I was 40 yrs old when I had my last child they wanted me to go for all these test I said nope I will love this baby the same as I do my 4 older ones she came out healthy just born a month early they said she was going to weigh about 8 pounds that was a week before she was born she came out 4 pounds 11ounces and is smart as a whip in math big time and science lol she is 7 yrs old. You got this momma if you don’t feel safe getting the tests for all they want don’t do it all I did was blood test and regular Sonos sorry for long comment
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I did that with my last 3 kids and it’s easy and you find out the sex of the baby weeks in advance. It’s just blood work
I was 37 when I had my daughter and declined the testing. It can be inaccurate and why give yourself something else to worry about?
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I did at 38. I already have a special needs kid, a d didn’t want one with heavier needs. Course he came out special anyway. 
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I did the genetic blood test that also told gender I was 38 that’s all I did then I left it to what was meant to be my baby was perfectly healthy
I had one done when I was pregnant with my 3rd, my doctor had mentioned it and I said sure. Found out I have a blood disorder that was completely unexpected and that if the father had it as well it would be an issue for the baby. We passed on him having the test and baby was fine anyways. It can be a good idea so you can be prepared if there is concern but if you don’t care either way then don’t bother.
It’s not a big deal…genetic testing is usually done and should be done for everyone, not just advanced maternal. It depends on the test and what your doctor chooses to select for the genetic panel.
My advice ask your doctor what lab does the genetic testing.
Call yourself and speak to a genetic counselor.
They will help you understand the why’s behind this test.
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I was 35 with my last and yes I got it done. I wanted to make sure I was fully prepared should anything be wrong.
No super easy. I believe mine consisted of a questionnaire and ultrasound. There might have been a blood test but I don’t think so. Then the genetics doctor tries to talk you into getting an amniocentesis if you say no. I held strong on the no. But it is your choice. My friend had the same experience but said yes to amniocentesis.
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Worst case. It prepares for when baby is born.
Babies with down syndrome can have medical issues for example heart defects. So even if you proceeded with the pregnancy it will help the hospital be prepared should the need arise.
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Yes I get that 10 week bloodtest done too
Anyone pregnant age 35 or over is considered a geriatric pregnancy and genitic testing is routinely recommended.
My mom was 39 when she had my little sister and she declined the genetic testing. I was 31 when i had my youngest and they offered me the genetic testing but I declined.
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I’ve gotten genetic testing with all three of my kids. You get an ultrasound and blood test. Look at it as a way to see your sweet baby not in search of a problem. If that makes sense
My youngest had a problem on her ultrasound. Different sized tubes to her kidneys … an indicator of possible Down syndrome
I was asked if I wanted to know.
I didn’t. Not a bit. It wouldn’t have mattered and would have made my pregnancy so much harder.
Ask yourself, are you willing and prepared to care for any child you have? It’s a deep honesty moment and only you know the answer. No one needs to know, about the testing, results or outcome from those results
If it truly doesn’t matter, don’t let it. Every pregnancy has risk, if the end result wouldn’t change the progression of your pregnancy then I would say if the tests are deemed optional, skip them. Enjoy your pregnancy.
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I did genetic testing as I’m a carrier of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and my angel son miscarried had trisomy 14. There is 2 ways of testing …a CVS Screen at 12 weeks or an amniocentesis at 16-20 weeks. I chose a Cvs Screen which has a slightly higher risk of miscarriage but I wanted results as early as I could so if the unthinkable was to happen it was relatively early… I went in as prepared as I could but knew that I couldn’t continue if it was to come back positive as I would not bring a child in the world that didn’t have quality life or was in pain… lucky for me everything came back perfect. I did the whole screening for everything. It’s well worth it and can calm your nerves throughout pregnancy. It can be scary and uncomfortable. I guess it depend on what your opinions are and comfortable you are about it xx all the best x
Yes! Baby could have an issue that you may want to be aware of before birth. My oldest daughter had down syndrome and a hole in her heart that they watched closer because of finding out that she had ds. My 2nd daughter had no genetic issues at all. Though was still monitored closely.
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If you don’t plan on aborting the baby bc it may have down syndrome etc then there isn’t a point to do that kind of testing
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I was advanced maternal age with all 3 of my boys. Insurance usually pays for the genetic testing so why not take advantage of it? It’s kind of like not taking pain reducing drugs during delivery…you could go without them, but why would you want to? The peace of mind of knowing that everything is OK is worth several nights of good rest. You can always seek more advice later if they do actually find something wrong. Take one decision at a time and you will do fine.
