A Scary Ultrasound

Actually, now that I look back at the ultrasound that happened yesterday 12/14/05 it wasn't so scary. I just got really upset when the doctor recommended that David and I go upstairs to see a genetic counselor right away and inbetween patients. Sounded serious! What happened was she and the ultrasound technician found a cyst in the Choroid Plexus region of the brain and that the baby wasn't releasing her fingers -- two possible symptoms of Trisomy 18 (a lethal chromosome defect; meaning that the baby wouldn't live past 2 days if it were born).

I was so upset with what I was hearing from the genetic counselor, I cried. She said that even if my baby's alpha-feta protien test looked healthy there was a slight chance that my baby could still have Trisomy 18 b/c the AFP test was only 65% accurate. So she brought up the idea of having an amniocentesis test done on me to be 99% accurate. From the get-go I did not want to take the amniocentesis test at all just b/c of that possible risk of losing my baby from placenta leakage or infection at the point of pierce. Plus this test is invasive to that region I am so protective of. However, since I was so upset to hear and see that my baby has a Choroid Plexus Cyst in her brain, the thought of taking the amniocentesis seemed somewhat reasonable and risky. I'm quite ambivalent right now.

Anyways, other than those 2 symptoms, my baby girl appeared fine in this ultrasound. And yes, the ultrasound technician guessed that it was a girl. All this time I thought it was a boy. The lunar calendar said it would be a boy and my mom's "hocus pocus" using a pencil, string, and pin said it would be a boy, and that David and I followed the directions in a book stating the best times to get a boy. I really wanted a boy just because of an old wives tale that said having the first child a boy is easier for the parents. I have no idea why I agreed, but if the technician is correct then I'm going to have to think up more girl names and prepare for all the responsibilities in having a girl. I was a girl and created so much trouble for my family. I hope my baby girl won't be like I used to be =)