A bright spot in my day
Despite Fly indicating our family is a bunch of monkeys, today's ultrasound showed a good-sized, healthy human baby.
The doctor pointed out the baby has a bright spot on the heart, or echogenic cardiac focus. Apparently, this isn't a heart defect and doesn't affect how the baby's heart operates.
However, the bright spot can indicate the baby has a chromosomal abnormality like Down Syndrome, she said. There were no other indicators of a chromosomal disorder in my ultrasound, so the doctor said she would call it a "normal variant" and that babies without any abnormalities can have the bright spot on the heart. She didn't seem worried at all and said when I go back for my final ultrasound 10 weeks from now, the bright spot might have disappeared by then.
She said we could do an amniocentesis, but JP and I are too chicken for that. We have come too far with this baby to risk losing the baby to a test. I know the risk is a small one -- and the amnio would tell us for sure whether the baby has Down Syndrome -- but we are declining.
Nothing else indicates our baby has Down Syndrome or another chromosomal disorder. But if that's what we discover when the baby is born, we will love our baby all the same. Our baby is our baby, and we are blessed no matter what.
The doctor pointed out the baby has a bright spot on the heart, or echogenic cardiac focus. Apparently, this isn't a heart defect and doesn't affect how the baby's heart operates.
However, the bright spot can indicate the baby has a chromosomal abnormality like Down Syndrome, she said. There were no other indicators of a chromosomal disorder in my ultrasound, so the doctor said she would call it a "normal variant" and that babies without any abnormalities can have the bright spot on the heart. She didn't seem worried at all and said when I go back for my final ultrasound 10 weeks from now, the bright spot might have disappeared by then.
She said we could do an amniocentesis, but JP and I are too chicken for that. We have come too far with this baby to risk losing the baby to a test. I know the risk is a small one -- and the amnio would tell us for sure whether the baby has Down Syndrome -- but we are declining.
Nothing else indicates our baby has Down Syndrome or another chromosomal disorder. But if that's what we discover when the baby is born, we will love our baby all the same. Our baby is our baby, and we are blessed no matter what.
Labels: pregnancy
posted by Damselfly at 5:06 PM
26 Comments:
Baby looks gorgeous to me! I'm sorry that there was anything 'startling' about the ultrasound, but hopefully when they take all of the measurements and get the report back to you, the bright little heart is just your baby being shiny and not a sign of anything else.
Did you find out the gender? :O
That's one cute human baby - mine was definitely a monkey... :) Don't stress (though maybe we all do while we're pregnant) and keep taking care of yourself!
What a perfect baby photo!!
If for some reason down syndrome does enter your lives, you can always talk to me. I can honestly say it has changed our lives in amazing and wonderful ways.
Take it easy and get the cute little Fly and make him snuggle :)
aww definitely not monkey :) How CUTE!
I love your attitude about your perfect baby. Many hugs!
What a great sono picture!! Sometimes they're just blobs and you have to be like "oooh, yeah, it's so...cute." All these indicators seem like such hooey to me. It's like everything could be an indicator of a chromosomal abnormality. Round head? Chromosomal abnormality. Hands at the end of the arms? Chromosomal abnormality. Mouth directly underneath nose? Chromosomal abnormality. I'm pretty sure it's just the doctors covering their butts.
adorable first pic friend :)
fly is going to be such a wonderful big brother!
Thanks for sharing that photo! Did you find out the gender or are you keeping that tidbit of information a surprise?
We always decline the "Down Syndrome test" too. There are too many "false positives." And, besides, we have the same perspective as you do: a baby is a blessing and a miracle no matter what.
PS We aren't going to find out the baby's sex, just as we didn't with Fly. JP likes to say it's one of life's greatest surprises.
Awww...your baby looks so sweet. I how tiny they are, but yet they are already so complete...everything's there at this stage already...the nose, the fingers, toes...love it.
Such a wonderful little picture. I love those ones. Amnio scares me, too. I'll be thinking of your family and praying for your wee baby. Love you.
Doctors can really freak you out sometimes. I would have done exactly the same thing as you, the idea of having a giant needle stuck into my stomach gives me the shivers. Hang in there!
Looks gorgeous to me!
Oh, so very blessed!!
Steph
What a great picture! My littlest has a ongoing murmur, probably nothing, but we need to do some more tests when she is old enough to stay still through them.
She is a blessing in our lives, no matter what.
Your decision is wonderful. Either way your new addition will be a blessing to your lives.
The baby looks absolutely beautiful! Sorry about the spot, but you are so right - you will be blessed no matter what. =)
Sending all good thoughts.
I wish there were more parents out there like you! :o) Even if your baby has Ds, he/she will be the PERFECT addition to your family! :) We're keeping you all in our prayers!
Aww, looks like a perfect non-monkey to me!
You have a great attitude....good job.
Yay Baby!
We didn't do any testing either, for most of the same reasons you didn't.
My doctor even put it to my as: are you going to terminate the pg if there are adverse results? No. Then there is no reason to do the test.
Today we found out the very same. Our baby has a little bright spotted heart. I had noticed it in the ultrasound too. I cried last night just hearing that a nurse called me to talk about results. This morning the doctor told me what they were and said is only a 1% chance of chromosone changes. I would love the baby regardless and don't want an amnio either.
I'm anxious to know how the baby is doing though. The baby started to kick recently. I just have such an immense love for it. It's incredible.
All the best.
Maybe the baby was just singing "Turn on your heart light" from E.T. ;)
How Precious:) Your attitude is wonderful.
Very good friends of ours child was born with DS. However, they had way more indicators which included the bight spot on the heart as well as it's size. The size of the head, legs and arms where some of the others. The fact the docs not worried would definitely put me at ease;)
I opted out of tests with all my pregnancies as well. I felt as you all do, no matter what they're my children and I will love them no matter what.
I would opt out of the tests, too.
Reminds me of a Holly Cole song lyric: "Don't let the teardrops rust your shining heart."
Good for you not doing the amnio! I have heard SO MANY stories of women told their baby was downs (or some other issue) and then everything is NORMAL at birth. (Like including myself, when they told me Lydia was DEAD at my first u/s.)
Anyway, beautiful baby! And praying for you!!
Hello my name is Carrie and i am currently 21 weeks pregnant. it was of great encouragement to find your blog while i was doing a little research on "bright spots" in the fetus' heart, because my doctor found the same thing in my ultrasound. we (my husband and i) feel the same way that you do, we so so excited to being new parents to a child that we are not worried about what might be the outcome! although it does make me nervous about being a good mom! thanks!
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