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• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Normal results or declining screening >> Interview AN24 >> She decided not to tell her mother she was pregnant at first because it would make her anxious too.

Family history of Down's syndrome. Had amniocentesis in both pregnancies to rule out Down's syndrome, even though nuchal scan results were low risk.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Normal results or declining screening >> Interview AN24 >> She decided not to have a CVS (Chorionic Villus Sampling) when her nuchal scan results came back low risk, but was still considering amniocentesis.

Family history of Down's syndrome. Had amniocentesis in both pregnancies to rule out Down's syndrome, even though nuchal scan results were low risk.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Normal results or declining screening >> Interview AN24 >> A further scan also suggested she was at low risk of Down's syndrome, but she still wanted amniocentesis to know for certain.

Family history of Down's syndrome. Had amniocentesis in both pregnancies to rule out Down's syndrome, even though nuchal scan results were low risk.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Normal results or declining screening >> Interview AN13 >> The fear of losing another baby after two miscarriages affected their discussion of their nuchal scan results.

Healthy pregnancy after 2 miscarriages; following nuchal scan results they considered amniocentesis and decided against. Baby born healthy, although mother had obstetric cholestasis in late pregnancy.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Normal results or declining screening >> Interview AN09 >> She did not want to know if her baby had Down's syndrome but wanted to know about neural tube problems because of her family history.

Routine screening in two pregnancies - declined screening for Down's syndrome. Family history of hydrocephalus led to early prenatal counselling but no risk identified.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Normal results or declining screening >> Interview AN23 >> She and her partner agreed quickly what they'd do with screening results, but it was difficult to start the discussion.

After initial contact with NHS, decided to have antenatal care in France, including 3 scans with normal results. Baby born 2 months early in England.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Normal results or declining screening >> Interview AN08 >> The results of her nuchal scan indicated a very low risk, which was reassuring.

Normal first pregnancy, routine screening experiences. Private care throughout pregnancy.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Normal results or declining screening >> Interview AN13 >> They discussed at length what they would do with screening results, but he felt he should support his partner's decision.

Healthy pregnancy after 2 miscarriages; following nuchal scan results they considered amniocentesis and decided against. Baby born healthy, although mother had obstetric cholestasis in late pregnancy.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Normal results or declining screening >> Interview AN08 >> She might have considered amniocentesis if her scan results had shown she had an increased chance of something being wrong with the baby and she was f

Normal first pregnancy, routine screening experiences. Private care throughout pregnancy.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Normal results or declining screening >> Interview AN11 >> Her doctor in America advised her it was useful preparation to find out before birth if the baby had any problems.

Normal first pregnancy; screening carried out in US, before return to UK when 6 months pregnant. Declined amniocentesis (offered as standard). Compares US and UK.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Ending an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN16 >> Her views about screening have changed. She has heard that the baby's anencephaly in her first pregnancy could have been detected earlier, at 12 weeks

Anencephaly detected at 20-week scan in first pregnancy. Considered continuing the pregnancy but eventually decided to induce labour early. Second pregnancy miscarried. Now pregnant again.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Ending an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN32 >> They decided against blood tests in the current pregnancy and relied only on scans. This time they felt better informed to make a real choice.

Problems detected in first pregnancy at routine 12 week dating scan - confirmed as Edward's syndrome by CVS. Couple decided to end the pregnancy. Now pregnant again.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Continuing with an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN29 >> She had a cordocentesis when a heart condition was diagnosed in her fifth pregnancy, to check if the baby had Down's syndrome as well. They needed to

After four miscarriages, scan in fifth pregnancy found heart defects. Couple decided to continue the pregnancy. Son, now 4, has had some additional problems. Pregnant at time of interview.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Continuing with an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN38 >> They needed definite confirmation that the baby had Patau's syndrome, and agreed with medical advice to have amniocentesis.

