Does it change how we feel?

I didn't have the tests with my son and i wont be having the tests this time round either i just worry that if it came back high risk and you go on to have the next test you could mis carry a perfectly healthy baby. i honestly dont know how i would cope if i were to have a downs syndrome baby but i also think there is no wrong or right answer.Everyone is different and handle situations very differently i also think it depends on the support system you have behind you as some people wouldn't have as much help and support as others.

I am currently in this situation, I am 11 Weeks and i have just had a letter to get the downs and spina bifida blood test 16th ov jan, I dont rearly no what to do, I no that no matter what i would never have a termination i just couldnt bring my self to do it, As it is my baby, I no a girl who got told that her baby might not survive long when it was born as it had some organs on the outside so they told her to think about a termination, She said no and her baby is now 2 and healthy, I am confused,

my partner and i discussed this topic at length. If on the scan it showed a serious dissability which meant a very poor quality of life for my unborn child, then i would consider a termination..BUT that would have to be an extreme dissability. Ie severe brain damage,
However i have never had a test for downs as i know many down children and they are gorgeous, happy loving little souls.
To be honest, any child i give birth to will always be loved, i think id feel more protective and perhaps very guilty in case id done something to cause this..but id love any child of mine with all my heart and more.
Im a firm believer that children with special needs are sent to us for a reason and as my mum always says..children are a gift from god.
My youngest has aspergers and my older son has dyspraxia. They are loving and fun, and id not change them for a thing.

I had the scan that checked the likelyhood of downs syndrome, mainly so I could prepare myself as best I could if I found out something was wrong. I just thinks it's nice to know with something like that so you could look in to finding the best care for your child before its born.

Hi there,
I had the tests done, even though i knew in my heart of hearts the results would make no difference to the huge amounts we already love this baby.
The reason i went ahead with the tests was to be better prepared, for example, if my baby has problems it might need to be born at a more specialist hospital. Or if there were gonna be complications just after birth, then the right medical professionals could be there and prepared.
I had to have the tests done twice as the results have came back as high risk - however after a recent scan which was carried out by a consultant (looking specifically for small defects that point to different conditions) All appears to be normal, well only that our little lady is slow to grow, still a huge worry.

I think it must help to be prepared for what you are going to face. after childbirth is an emotional time as it is, without the added trauma of having a child with a serious medical problem. I didn't have any of the test regarding downs syndrome but that was more to do with my midwife telling me that because of my age the risk was minimal that baby would have downs (she didn't in the end) and because the second part of the test there is small risk of miscarriage. having said that, now I have a child I might have the test next time so I can get to grips and prepare myself and my daughter should there be anything wrong with baby re their health. x x

Hiya, I'm 26 weeks and I haven't had any of the tests either, I didn't think it useful to know of any problems. Of course I think it would be extremely hard if my baby did have any problems but I would only worry about that if it happened. I would love my child regardless of any problems but obviously physical or mental difficulties would life more difficult, and it may be hard to adjust at first. As long as my baby is happy I'll be happy :) xx

to be honest i don't think we really know for sure how we feel until it happens. We were told our son has a hearing problem, hes not profound but they say mild/mod deaf. To other people they would say "well thats not to bad is it, or it could be worse" and yes it could but when he was sent home from the hospital a baby in arms with 2 hearing aids I felt like my world had come to an end it sounds bad now but I could hardly bring myself to look at him I even at one point at my lowest said hes not my baby, hes not what I wanted it sounds bad now and I would do anything for him but now i really think it would be hard for me if i had a baby born with problems :-(