Down Syndrome Test

[HoneyLicious]

hi ladies, i was charged $424($453.70 after gst) for oscar(scan and blood test) testing at thomson medical centre. i was quite surprised at the cost.

did you all who had done this test at TMC charged the same amount??

 

[luvjoanne]

hi ladies, i was charged $424($453.70 after gst) for oscar(scan and blood test) testing at thomson medical centre. i was quite surprised at the cost.

did you all who had done this test at TMC charged the same amount??

hi honeylicious, the $453.70 is inclusive of your detailed scanning at 20th week. i was charged the same amt when i did it at TMC.
so average out, it's abt $200+ for oscar and $200+ for detailed scan.

 

[Carisella]

What's the difference between the oscar scan and the Down Syndrome scan?
Can anyone enlighten me please?

 

[HoneyLicious]

hi honeylicious, the $453.70 is inclusive of your detailed scanning at 20th week. i was charged the same amt when i did it at Thomson Medical Center.
so average out, it's about $200+ for oscar and $200+ for detailed scan.

Oh.. Didn't know that. Thanks for the explaination.

 

[Harper]

I paid 150 at KK for the down's test, chromosome abnormalities test, and some blood tests.

 

[bunny mummy]

i'm 41 and just went for oscar test at thomson med as instructed by my gynae, it cost me just over $300, dont remember the exact amt. it is $100+ for blood test which will have better accuracy and the scan which is $170+.

this is my first pregnancy, and my gynae is very cautious, next thorough scan will be at camden, and as per nurse it is just over $300 as well and this scan will be able to tell more results, even the gender of my baby.

 

[lyra]

I just got a call from gynae's clinic saying that the oscar scan shows high risk. So he wants to meet me earlier. Do I need to be worried? :beek: Never expect to be high risk as I am only 28 and hubby is only 1 yr older than me.

If oscar show high risk, does it mean there shd be some chromosomal abnormalities?

Not sure whether we shd do the next step of the test - amniocentesis... heard that there is some risk of fetal mortality... very afraid now.

Seeing gynae in evening today due to work... hope its not so high risk... haiz so uncertain!

 

[lekdao]

I just got a call from gynae's clinic saying that the oscar scan shows high risk. So he wants to meet me earlier. Do I need to be worried? :beek: Never expect to be high risk as I am only 28 and hubby is only 1 yr older than me.

If oscar show high risk, does it mean there shd be some chromosomal abnormalities?

Not sure whether we shd do the next step of the test - amniocentesis... heard that there is some risk of fetal mortality... very afraid now.

Seeing gynae in evening today due to work... hope its not so high risk... haiz so uncertain!

Hi,

Sorry to hear that. Everyone will get worrys after hearing the news, so do I. Oscar show high rish does not mean there is some chromosomal abnormalities.
It really depends on you and your hubby whether to do the amniocentesis test, there is 1% chance of misscarriage if the test is done. You need to be rest on bed for at least 3 days after the test.

I am like you, worry when my oscar test shown high risk and i went for the amniocentesis test after talking to my sis-in-law (who did the amnio. test too). I went ahead with the test because i dun wan to keep worrying throughout the rest of the pregnancy.

Mayb u can talk to your family or hv a 2nd opinion before you decide to go for the amnio. test

Take care

 

[lyra]

Hi,

Sorry to hear that. Everyone will get worrys after hearing the news, so do I. Oscar show high rish does not mean there is some chromosomal abnormalities.
It really depends on you and your hubby whether to do the amniocentesis test, there is 1% chance of misscarriage if the test is done. You need to be rest on bed for at least 3 days after the test.

I am like you, worry when my oscar test shown high risk and i went for the amniocentesis test after talking to my sis-in-law (who did the amnio. test too). I went ahead with the test because i dun wan to keep worrying throughout the rest of the pregnancy.

Mayb u can talk to your family or hv a 2nd opinion before you decide to go for the amnio. test

Take care

Oh gosh, 1% of miscarriage and bedrest for 3 days. Obviously, its not that good for bb rite? Haiz... Will ask doctor how much at risk I am. Coz my uterus is vertical instead of usual horizontal so its not so easy to measure my bb during Oscar scan. Not sure whether that affects the result.

 

[lekdao]

Oh gosh, 1% of miscarriage and bedrest for 3 days. Obviously, its not that good for bb rite? Haiz... Will ask doctor how much at risk I am. Coz my uterus is vertical instead of usual horizontal so its not so easy to measure my bb during Oscar scan. Not sure whether that affects the result.

of coz its not good for baby that is why there is 1% chance of miscarriage. bedrest for 3 days to minimise the chance of losing the baby. However, i did not hv the 3 full day of bedrest coz my elder kid was not feeling well and i went out to get for groceries shopping. hahaha

 

[lyra]

The biochem (blood) test showed about 1:55, but the scan is good, 1:1000+... so the overall risk was 1:74.