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Iwas 45 and refused the test. I had no child at that stage and wanted my baby so bad. So after the dr says there maybe a higher risk of losing the baby from this test my mind was clear. No id rather have my baby no matter of girl boy problems or no problems.
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I do it with all of mine. I’m almost 33 pregnant with baby 4. But you do wanna know if there is anything wrong so you can be prepared. (Not that its gonna change the love you have for baby or so I hope) im high risk at 33 because of cancer issues and single artery umbilical cords (happen 2x)
It’s a little overwhelming when the original blood test & ultrasound is inconclusive and “maybe” there is something concerning but they’re unsure. They have the percentages down to a 5% estimation I do believe. It’s the 3 choices (amniocentesis etc etc) they give you afterwards to get a definite answer that made me nauseous. I chose to let it be and deny further testing, but I had low odds of Down syndrome or birth defects like Spina Bifida, so I felt comfortable with declining. It is nerve wracking it’s already stressful enough being pregnant, but if your a planner and like preparation it might help ease your anxiety knowing ahead of time or if you just wanna leave it be, that is ok too. Wishing you a happy beautiful pregnancy mama!! 
I declined the test. I was concerned about getting false positives and then worrying/stressing my entire pregnancy (potentially putting baby at risk) for nothing.
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I guess its up to you. The question is “would the outcome matter to you?”. If you would continue with the pregnancy no matter the results, then there’s no point having the testing done. Its mainly done to give you the opportunity to terminate if you wish to.
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I was 38 when I was pregnant with my son. They offered it and I declined. He looked healthy in the ultrasounds, all my bloodwork came back normal and I didn’t feel it necessary.
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When I asked my doc if some of the tests were necessary because it would change nothing, she said it was better to be prepared.
Nope. I was older and high risk but whatever God laid on me, I would do it with love. You can never be that prepared and at that time it was invasive
I think it’s always better to know. I have two special needs kids and if I could’ve prepared for it, I would’ve
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The sooner the better,always better to have accurate information.
I had one done with my first just to put my mind at ease. It really helped me take down stress. I would recommend it. It’s just a blood test. Nothing invasive
I declined genetic testing because my dr wasnt concerned and I knew i would keep my baby and love them regardless.
They offer it to all pregnant woman. I accepted but you can decline
I was 39, having a difficult and high risk pregnancy, without the father involved. They recommended genetic testing and we did it. Healthy baby girl, although premature at birth
I was pregnant at 41 n did the testing, it came back fine and we also found out that we had a lil girl otw.
I had my son at 38 and didn’t get it done. I was having him either way so I didn’t see the value in it.
I was 39 and I opted to do the testing for peace of mind. Even if the test would have shown something it would have at least given me time to wrap my head around it and prepare for whatever complications could have laid ahead.
I had a baby at 42 in January. I did all those test .and ultrasound each week .all my bloodwork was great and so is my baby .I think they offer it all just for the money.it was over $10,000 for the genetics testing.and she came out perfect
They did gentic testing with all 3 of mine and i just turned 31 today my daugther tested for elvated levels in down syrdome and i had to get a more detailed test but she sosent have down syndrome and is a very sassy almost 2 year old my oldest son the ultrasound showed a shadow on his heart hes almost three and was born perfect and our 7 month old is perfect to
if your first baby I would If you’ve done this before and are confident in yourself your body Id pass
My ob told me thats it’s an invasive test so if I was going to go through with the pregnancy regardless of the results than she would recommend not getting it. I never had one with any of my kids.
Im almost 35 with my last and final baby and we decided to do it just to be sure. Not because we wouldn’t want to raise a baby with any issues but to be more prepared just incase. The one we had done was just a blood panel they sent away, nothing invasive at all.
I had my daughter at 36… the only reason I got it done was to for my baby… that way if their was an issue we could have the proper doctors in place when she was born… it is best to be prepared…
I got pregnant at 38 also with twins. Twins didnt run on either side of our families. The dr said when youre over 35 your body can produce more eggs. I did all the tests just so I could prepare if anything was wrong. I had them 6 weeks early and both boys were healthy.
My sister will be 40 during her pregnancy and was pushed into it. Insurance didn’t pay for it and it’s pretty expensive. Her baby is healthy and nothing abnormal. I would say it’s up to you. If you can afford it and it would ease your mind then do it. If they don’t see anything wrong and you don’t want to pay for it then don’t get it.
