant (four times now), I always worry about this. We really need to go out and find an unabashedly pro-life OB.

[SuziQ]

DANG! What a cutie!! I was 37 when I had our fourth. The doctor mentioned amnio and AFP, only because he had to, by law. He knew that if anything untoward showed up, I wouldn't abort no matter what. He mentioned the test for spina bifida, and I asked if there was any other way he could tell if it were present, and he said he could with the ultrasound. So we did that, and everything was fine. My baby turned 16 this past February.

You know, I'm wondering if this is just one of those 'run it up the flagpole' articles starting to make people dismiss ultrasound because the pregnancy alternative folks are using them now to encourage women NOT to abort their babies. Muddy the waters to discredit the pro-life folks. Maybe not, but my hackles got raised reading the article. Sounded like he was just 'protesting too much'.

[Polyxene]

What a beautiful little boy! God Bless you and your family!

[reagan_fanatic]

I went to your webpage - what a handsome little boy! It thrills my heart to see things turn out good like they did for you. My Wife and I (she's 40, I'm 45) just had a darling baby girl about 8 months ago. We underwent all sorts of tests simply due to the fact she was forty and the fact that I have a genetic condition that I have to take Warfarin (Coumadin) for.

Those were some scary times, let me tell ya!

[floozy22]

A handsome little tyke! Good for you!

[Yaelle]

Your obviously non-Downs little boy is beautiful!!

I refused the amnio because in so many instances they cause miscarriage.

No, they do not. Miscarriage is a VERY rare occurrence from an amnio.

[kidd]

The risk of a miscarriage from an amnio is higher than not having it at all, but it is still very low.

There is a good reason to have an amnio: immediately after delivery, Downs children may need the immediate services of a specialist (breathing and temperature regulation problems). Having the specialist present in the delivery room might be important...but ask your doctor (I only play one on FR)

[AppyPappy]

Please allow me to say that you absolutely rock.

My wife was 36 when she was pregnant with our son. The doctor wanted an amnio but my wife refused. She told the doctor that she wouldn't have an abortion under any circumstances, even if her life was in danger. The doctor was amazed. He had been her gyno for 12 years and never knew she felt that way.

He was the local abortionist.

[Mr. Silverback]

Anybody know what got Full Court banned?

[B-Chan]

We are currently pregnant.

World's Greatest Wife is in her late thirties, and so naturally our OBGYN ("Dr. Uterus") sent us to genetic counseling. They suggested an amnio. We flat-out told them "no". They pointed out the risk of Down's. We told them 'no" again, adding in so many words that even if our baby was born with a scaly, lizardlike tail we would love it. They relented and we proceeded to the sonogram. (Our son is fine — no markers for Down's, perfect formation, active, and nominal in all respects, "thank God".)

So much of modern medicine is legal ass-covering on the part of the physician. I don't blame them, of course — the risk of legal exposure is just too great — but if you want to know why meical care costs are skyrocketing, legal ass-covering is a good place to start.

As far as amnio goes: when you flat-out tell your doctor that abortion is not an option no matter what, it greatly simplifies things. Each one of WGW's pre-natal care providers has expressed relief and gratitude when we've told them that. I believe a good many MDs are deeply troubled by abortion, and taking the "choice" of murdering a baby off the table is probably a tremendous burden lifted for them.

We are at twenty weeks and all systems are go — but if something should arise (God forbid) with our baby, you can rest assured that we will ALWAYS come down on the side of life. As I told WGW at the very beginning, "I don't care if he has two heads. I will love any child that comes out of you." That's not me being heroic — that's the only position a Christian dare take.