Hubby and I was thinking of NOT gng for the amniocentesis. I'm not feeling very well lately and dun want to risk having miscarriage. If bb is well and yet miscarriage bcoz we decide to do the test, we'll feel so sad. Besides, I have a feeling bb shd be normal... I dunno whether my feeling is valid ... haiz

 

[lekdao]

The biochem (blood) test showed about 1:55, but the scan is good, 1:1000+... so the overall risk was 1:74.

Hubby and I was thinking of NOT gng for the amniocentesis. I'm not feeling very well lately and dont want to risk having miscarriage. If baby is well and yet miscarriage bcoz we decide to do the test, we'll feel so sad. Besides, I have a feeling baby should be normal... I dont know whether my feeling is valid ... sigh

Both my pregnancy, gynae looked at the biochem test. 1st pergnancy showed 1:300+, 2nd pregnancy is 1:170++ .... showed high risk so went for the amnio test. The amnio test result showed everything is fine and felt relieve.

You can always go for 2nd opinion (get another gynae) for some advice if u are worry. I almost went for 2nd opinion, but later decided to go for amnio test.

 

[lyra]

The last scanning to see baby is disappointing. He scheduled a last min appointment to talk to hubby and me about our Oscar test result so he spent more time explaining about the test, encouraging us to go for amnio and to abort baby if baby is abnormal. We were very certain we want to keep baby regardless, but he kept promoting the amnio so we went back to think about it. After some lengthly and painful discussion on how we would deal with it if baby really has Down Syndrome, we decide to avoid amnio for the miscarriage risk, and to go through with it no matter what. We prayed to God for baby's health. We are pro-life and believe that all children, no matter what their mental or physical condition is, deserves a chance for life in this world.

Moreover, Oscar test results are always so inaccurate. It claims 90% accuracy but many mothers went for further testing and discovered bb is normal. I have a fren whose pregnant fren went for oscar and amnio and the doctor advised her to go for termination as baby is found to be abnormal. They parents decided to keep the baby, and another testing at 5th month shows that baby is completely normal. This goes to show how inaccurate and unreliable tests can be. Those accuracy claims... could we really believe in it? Oscar is a new test, and initial samples should be from western countries. How reliable is it for local or Asian populations? If I have a second pregnancy, I will certainly not go for Oscar.

 

[Carisella]

The last scanning to see baby is disappointing. He scheduled a last min appointment to talk to hubby and me about our Oscar test result so he spent more time explaining about the test, encouraging us to go for amnio and to abort baby if baby is abnormal. We were very certain we want to keep baby regardless, but he kept promoting the amnio so we went back to think about it. After some lengthly and painful discussion on how we would deal with it if baby really has Down Syndrome, we decide to avoid amnio for the miscarriage risk, and to go through with it no matter what. We prayed to God for baby's health. We are pro-life and believe that all children, no matter what their mental or physical condition is, deserves a chance for life in this world.

Moreover, Oscar test results are always so inaccurate. It claims 90% accuracy but many mothers went for further testing and discovered bb is normal. I have a fren whose pregnant fren went for oscar and amnio and the doctor advised her to go for termination as baby is found to be abnormal. They parents decided to keep the baby, and another testing at 5th month shows that baby is completely normal. This goes to show how inaccurate and unreliable tests can be. Those accuracy claims... could we really believe in it? Oscar is a new test, and initial samples should be from western countries. How reliable is it for local or Asian populations? If I have a second pregnancy, I will certainly not go for Oscar.

I really detest doctors who encourage parents to ABORT the baby.. who are they to say such things and even give such advice in the first place?! Plus, who are they to be 100% sure that the test are accurate.. for all anyone knows, you can only be sure when the baby is out lo..

Lyra, if i was you, i would have scolded the gynae for even suggesting to u to abort if there's any abnormalities!! My hubby would have shouted at him if not me!!

 

[lekdao]

The last scanning to see baby is disappointing. He scheduled a last min appointment to talk to hubby and me about our Oscar test result so he spent more time explaining about the test, encouraging us to go for amnio and to abort baby if baby is abnormal. We were very certain we want to keep baby regardless, but he kept promoting the amnio so we went back to think about it. After some lengthly and painful discussion on how we would deal with it if baby really has Down Syndrome, we decide to avoid amnio for the miscarriage risk, and to go through with it no matter what. We prayed to God for baby's health. We are pro-life and believe that all children, no matter what their mental or physical condition is, deserves a chance for life in this world.