Problems detected at 20-week scan. Amniocentesis confirmed Patau's syndrome. Couple decided to proceed with pregnancy. Baby born at 35 weeks and died after 3 minutes.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Ending an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN17 >> Sometimes healthcare staff assume you will have further tests. When the nuchal scan results in her second pregnancy indicated an increased chance of a

Hydrocephalus detected by 20-week scan and amniocentesis in first pregnancy. Felt the decision to end the pregnancy was rushed. Miscarriage and two healthy pregnancies since.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Continuing with an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN30 >> They decided to have heart scans only and not amniocentesis. Staff pushed them to consider this carefully.

Down's syndrome suspected at nuchal scan. Couple declined amniocentesis and continued with the pregnancy. Further scans suggested heart problems (operated on successfully since baby's birth).

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Continuing with an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN30 >> Meeting someone who had a baby with Down's syndrome made her re-think whether she should have amniocentesis, but her GP helped clarify her thoughts.

Down's syndrome suspected at nuchal scan. Couple declined amniocentesis and continued with the pregnancy. Further scans suggested heart problems (operated on successfully since baby's birth).

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Continuing with an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN04 >> They decided against termination, but had amniocentesis to check if the baby had a chromosomal condition as well as a heart condition.

Hypoplastic left heart diagnosed after scan and amniocentesis at 25 weeks in second pregnancy. Decided to continue with the pregnancy. Son is now 2.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Ending an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN39 >> Watching a TV programme in her most recent pregnancy made her decide to have amniocentesis to check for Down's syndrome.

Hypoplastic left heart suspected at 19-week scan, confirmed by cardiac scan. Couple decided to end the pregnancy. Chose amniocentesis in next pregnancy (baby born 2002).

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Ending an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN40 >> Watching a TV programme in her first pregnancy made her realise that screening could not give a definite diagnosis, so she decided to have amniocentes

Down's syndrome detected by amniocentesis in first pregnancy. Couple decided to end the pregnancy. Baby son born since.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Ending an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN40 >> When she went for amniocentesis, the doctor questioned whether it was necessary, but she chose to go ahead.

Down's syndrome detected by amniocentesis in first pregnancy. Couple decided to end the pregnancy. Baby son born since.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Normal results or declining screening >> Interview AN11 >> Her doctor in America recommended amniocentesis as a routine investigation, but she did not agree.

Normal first pregnancy; screening carried out in US, before return to UK when 6 months pregnant. Declined amniocentesis (offered as standard). Compares US and UK.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Normal results or declining screening >> Interview AN24 >> Amniocentesis did not hurt much but the sensation made her jump at one point.

Family history of Down's syndrome. Had amniocentesis in both pregnancies to rule out Down's syndrome, even though nuchal scan results were low risk.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Ending an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN39 >> It helped to try to relax during the amniocentesis in her most recent pregnancy, and it did not hurt.

Hypoplastic left heart suspected at 19-week scan, confirmed by cardiac scan. Couple decided to end the pregnancy. Chose amniocentesis in next pregnancy (baby born 2002).

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Ending an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN36 >> Waiting for the amniocentesis results over a weekend was awful. They searched the internet for information to help make their decision.

Nuchal scan in first pregnancy gave low risk result, but anomaly scan at 21 weeks detected abnormalities, confirmed as Edwards' syndrome by amniocentesis. Couple decided to end the pregnancy.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Ending an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN40 >> The midwife came in person with her amniocentesis results. She was stunned to hear the baby had Down's syndrome.

Down's syndrome detected by amniocentesis in first pregnancy. Couple decided to end the pregnancy. Baby son born since.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Ending an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN40 >> In her next pregnancy she wanted to know for certain if anything was wrong, so she had amniocentesis again.

Down's syndrome detected by amniocentesis in first pregnancy. Couple decided to end the pregnancy. Baby son born since.

• Pregnancy & children >> Antenatal Screening >> Ending an affected pregnancy >> Interview AN39 >> You can never predict how you would react if you found out something was wrong with your baby.

Hypoplastic left heart suspected at 19-week scan, confirmed by cardiac scan. Couple decided to end the pregnancy. Chose amniocentesis in next pregnancy (baby born 2002).