untanglingknots.com: My baby has limbs!

by Karla ° Tuesday, June 27, 2006

I went for a Nuchal Translucency Screening test yesterday, which is basically a fancy word for an ultrasound that helps assess a baby’s risk for Down syndrome, chromosomal abnormalities and other major congenital heart problems.

I’ve had some very mixed feelings about genetic testing. With Ava, I had no tests. The results wouldn’t have changed my feelings about continuing with the pregnancy and I saw no reason to stress myself out over tests that could ultimately result in false positives anyways.

Today I feel differently. I want to be armed with as much knowledge as I can about what is going on with my baby. I’m craving the small steps of successes and milestones. At 12 weeks, I’m almost a third of the way through this pregnancy, which is something to celebrate, but I need more reassurance than a heartbeat now. I need information to cling to, to remain hopeful.

I liked the idea of going ahead with the Nuchal Translucency test because unlike an amniocentesis where they draw amniotic fluid from your uterus (with a 1 in 200 chance of miscarriage) or chorionic villus sampling (cvs), where a sample of your placenta is removed through your cervix (with a 1 in 100 chance of miscarriage), the NT test was non-invasive and posed no risks. Essentially, the skin folds of my baby’s neck was measured, I had some blood drawn, and although I don’t know the results of the bloodwork yet, the measurements of the neck rolls fell within the normal range.

Aside from the (expected) but good news, it was such a delight to see my little bubalubs flailing his/her arms and legs around and watching the rhythm of a little bulge that is a beating heart. Already sucking their thumb and displaying a prominent facial profile, I have fallen in love all over again, despite the fact that I have become a dietary black hole that sucks down all organic matter that isn’t nailed down.

Labels: Pregnancy

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Comments:

Woohoo! I love ultrasounds! They just have a way of making a baby seem so much more real.

When I was pregnant with Nikki (our first) I had a bad scare early on involving a lot of bleeding. After that, I prayed and prayed that I would feel her move soon so that I would have reassurance. Everyone told me not to expect movement until close to 20 weeks (with a first pregnancy), but I started feeling her move around 15 weeks. I'm going to pray the same for you, 'cause I know how reassuring it is to feel them rolling around in there.

Posted by Heather Plett : June 27, 2006

I'm so excited for you guys!

Sending lots of love your way,
Mandi, Kevin and Kemper

Posted by Mandi : June 27, 2006

That's wonderful!!! I'm glad you got to see that. I've never heard of that particular test before. Is it new?

Posted by Unknown : June 27, 2006

I love it! I had no idea babies had neck rolls yet. Hmmm, I have more in common with fetuses than I thought!

Posted by Christi : June 27, 2006

Glad everything is going well. Woohoo in fact..

Posted by Anonymous : June 27, 2006

Excited for you.

Hey you could always be like Tom Cruise and go buy a $20,000 ultrasound machine to have at home=)LOL!

But seriuosly, hold onto all those milestones and all the reassurances that come your way. Definatley sounds like you are getting more and more excited.

Posted by Donna : June 28, 2006

Hey Julia
It is relatively new. I don't know how common it is in the US, but I think it's starting to become part of the standard care in Europe. Only a few places in Canada offer it right now too.

I think it's still largely research based because I had to sign a waver that my pregnancy will be tracked after the baby is born (which I guess makes sense because they need a way to see if their calculations were correct).

Posted by karla : June 28, 2006

I'd jump up and down for you and your good news, but I'm afraid I'd wake the baby!

Posted by methatiam : June 28, 2006

So exciting! I'm sure everything will be fine...so excited for you, Karla!

Posted by Unknown : June 28, 2006

Smiling broadly here.

Posted by Anvilcloud : June 28, 2006

Awesomeness. This post made my day.

Posted by Anonymous : June 28, 2006

This totally made me smile. Oh a tip for the whole feeling like a sausage. BUY LULU LEMON CLOTHES. they stretch and you can wear them again after the pregnancy. congrats girl.

Posted by MarlaSinger : June 29, 2006

You're preggers! I'm so surprised (only because I've been a total loser and haven't checked on things here for M-O-N-T-H-S.

Congratulations!!

Posted by Jim : July 09, 2006

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