Moreover, Oscar test results are always so inaccurate. It claims 90% accuracy but many mothers went for further testing and discovered bb is normal. I have a fren whose pregnant fren went for oscar and amnio and the doctor advised her to go for termination as baby is found to be abnormal. They parents decided to keep the baby, and another testing at 5th month shows that baby is completely normal. This goes to show how inaccurate and unreliable tests can be. Those accuracy claims... could we really believe in it? Oscar is a new test, and initial samples should be from western countries. How reliable is it for local or Asian populations? If I have a second pregnancy, I will certainly not go for Oscar.

My gynae was totally different from your gynae, he dun encourage nor discourage. He just told us, 1:170% (abnormal) against 1:100% (miscarriage), miscarriage chance is higher. However, he leave both (amnio test and abortion) final decision to us. But he did mention to us that if the baby is born at abnormal, we gotta prepare the high caring cost for the baby coz need to send the child to special sch. And I ever checked wif my gynae, Down Syndrome baby is either due to age problem (mummy's age past 37, daddy's age past 45 [irc]) or family health medical history.

Since you decide not to go for amnio test, then sit back relax and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy. I bet soon you will miss your pregnancy after you give birth. . . LOL .... Alot of mummies experience that.

 

[lyra]

I really detest doctors who encourage parents to ABORT the baby.. who are they to say such things and even give such advice in the first place?! Plus, who are they to be 100% sure that the test are accurate.. for all anyone knows, you can only be sure when the baby is out lo..

Lyra, if i was you, i would have scolded the gynae for even suggesting to u to abort if there's any abnormalities!! My hubby would have shouted at him if not me!!

He said its up to parents to make final decision but he has to give us information enough for us to make decisions. No information is un-bias and from what I gathered, he is pro-abortion if baby is abnormal. If one is in the line for very long, and see parents cry and struggle with babies with many genetic abnormalities, one will tend to have such opinions, so I dun blame him. Moreover, he's a doctor, a very scientific and rational person. He gave us examples of many parents who confirmed they want a Down syndrome child but in the end found that bb has cardiac problems, etc, all sorts of physical difficulties which are comobidity with DS, and then they had lots of struggle and finally decided to abort.

But still, it is up to us to decide. He said he will support us if we decide to keep baby anyway.

lekdao, yup, I will relax and enjoy my pregnancy We are very young, unlikely to have Down syndrome child, so I dun think we shd worry so much just bcoz of a test.

 

[didy]

sigh.. such dilemma. Medical advances are supposed to make us better off, but yet we are faced with even more problems..

 

[lyra]

OMG I just found out that this forum changed the "Down syndrome" I wrote as D S into "dear son". No wonder I was still wondering how come so many ppl wrote "dear son" in the forum!

 

[bunny mummy]

omg ... what gynae is that ...

my gynae is a bit ks due to my age (42, first pregnancy). so at 3 months, he sent me for oscar+blood test follow by genetic scan. it was to 2 other gynae who specialised in their own field. oscar result was ok but not ''good'', genetic was good. and my gynae then explained the results. he told me gynae is not allowed to make decisions for parents but to provide advises. so what we did was based on the results we ask the pointed questions, like:
- does this result mean that it is ok if we dont opt for amnio test

i am at 5th+ month now and had just gone for another 2 test, i forgot what it is called for the 1st one, and 2nd one is genetic scan. went to the same 2 gynae, and both results were very good. they sent the results to my gynae and the staff nurse will call each time and to inform and interprete the results.

i know at times that we cant really understand what gynae is saying as we get overwhelmed with medical jargons ... and pretty sensitive on the word "down syndrome" ... so what we need to do is ask the questions again. the professor i saw for genetic scan also told me that whatever result it is is all predetermined by the big guy upstairs. so at the end of the day is still the parents decision.

at my age, risk is high, but results will help ease our thoughts. since we have came so far to have a baby, no matter how we plough on and move on ... we are talking about a ''life" ... especially now baby has started kicking, being responsive (i think).

so i do encourage you to go for 2nd opinion. it is not expensive. both tests cost me $200+ each only. this is a small price to pay for ease of mind.

 

[ladyluck1801]

i went for my OSCAR test at TMC yesterday....now waiting for results....anyone knows whether TMC will call us to inform us of result or they will send the result bck to our gynae?