Yesterday was our prenatal sonogram/blood drawing, which you're supposed to do between the 12th and 14th week to assess your chances of having a baby with Down syndrome. They get it right at 93%, which we're comfortable with... Since this time I'll be 35 when the baby is born though, my doctor did present me with the amnio option, because this is the threshold age when your chance of losing the baby through the procedure equals your chances of having a baby with the syndrome (minimal, but oh-so-full-of-consequences probabilities in each case). Unless the results come back with a somehow more elevated chance than normal, I prefer not to go through with the amnio...
The sonogram was great, with the baby trying hard to impress us by doing several high jumps (we never saw LP do that), moving its hands, turning, and kicking. We saw its teeth, heart, bladder, spine... It measures 6.7 cm, compared to 8.4 cm at the same scan with LP, who was however a week older. From the sonogram, the nuchal translucency looked good (at this stage it's a marker of the syndrome), although we will have to wait for the blood test results to have a better idea.
Based on my last period alone, my doctor estimates that I'm currently at 12 weeks. The thing is I have short cycles, so this method doesn't work for me. I ovulate earlier than most women, so based on my own calculation of the conception date, I'm rather at 12 weeks and 4 days. My doctor is great but he just shrugged this off, in the slightest paternalistic way. I guess it's just that a lot of women clearly have no idea of these things... I really insisted and made my point though, and so he conceded that we would go with whatever this sonogram would tell (it was done at a private clinic, instead of by him like the last one). And well, not only the technician believed that I was more ahead that my doctor's calculation, but she actually estimated that I was at 13 weeks and 1 day! So I guess my doctor will listen now, but I still stick with my own date, because otherwise this would mean the baby was conceived on the 7th day of my cycle! I mean, they're short, but not THAT short. But given that LP was born 9 days ahead, I guess this makes the possibility of having a December baby less and less likely. I may stop working one week earlier than I planned, just in case...
We asked her opinion on the sex, and even though it seemed less definitive than the last time, she said... Well, it doesn't look like shopping for pink was ever in the cards for me! It's too early to be certain at this point though, so we'll know for sure in early July.
{Jazz hands!}
{Scary grin?}
{Back flippin'...}
7 comment(s):
Whaaaa??! I didn't think the genitals were even formed at 13 weeks?!
So true about paternalistic doctors. I've heard load of women who know when they ovulated but the doctor wouldn't listen. I have a long cycle so mentally considered my EDD to be 15th even though it was officially 12th. Lucky me we never got that far and she arrived on 8th :)
The assessment of the gender at this stage is based on the "nub theory". Babies each have a similar nub between the legs, but with girls, it tends to stay horizontal, while for boys, it tends to point forward at an angle... At 14 weeks, this is surprisingly accurate, like 88% or something, and if you suspect it's a boy, there's only a 5% chance that it will turn out to be a girl (mistakenly assuming the opposite is more likely). But earlier that 14 weeks, the accuracy rate drops.
For LP it was quite clear, the little thing was longer and definitely pointing forward! This time it was smaller and not so obvious... But she was still putting her money on boy. We'll see! You can see its little nub quite well on the first picture, and I think it looks pretty horizontal... At the same time, they're probably so used to doing this, their eye is more trained and biaised than mine.
How wonderful! It's really so amazing. I'm really happy for you guys :)
Exciting! I love this stuff.
Wow that's amazing, I had no idea. Thanks for the explanation!
I have a theory about male obgyns, which I shan't go into because it's rude, and based purely on anecdotal evidence. But yes, they can be paternalistic. To give them credit, the vast majority of women have no freaking idea about their bodies. It positively blows your mind to realise that.
Here's hoping that there's no need for any amnio, or any other pregnancy worry! And what a fine little person you have there!
Update: chances of Down syndrome are 1 out of 1,500. Amazing that based on my age alone, it was supposed to be more like 1 out of 350. Huge difference! I can't believe that 20 years ago, all women 35 and older were going through an amnio; it was so totally unnecessary in this case! I mean, even though I'm 35, the chances are lower than they were with LP!
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