I wrote this series in the moment when Jude’s diagnosis was very fresh. I want to share these blogs now in hope they’ll help another family on their journey.
It was strange with the decision to have an amnio. I was compelled to do it. This coming from someone who doesn’t even take paracetamol and yet it was a strange certainty. I’d read about Chronic Villus Sampling which these days seems to be the go to procedure, I’m guessing because it can be done earlier, between 10-14 weeks and I’d read up about the amniocentesis, between 16-21 weeks. The thing with the CVS is you’re taking some cells from the placenta so the result is still based on foetal cells in the placenta much like the blood test and is still only (98%) accurate. The amnio is direct from the baby’s amniotic fluid and is 100% accurate and for me, I needed 100%. To get my head, heart and soul around this I needed to know. Yes there was a 1% chance of miscarriage but that could also be lower hospital to hospital and I think I had some peace around my decision because it was a clear choice so I had to trust it was the right one.
So driving to the amnio at 16 weeks, there was still a little bit of hope. Maybe this would all go away and we would be breathing huge sighs of relief? But with a 95% chance of our baby having Down Syndrome, I wasn’t holding my breath. I felt ok travelling there but I remember walking up to the hospital and feeling just a bit wobbly for a moment. Someone was going to be sticking a giant needle in my belly and into my baby’s precious infection protecting sac of waters and I was the one choosing this? But I stayed pretty stoic as I do when something tough just has to be done and just put one foot in front of the other.
I didn’t realise before the amnio we would have a nice long scan. Seeing our baby is always lovely, seeing them kick around, heart beating, beautifully outlined was a comfort. They were remeasuring, calculating and looking for markers. One sonographer did the main scan but then our consultant, Dr Basky walked in to perform the actual procedure. I had absolutely no idea he was THE Dr Basky from Baby Surgeons, Delivering Miracles until the show aired a few weeks later. Made sense though, such confidence and kindness in the way he dealt with us. He assumed we were keeping the baby but actually we hadn’t made our mind up totally yet. The only plan we had made was to have the amnio, have the 20 week growth and heart scans and then decide. If our baby was really poorly, we didn’t think it would be fair on them if they were going to suffer in some way.
Anyway, the procedure was SO quick and pretty painless, just a sharp hard jab to get the needle through as we watched on the screen that are baby’s feet were just a little way from the needle. The amnio had felt a little pointless at this point though as before he performed it, he also had a good look at our baby and explained that our baby had a small profile, nose bone and short legs which were common markers of DS. But to be sure, to be sure.
And then it was done. I had no after pains or affects whatsoever and took it relatively easy the next day or so but felt completely fine which was odd when i’d just let a needle invade my baby’s space. Medical intervention is not something I am at home with at all but our care had been respectful and kind and I was grateful for that.
Dr Basky also questioned my decision for the amnio and why I had come to the decision explaining that the CVS was safer these days. I forgot to mention the certainty I needed from the baby directly. Kind of a direct line, saying, ‘hey mama, this is me, ok?’