To AFP test or not???? UPDATED AT BOTTOM

I don't know what to do about this test...I am afraid to take it because of the false positive rate of 35%!! That's high!!! I already had the 1st trimester screening which came out great (1/4000 chance of DS, and 1/10,000 for Trisomy 18)....

What did you do? I'm 32 years old, DH is 33. This is our 1st baby...

Any thoughts??

Message edited 3/18/2005 10:45:29 AM.

Re: To AFP test or not????

No way, IMO! This test is so many times inaccurate that they are nw doing differernt sonos to rule out any problems. This test is primarily done to give the mother the option to abort. Th fact that it is so innacurate causes so much controversy. There are 3 nrses preggnant in my OB office and they all refused since they see the stress it causes when in the end there was nothing to worry about, PLUS, there is no medical intervention that can be done while inutero to change any abnormalities shown by the AFP. My doc strongly agrees with mothers when they refuse it, I just refused it last week, for the 3rd time!

Re: To AFP test or not????

I am 33 and I am going for the test today.. My doctor's office didn't give me an option but I still would take the test even if they did give me the option. My Ultrascreen came out normal too.

I am actually off to Quest now....

Re: To AFP test or not????

I plan to have it.
Neural Tube defects can be devistating although not all of them are.
I think you and your DH need to discuss what you would do should you possibly get abnormal results. Would you do further testing, would you want to know ahead of time if something was wrong, would you abort etc. If having the test results would provoke no further action on your part then there is no point in having it but if you would do an amnio, etc then you should have it.
Also I know someone who opted not to have it and thank god they found the spina bifida during and ultrasound and had they missed it and the baby been born vaginally this child's life would be much more tragic. Fortunately the c-section protected the membrane over the hole in the spine and the baby is doing very well at 18 months of age. So there are positive reasons for knowing ahead of time.
All of that said these tests are a very personal decison between you and your DH.

Re: To AFP test or not????

THe easiest way to make the decision in my opinion would be to ask yourself if you would do anything with the results. We were debating this test also and decided it was not necessary for us to have since we would not act on the results. So why bother having information you will not use or so anything with. It really depends on your personality and if you are the type that would want to know ahead ot time if there is a possiblity of some kind of defect or just go through the pregnany without testing.

Re: To AFP test or not????

I didnt have the test becuase of the false positives and worrying. I told me ob aned she seemed kind of offended- I have since decided to change my care over to the midwife in my office becuase I thought my dr was very rude for not respecting my opinion I too had the ultrascreen test and it came out perfect. I just didnt see the need for more testing, I would never dream of terminating the pregnancy anyway so it didnt make sense to me.

Re: To AFP test or not????

I had it done with my son - I got the dreaded false positive - but I didn't pursue it - I wasn't having an amnio - I just prayed the rest of my pregnancy everything would be okay.
I was 26 at the time.
Now I am 33 turning 34 - so I probably will have it done again.

Re: To AFP test or not????

I opted not to have the ADP test,
it is totally a personal decision.
My sister got a false positive with my nephew,
and bascially I dont need any additional stress on myself or husband now,
especially since nothing would be done with the results.
I rather continue on with pregnancy not knowing anything,
its not like anything can be done,
so thats why we opted not to have test done.

best of luck with your decision.

Re: To AFP test or not????

I am having this test next Monday. I had the same 1st trimester prescreening as you and got all good results. My doctor told me that the false positive rate on the AFp was more for DS than for neural tube defects. I will not be having it for DS. I am 34.

Re: To AFP test or not????

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Posted by HillandRon

I am 33 and I am going for the test today.. My doctor's office didn't give me an option but I still would take the test even if they did give me the option. My Ultrascreen came out normal too.

I am actually off to Quest now....

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Re: To AFP test or not????

I did not sign a waiver???
and I am not getting the test!!!

Re: To AFP test or not????

I had to sign a waiver to HAVE the test. Totally a personal decision but I can share my story....my baby had a choroid plexus cyst on his/her brain during a routine sonogram. They occur in 1 in 50 pregnancies and usually mean nothing at all (but can mean trisomy 18) - given my age and the results of the AFP, my doctors were able to pretty much rule out any additional problems, although nothing is ever guaranteed. I was glad I had the results to fall back on for my peace of mind. Good luck with your decision! It's a hard one.

