Appointment three and a half
Jun 16 '00
I say appointment three and a half because I needed to get a test done at about my 16th week—only two weeks after my last appointment.
Off the subject for the moment--going to the doctor was the highlight of my day yesterday. I decided I needed a hobby. I am thinking about taking up knitting or sewing; I can make baby clothes or blankets. Maybe I’ll make practice booties for Bodie (my tortoise).
The test, I was told, is called an Alpha-Fetoprotein test or AFP. It is a blood test that will check the levels of alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP), a substance produced by the fetus. Too much of this substance can indicate a neural tube defect like Spina Bifida or anencephaly. Too little of the substance can indicate an increased risk of Downs Syndrome.
Unlike the other tests performed, I had to sign a paper stating I gave my permission to have this test performed. So off to the lab I went, and then home to research this test more thoroughly. I like my new nursing mid wife, but she tells me only the basics. I’m one of those persons that must know what’s going on at all times. I need to know why a test is performed and what it will show. I’ve asked so many questions that I’ve offended my health care providers. I learned to stop asking so much and look for answers on my own (this is one of the reasons I didn’t last long as a Medical Assistant) The doctors and nurses I have dealt with tend to give me only the basic information.
The time to get this test done is between 16 and 18 weeks. It is a simple blood test that requires only a maternal blood sample. If MSAFP levels are found to be too high, a second test is run. If the second test duplicates the first test, then other procedures follow. This may include genetic counseling, ultrasound to date the pregnancy or to check for multiple fetuses or to look for abnormalities with the fetus; amniocentesis to determine MSAFP levels in the amniotic fluid. These tests are performed to confirm or rule out the presence of the neural tube defect. Here’s the tricky part: only one or two out of 50 women with high readings will eventually be shown to have an affected fetus. In the other 48 woman, further testing show that the reason MSAFP levels are high is that there is more than one fetus, or that the pregnancy is farther along than first believed or that the original tests were just plain wrong.
If MSAFP levels are too low, ultrasound, genetic counseling, or amniocentesis will be offered to determine whether or not the fetus actually suffers from Downs Syndrome or some other type of chromosomal defect.
As far as safety is concerned, the initial blood test is harmless. The major risk of the test is if there is a false positive; this leads to followup tests/procedures. In rare cases, accidental abortion of a perfectly normal fetus may occur.
That’s all the information I’ve found. I hope it’s useful to some.
If you'll excuse me, I am going to buy some yarn and knitting needles.
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MHawkins
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Member: 'Midge'
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Poneyboy is NOT MY husband, boyfriend, or brother! We are NOT related!
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