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Pregnancy & children
Antenatal Screening
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Making decisions about screening :
Thinking about screening and what it is for
Special reasons for wanting screening
Reasons for not having some or all screening
Discussing screening choices with your partner
Attitudes to disability and termination
Information for making decisions
Experiences of screening :
Nuchal translucency scan (low risk results)
Nuchal scan (being told something may be wrong)
Early dating scans
Blood test screening
18-20 week scan (low risk results)
18-20 week scan (being told something may be wrong)
Understanding screening test results
Having further tests and getting results :
Deciding whether to have further diagnostic tests
Having further tests and waiting for results
Getting diagnostic test results
Thoughts, discussions and info after diagnosis
Deciding to continue with the pregnancy :
Making the decision to continue with the pregnancy
What the rest of pregnancy and birth was like
Feelings about screening looking back
Deciding to end the pregnancy :
Making the decision to end the pregnancy
The experience of ending a pregnancy
Feelings and reflections afterwards
Views on screening & feelings in later pregnancies
When screening does not detect a condition :
Learning after birth that the baby has a condition
How it has affected parents' views about screening
Living with disabilities or a chronic condition :
Living with a child with a long term condition
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Antenatal Screening
Subject index
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Pregnancy & children
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Antenatal Screening
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Baby's condition detected after birth
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Interview AN03
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It helped to meet other parents of children with heart problems in hospital. Their shared experience brought them together.
Daughter born November 2000 with congenital heart problems not detected by antenatal screening, diagnosed when the baby was 10 weeks old. Corrective surgery at 11 months and 2 years.
Pregnancy & children
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Antenatal Screening
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Continuing with an affected pregnancy
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Interview AN30
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They are optimistic about their son's future because social attitudes towards Down's syndrome are continuing to improve.
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
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Antenatal Screening
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Continuing with an affected pregnancy
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Interview AN30
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They would want to continue with the pregnancy unless they felt their baby could not give and receive love, or if his heart condition had been inopera
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
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Antenatal Screening
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Continuing with an affected pregnancy
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Interview AN04
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Meeting the oldest surviving child with hypoplastic left heart helped her imagine a future for her son. She felt she had been unprepared for how tough
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
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Antenatal Screening
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Continuing with an affected pregnancy
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Interview AN29
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The results of a brain scan at 9 months suggested their son had severe brain damage, but they were determined not to give up hope. He was now at a mai
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
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Antenatal Screening
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Normal results or declining screening
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Interview AN25
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She was optimistic that screening would be reassuring and give helpful information.
Two normal pregnancies. Nuchal scan not available locally, so had blood screening. Unable to have 20-week scan in first pregnancy because of staff shortages.
Pregnancy & children
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Antenatal Screening
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Baby's condition detected after birth
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Interview AN12
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Having a child with Down's syndrome has been an enriching experience and has changed their view of what is important in life.
Second child born with Down's syndrome after low risk nuchal scan results, and no problems detected at 20-week scan. Home birth. Daughter now aged two.
Pregnancy & children
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Antenatal Screening
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Baby's condition detected after birth
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Interview AN10
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She felt determined to help her daughter make progress, and took pride in her achievements, even though she often felt guilty and tearful about pushin
Baby born in April 2002 with hydrocephalus which had not been picked up during screening. Baby has had surgery and is making good progress.
Pregnancy & children
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Antenatal Screening
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Continuing with an affected pregnancy
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Interview AN06
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The hope that their son's heart defect could be treated kept them going.
Third pregnancy, after two miscarriages. Nuchal scan suggested problems; CVS ruled out Down's syndrome but heart problems identified by further scan. Baby born March 2003, successful surgery completed.
Pregnancy & children
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Antenatal Screening
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Continuing with an affected pregnancy
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Interview AN43
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She was glad they discovered their son's heart condition late in pregnancy, so they had less time to worry.
Their son was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Ventricle, VSD, Mitral Atresia, Pulmonary Atresia, Right Atrial Isomerism, aorta arising from the right ventricle, TAPVD and Bilateral Superior Vena Cava and no spleen. Treatment: modified BT shunt (6 days old) open heart surgery (3 months and 6 months), 1st stage Fontan (10 months). Further surgery planned. Current medication: Warfarin, Enanapril, Frusemide, Penicillin. More of this interview can be seen on the DIPEX Congenital Heart Disease site as interview CHD07.
Pregnancy & children
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Antenatal Screening
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Continuing with an affected pregnancy
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Interview AN07
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It was very traumatic to hand over their son for heart surgery, but now his heart problem is corrected he can have a normal life.
Third pregnancy, after two miscarriages. Nuchal translucency scan suggested problems; CVS ruled out Down's syndrome but heart problems identified by further scan. Baby born March 2003, successful surgery completed.
Pregnancy & children
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Antenatal Screening
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Continuing with an affected pregnancy
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Interview AN38
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They continued the pregnancy because they needed to know in future they had given their baby every chance.
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
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Antenatal Screening
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Baby's condition detected after birth
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Interview AN10
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If she had known how bad her daughter's brain damage was expected to be, she might have considered termination, in fact she has made good progress. Sh
Baby born in April 2002 with hydrocephalus which had not been picked up during screening. Baby has had surgery and is making good progress.
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