My midwife shared an example with us of a baby that had a rare condition at birth. Because genetic testing was done, they knew what the issues were pointing to where as without genetic testing, they would not have known and baby would have passed without proper intervention. We went ahead and did the blood tests on me but did not do any type of invasive testing. It wouldn’t have made a difference for us in that our baby would have been born the same regardless of any issues but just to know if there were potential complications or things to watch for. Also if the baby had an issue, we would have time to research and mentally prepare ourselves
It all depends on preference and the person. Getting it done will tell you what’s going on. If something is going on it’ll give you time to go through your options and prepare. If you don’t, you’ll find out on spot IF something is wrong. Now, Getting that test doesn’t mean something WILL be wrong. It’s up to you if you’d like a heads up to prepare incase, or to be surprised at the end and figure it out as you go. Good luck
At 38 my dr and I decided I wouldn’t get the testing done. I was healthy and had no complications during my first 2 pregnancies and births nor was I having issues during the 3rd pregnancy. There wouldn’t be anything to change either way. I decided I would give birth no matter what.
It’s pretty routine for expectant mommas who are “advanced maternal age” which is 35 or older at the time of delivery. It’s better to be prepared emotionally and psychologically if there is a problem, but you can decline any testing you don’t want done. It’s really about what you’re comfortable with knowing, or not knowing. Congratulations and good luck!
I feel like knowing now would be better so you have more Tim to research and prepare if there are any problems
My husband’s mother was 45 when he was born. Nothings wrong with him. Hes just an ass at times. Lol.
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They always have genetic testing done. I had to do it as well, and my sister did 8t with her 2
Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. Should I get genetic testing done? - Mamas Uncut
I never got them because I didn’t feel that it would make a difference. My oldest was born when I was 32 and my youngest at 38. If an ultrasound came back questionable I probably would. I support what ever you choose. Do what makes you feel comfortable.
I’ve gotten genetic testing done during both of my pregnancies because to me, knowledge is power and I could better prepare and make decisions.
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I had my son at they age of 42 , I had the tests , I ignored everything they told me and had a beautiful baby boy , who is 20 yrs old now and life is great
I didn’t have it cause my altar sounds was good. They baby was growing well. He was a healthy baby. But they do tell you when you over 35 I think. They look for down syndrome.
I am 36 and just had a baby 2 weeks ago…my tests came back abnormal. I was worried sick my baby would be born with downs or other defects. My baby is completely normal. I don’t think the nipt tests are as accurate as we would like to believe they are.
Nothing to it! Just had my second child at 44. I was considered high risk too cause of age. I wanted to be prepared for anything and had it done. Just a simple blood test. Congratulations and good luck
I was pregnant at 37 and had the testing done same as when I was pregnant at 24 and had the testing done. It’s better to know everything is going well than stress about it for months.
My mother had me when she had just turned 39 and I was fine. But you should definitely go get it done in case
I had my daughter at 37 and I had tests, I know what you mean and you’ll worry but at the end of the day you’ll love your baby no matter what xx
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I know how worried I felt when I got pregnant at age 44 and told that but then I prayed, realized my grandmother and mother had “change of life babies” as they were called, stopped worrying and had a beautiful baby girl then 17 months later a wonderful son. Put it in the hands of God and don’t worry. Could you really abort your precious baby?
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I had a baby at 35 and one last week at 37. I declined AFP testing with both of them because it would not change my choice to carry to term regardless of the test results. Both babies are just perfect, but you ultimately just need to do whatever is best for you and your family.
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When it was offered to me because of my age, my response to the OB was that termination would never be an option for me even if I found out ahead of time that something wasn’t perfect. He quickly assured me that the reason was simply to have a treat plan in place at the birth, possibly including specialists in the delivery room, if indeed the baby had genetic deficits. I would make the same decision again if needed. Good luck with your pregnancy!
While it doesn’t matter if you have a child with any disorder and you will still love them. You will have more time to be informed and be able to learn to care for them the best you can beforehand if there is something wrong. And if the test are negative for all disorders, it gives you a little piece of mind. There is also the chance that if the baby dose had any disorder, knowing before could help aid in a smoother pregnancy or birth. All it is is a blood draw so it’s not anything major being done.
My doctor mention it to me with my second but she also said it’s not always accurate! So I never let her test me for it. I told her once the baby is born they can do all the testing they want.
I had a baby at age 41 and just delivered my second at 43. We never got the testing done although my doctor was adamant that we do it. It did not make a difference to us whether our children were born with variances. We were keeping them regardless. Trust God.
