Down Syndrome Screening

Angie, I would also suggest that you phone the doctor that does it, in Pretoria we did ours with the Fetal Assessment Centre at Pretoria East Hospital. They will be able to give the exact amount and you can then check with your medical aid if they would cover it and what percentage. I know with Discovery we had to pay the practice and them claimed back but we also didn't get the full amount back as the medical aid usually pays capped with their rates and based on the pregnancy benefits.

It is better however to phone and to plan ahead

Thanks for the feedback regarding my question. My husband got me some comfort food supper (still healthy veggie soup) and made me eat ice cream. I'm feeling a bit better today... just going through the "normal" paranoid motions of the first trimester. I don't think I've ever been as scared in my life. These little blessings have such a huge impact before they're even the size of your thumb!

pillpusher wrote: Does anyone have any advice for me? I had blood tests done after my 8 week scan and am only going for the ultrasound in two weeks. I called my gynae to ask about the blood test results and unfortunately her call went straight to voicemail when she phoned back.
She said that all the blood tests looked fine (iron studies, diseases, etc), but said that as far as the screening tests go that the results aren't valid without the ultrasound...
Now my brain is working in overdrive trying to figure out whether she's just being cautious because the results should go together or whether the blood tests already show an abnormality and she just doesn't want me to stress out before the ultrasound results Does anyone have any experience in this regard?

They cannot give an answer based on blood test alone. They really do need the scan results as well to work out the percentage chance of a genetic abnormality. She is not holding back info, she really can't give an answer with only half the information. Try not to stress too much.

Hi ladies,

Mrstl - I totally agree, a couple must decide what will relax you more, to know or not know. A very personal decision indeed, there is certainly no right or wrong here.

I always thought that it wasn't optional to do the down syndrome tests and doctors insist that you must do them, I was surprised to realise that you actually have the right to choose - I guess a bit ignorant on my side not to have known.

Yes screening cost depending on the hospital that you choosing and the doctor you are making appointment.

Hi there,

Gloeiwurmpie, we decided on half of that We based it on the numbers. You have to do the blood test and the sonar to find out what the chances are of your child having Trisonomy or any of the syndromes. We decided that, if the changes were higher than 1 in 300, we would have the amniocintesis because your change of a miscarriage is also 1 in 300 of people who undergoes it.

Luckily our tests came back at 1 in 4000 chance because I don't know if I would have had the guts to go through with the amnio, to be honest.

So it actually gives you a "chance percentage" but at the sonar they mainly look for 2 things for Down's - whether the baby has a nose bone and how thick the skin and fold is at the back of the neck. It therefore, for me, helped more to alleviate my worries.

Just on a side-note: I know this wasn't the original question...

We actually did not to do the screening with baby no. 2.
The doctor explained to us that if you are not willing to do the amniocentesis test (which is usually accurate but there is a chance of having a miscarriage) there is no point in doing the blood tests and sonar screening. We were not willing to do the amniocentesis test or have an abortion. The blood tests are apparently not very accurate. I have read of moms even here on moomie who was so stressed out after testing positive for the original screening and stressed severely during the entire pregnancy to only to have a perfect healthy baby born.

But this is a very personal matter that each couple needs to decide for themselves and have peace with their choice.