Ultrasound Results

The doctor called this morning and explained that the ultrasound showed Choroid Plexis cysts. The choroid plexis is in the brain and provides cerebral fluid to the spinal cord. Cysts may or may not indicate a genetic disorder: Trisomy 18/Edwards Syndrome. If found in conjunction with other indicators, determined by an intensive ultrasound by a perinatologist, then they could indicate Trisomy 18. The prognosis for Trisomy 18 is extremely negative, resulting in death. There however is only a weak association between the cysts and Trisomy 18. The cysts may dissapear on their own or last through adulthood without complications arising and are just a developmental variation of the norm (one site stated they occured in 1% of ultrasounds). For my age (25) there is a 1 in 4045 chance of having a baby with Trisomy 18 Syndrome and with the CPC's a 1 in 447 chance according to This Site. Also the cysts themselves DO NOT EVER cause any problems.

This sucks! So I don't think that the baby has Trisomy 18 because of what we saw on the ultrasound yesterday and what the symptoms are...for example the heart was healthy with four ventricles and beating strongly, the head measured the right size for the age of the fetus, the legs and arms and hands were active and limber, feet looked normal, and it had normal looking kidneys, his radius (arm bone), round head...everything looked normal and the feeling from the techs you could tell was very positive (that says a lot because even if they aren't allowed to diagnose anything, they know what they are looking at and it is hard for people to hide negative feelings about a baby even if just through their body language). So...of course we're worried and Barry especially wants to do the second ultrasound. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

I don't know about all of you but some of you know that I don't necessarily love doctors. I think that I know myself better than they ever could, I don't trust their knowledge over my own research capabilities. I believe that they are trained and know more about certain things than I do but I certainly don't ever go to the doctor if I'm sick. This is very hard for me to be seeing a doctor once a month, however nice she is, and to be inundated with all sorts of tests and check-ups that many people in the world don't even know about. I can't imagine if I was unhealthy or having a high risk pregnancy. Of course, if I needed a doctors expertise I of course would solicite it since ignorance is not helpful either.
I never went to doctors when I was a kid, I was born at home with help from midwives. Getting a hospital bracelet yesterday was a first for me. I never had any sort of tests done before I was born and I turned out healthy. If this was left up to me, I wouldn't get the second ultrasound but I know Barry really wants it and won't be satisfied until he can hear everything is ok from a doctor.
Of course, who's to say they won't come up with something else to scare us with next...That there is my attitude on doctors when it comes to my own healthcare.

ANYWAYS...I think now that I've seen the baby move and headbutt me I can actually feel it more. At least I think I know what I'm feeling now. He was very active last night and right now too..Maybe this one doesn't sleep. Should I be worried? I can't believe from those pictures that he's only about a 7th of the size he'll be at birth...the huge screen made him look so big!