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I’m 35 and got the genetic screening done. I did it because if the baby was going to have a disability, I wanted a heads up to study up and prepare to handle it. I’m a planner and it helped to ease my anxiety by getting the tests done. My tests came back low risk and I gave birth to a healthy boy on 4/12.
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I got it done because it’s just a little more blood work, and to me it didn’t matter what the results say but at least I would have the time to learn about what it is and adjust to the idea.
First off, congrats mama!
I was offered it with both my pregnancies and declined (mainly due to cost) but with my next I will get it done due to my age so I can have a heads up. It’s a personal choice either way
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It’s completely normal but important. It tells you what genes you carry & it’s important to find out if your partner carries anything else as well so you’ll know if you need to see a specialist & know what to prepare for. Me & my partner both carry two different genes. It wasn’t High risk because of that but my boys could’ve come out with either gene & I think it would be important to know ahead of time instead of last minute but it’s a standard routine they do with everyone now.
I got mine just cause I would rather kno then not it’s a quick blood test so I didn’t mind much cause I would have rather kno before hand my chances then not it’s not a for sure thing it’s more of a chance ur child might have it if u have family that’s has a child with downs or anything around that area they can tell if they baby has a chance to have it at birth it’s scary but I would want to kno before hand so I would prepare for it ahead of time then at last second cause with it all u have to learn how to do most thing differently
My OB (32 years ago) also tested me at 38, knowing I would continue the pregnancy despite the results- it helped him manage my pre- natal care better and was prepared at delivery for any circumstance- made sense to me.
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I’m a genetic carrier for 2 things and my husband is too. Our son has Spinal muscular atrophy. If we hadn’t known we would have never gotten much needed specialist and supports ahead of time.
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I’ve been tested twice & have had 3 kids. With my 1st two boys I wanted the testing done because I was born with spinabifida & wanted to know if they were OK & if so what I needed to do to prepare. With my last child (a girl) I told my Dr on my first appointment I also wanted it done on my next checkup because, of my spinabifida & I was also 38 yrs old. Before my next appointment I had a miscarriage but, still felt pregnant. I went to the Dr & found out I had been pregnant with twins & had lost one. My Dr then asked me again if I wanted to be tested for birth defects & I said no. After loosing one twin I realized if God had me have a special needs child I would love it & do what I needed to do for the baby no matter what. I had my daughter at 26 weeks, she weighted 1 lb 12oz. It was the harded thing I had gone thru. She had issues in the NICU, had a learning disability & acts 3-4 years your than she actually is. She was a miracle.
The NHS do genetic testing as a routine to test for Down syndrome, ms etc regardless of age, it’s a good indicator and will probably help put your mind at ease. I also found out at my 20 week scan that my youngest had a cleft lip. Just educate yourself but try not to scare yourself x
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I had it done (was not high risk). I only did it because the test reveals gender and I was impatient to know. Nothing else the test would have revealed would have changed my intentions toward my pregnancy, other than I’d have time to research/prepare if there were any abnormalities. Thankfully there were none. I believe it is a personal choice to have the testing or not, as well as what you do with the results. Do whatever you think is best.
Im 26 and was high risk because of being diabetic and other health problems. I got it done. What can it hurt.
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I was 38 when I had my son and was told I should get it done and I didn’t. I wouldn’t have terminated if there was anything and I have awful anxiety, I didn’t want the added stress of worrying. A lot of the time there are false markers on these tests that end up being a perfectly healthy baby and totally unneeded stress. Thankfully my son was perfectly healthy. But like alot of ppl said, it gives you the chance to learn about the condition or markers beforehand to prepare If need be. Only you know you and how you handle stress best so do what you can handle. If that’s not doing it, then don’t. There’s no shame in that. If you like to do your research if required, then do it. 
I am 30 and just had my first baby, we did harmony genetic testing(bloodwork) to check for the sex and abnormalities. I feel like depending on your OB it’s fairly routine anymore .
I know people younger than me that also had it done so I don’t think you have anything to worry about
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Back in non tech days. I became pregnant. 9 months later, I went into labor, we drove to the hospital, the baby was born. We learned the gender and physical health at that time. We loved our child instantly. What more do you need to know? It’s your flesh and blood, will you love your child less if it is not perfect? Your choice, no one can answer a question this important.