Re: To AFP test or not????

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Posted by berlykim22

I did not sign a waiver???
and I am not getting the test!!!

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Re: To AFP test or not????

Still not sure...I THINK that I may have the test and then just take it one step at a time and try not to worry while I wait for results...If it comes back ok then I will feel great, if not, then I'll talk to my Dr. about the next step....I'm not afraid to have an amnio because of pain, I'm afraid of miscarriage....

Re: To AFP test or not????

I was open to and willing to have any and all tests they would allow me to take. But that's me. I would've even had an amnio had they offered it (I'm too young though so they didn't). I just prefer to know as much as possible so I can make informed decisions.

On the flipside, my aunt who is a Dr and works for LIJ, is pg with her 2nd and is AMA (Advanced Maternal Age) declined all testing for both pregnancies.

Re: To AFP test or not????

I just went to the Dr last night and he was talking about an Ultrascreen Test....is that the same as AFP??? or is AFP after the Ultrascreen test?

Re: To AFP test or not????

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Posted by 2003fallwedding

I just went to the Dr last night and he was talking about an Ultrascreen Test....is that the same as AFP??? or is AFP after the Ultrascreen test?

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Re: To AFP test or not????

Aren't they similar tests?

Re: To AFP test or not????

The AFP is the blood test,right? I decided to take the blood test even though I knew it had a high margin of error or false positives or whatever. I figured that I would keep that in mind when getting the results. We planned on loving the baby no matter what any tests said. I just figured that if the results came back good, that I would have peace of mind that the baby was healthy and if the results came back unsure, then I would keep in mind that this test is very inaccurate.

Re: To AFP test or not????

We had the test done because I have met many parents (I'm a NICU nurse) who did not have the test and when their child was born with downes they were totally devasted and wished that they would of known so they could prepare themselves mentally for a special needs child. I guess you really have to ask yourself what would you do god forbid something was wrong with your baby? Would you rather be prepared or enjoy your pregnancy. I know this response doesn't help much but it's something to think about.

Re: To AFP test or not????

Stephanie - did you decide to do the test? DH and I were talking about it after the dr last night because they gave me the paperwork for the AFP. I'm not sure either if I want to take it. I wouldn't have the amnio either, so if I'm not going to do that - why take the test, right? I would have to go in 3 weeks.

PS - The AFP test is for spina bifida, not DS.

Re: To AFP test or not???? UPDATED AT BOTTOM

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Posted by jcndd

Stephanie - did you decide to do the test? DH and I were talking about it after the dr last night because they gave me the paperwork for the AFP. I'm not sure either if I want to take it. I wouldn't have the amnio either, so if I'm not going to do that - why take the test, right? I would have to go in 3 weeks.

PS - The AFP test is for spina bifida, not DS.

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Re: To AFP test or not???? UPDATED AT BOTTOM

Let us know when you get the results!
So, the nuchal AND the afp test for DS? My dr only mentioned the neural tube and spina bifida. I did notice on my paperwork that there are 3 different levels of the afp - maybe different levels test for different things? I'll have to ask when I go back on Monday.

Also, does anyone know what the % rate is for babies to be BORN w/ spina bifida?

Re: To AFP test or not???? UPDATED AT BOTTOM

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Posted by jcndd

Let us know when you get the results!
So, the nuchal AND the afp test for DS? My dr only mentioned the neural tube and spina bifida. I did notice on my paperwork that there are 3 different levels of the afp - maybe different levels test for different things? I'll have to ask when I go back on Monday.

Also, does anyone know what the % rate is for babies to be BORN w/ spina bifida?

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Re: To AFP test or not???? UPDATED AT BOTTOM

My doctor actually said that even if your results come back OK for the nuchal (DS) you can still get a false positive for DS with the AFP. My results came back good for the nuchal so I WILL take the AFP but not for DS, Ithey will test just for the tube defects and spina bifida