It’s very personal - but I personally think it’s always better to know even if just to help care for baby while you are prego and as part of birth and plan for aftercare ; it’s standard protocol for anyone preggo after 35
They asked me if I wanted to have it done because my sister has a genetic condition, I declined because it never stopped her from doing anything she wanted
I would and glad I did. I’m only 31 I got the first trimester genetic screening. I did ivf fresh transfer so my embryo was untested. I got flagged for high risk trisomy 21 , so they did the NIPT blood test. This test tells you if the baby doesn’t have it. I was nervous for the results but then so relieved. It ruled out trisomy 21, 18 & 13 and confirmed my baby is genetically healthy. It gave me such peace of mind. And I found out the gender at 12 weeks 
If they find something wrong after the blood test, they’ll do CVS or amniocentesis. Even then, you could find out baby is 100% healthy.
It’s your choice. I’m glad I did it, but I understand it’s scary. At your 20 week scan, they’ll find markers for genetic disorders (fluid around neck, for example) and they are Very thorough. so you’ll find out if somethings wrong regardless.
If you would terminate a pregnancy due to a genetic disorder, it’s best to find out sooner. If you wouldn’t terminate no matter what, then finding out later is okay. Totally your choice.
The disorders are rare- you’re probably just fine. Your risk is just higher so I would think about getting tested. If everything comes back ok, you’ll have peace of mind instead of wondering all the time.
Don’t stress yourself out hun, your choice if you go for testing! Being informed helps make you aware of what is going on in your body. That way you can make the right choices. If you are not bothered whether the baby would be born with down’s syndrome then don’t do the test. Whatever the outcome you have to make the right decision for you!
My husband and I did the genetic blood test at 10 weeks. But I’m also 28, we just did it because 1. We wanted to know what our chances for Down Syndrome were (so we could learn and prepare if the chances were high) and 2. So we could find out the gender.
But I know a lot of women who don’t do them. Insurance is something to think about too because some insurance won’t cover them. But I thought the test was worth it!
It is a HUGE deal. Getting tested now will allow you to save up money for later in case your child has heart defects, brain defects, muscular dystrophy, any neurological problems or other health issues.
I’ll be 31 in August. Not currently pregnant, but when I do become pregnant, I’m choosing to get any and all genetic testing I can. I have a huge family history of heart problems, neurological problems, Cerebral Palsy, pulmonary issues, Autism and quite a bit more.
It’s pretty standard at that age. I was 36 and got it done. A little scary but it’s worth it.
Have it done. I just had my son and Im 38, he is healthy as a horse!!
I’m 36 and currently 14 wks pregnant. They also said I was high risk cos I’m over 35. U just have a greater risk of baby developing birth defects and u developing things like gestational diabetes etc. I would certainly want to know if something was wrong, can’t begin to rectify it if u don’t know about it and it’s what’s best for u and baby. Best to get checked to ease ur mind. No point stressing about something being wrong if that hasn’t even been confirmed. Ur just causing urself unneeded anxiety when most of these are just standard tests and u just get more scans more often (it is in my case). Relax mumma bear! When u stress, bub stresses, so best to worry about things when they happen not a “what if” scenario
If no other problems arise in the pregnancy the only reason you are considered “high risk” is due to what they call advanced maternal age which is anyone over 35 when baby is born.
They suggest testing only because once you are over the age of 35 you are now at risk for your child to have genetic issues. Thats all, most people are fine. They mainly do it to ensure a smooth pregnancy
I’m 29 and I had it done in the beginning of my pregnancy as well. I say go for it!
No big deal. It’s a routine scanning. Unless you or direct family have genetics disorders. If you are healthy and take proper penatal care and weight, sugar and salt control, everything will be well. My last ones were at 39 and 41. As today never went to the hospital only for sutures😅. Good luck.
As a NICU nurse, it’s nice to know so that you have knowledge and so does your provider just in case something maybe need to be done shortly after delivery or thereafter…
I was 38 when I had my son. I did the special ultra sounds, but passed on the amniocentesis, since it carried a risk of miscarriage. We were keeping him regardless of what it would have shown. He is 18 now, and just graduated high school, with no major health issues from birth on. Ultimately it is your decision.
Yes, do it! Most insurance companies cover the test if you are a “geriatric”. It’s harmless. The worst part is the wait for the results.
I had the Harmony testing done. I had some complications with first birth so I wanted to be prepared if need be. All ended up fine and I had the added bonus of finding out the gender!
The question is, if there is a problem, would you chose to terminate the pregnancy? As a retired OB/Labor nurse, that is the only question you need to ask. That will give you the answer you need.