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I'm happy to report that I too had a healthy, beautiful baby girl. I was told at 18 weeks about the echogenic foci and saw a specialist. Everything was fine in the end and she is completely healthy! thanks to all out there for all the support and information!

I am still trying to decide about the amnio. I feel very detached from the pregnancy because of my fear and anxiety regarding the EIF. I am usually such a rational person, but somehow I have lost all sense of logical thought on this issue. Thanks to all who have posted.

Hi riperdays. I just want to say that no one will fault you for having an amino, we all know how scary the EIF is and what it does to your mind. Unfortunately we also know what it's like to be detached from the pregnancy due to the fear and worry. However, if you have the time you should read through this entire thread and join the facebook group too. If you do, you will see that not one of us has had a down baby. The EIF is so much more common than they ever knew before (due to technology advances) and it just really is not a true indicator for downs. I had a healthy baby girl and was sooo worried. If you read my posts you will see I really was at an increased chance for downs. For my age as well as other things.
The amnio is risky and it is not something I would recommend doing just because of an EIF. I never had an amnio because I didn't want to take the chance. I'm so glad I didn't. Just my two cents....

If anyone on the board is interested, most of us moved over to a "secret" Facebook group. There are 72 of us in the group. Email me at steffie92_bfas"at"yahoo.com.
I had my healthy baby in April, but I still help to maintain the Facebook group and find new members. We also have a long of articles linked to our page that helps nervous mommies to be.

Hi Everyone,

I've been reading through your posts and they are great comfort to me. I had my 19 US and was told everything looked great. My OBGYN called and started off telling me that everything looked great as well..and then..the but came about. They found a echogenic foci in the heart. She said she wasn't worried and that neither she or the doctor who looked at my scan thought i needed any addtional testing or screening. As well all know, you can do nothing BUT worry. I just turned 35 in July and am due January 20, 2010. I've gone back and forth with trying to decide about the Amenio. Some days i think i should for peace of mind and others i say.."why not?". I spoke to a genetic counselor who said that she really dosen't think its anything to worry about and that the risks of there being something wrong is less vs. the risk of misscarriage with the amenio. After much debate my hubsand and i decided to just hope and pray for the best. But i still can't help that nagging feeling. Did anyone decide to go ahead with the Amenio? i think the clock is ticking in that department anyway. I'm 21 weeks today. Ahh. i hate it. This is my first and i know i'm having a boy and i feel him kick all the time now. But i am 35!!? By after the test (NT and sequential screening) my numbers were 1/6800. The genetic counselor said that now my number was probobly closer to 1/6500. Reading all the stuff makes me feel better but still...i can't kick the anxious feeling i have and just want to enjoy the rest of the preganancy. Just curious if anyone is 35 and or older and going through this.

Thank you all for just being positive and posting about it. It helps. I haven't really even told people (other than husband and sister) because i dont' want the added stress of other people worrying for me as well.

ok my novel is over. Thanks :)

Dear cjtooms,
I wrote here some years ago, my daughter Amelia is almost 3 and I was 38.5 when she was born.
Not only she was perfect but the cardiologist that checked her told me that if ob docs knew better they should consult them cardio specialists before stressing so many moms with babys with foci in their hearts, apparently studies are just theories so far and they still need years of research. He said that all these years he saw many babies with foci and many Down babies but NEVER saw a Down baby with foci. He is the best infanto-cardio of my country. I had my kids at 34, 36 and 38.5 and never had an amnio, a workmate lost her baby (4 months into the pregancy) supposedly to the amnio. The result would bring peace to your heart but since there are other health issues that may happen during the rest of the pregnancy and even after they are born...in life there is no garantee at all. Please, just imagine holding your baby and try to relax, they are pure joy, every day more joy than the day before and every day a new worry will appear and little by little moms learn how to deal with them and keep enjoying the babyes. I know it is easier to say and I was stressed as well but even with bad odds you can have peace of mind. (My odds were 1/300 aprox.)Lots of music! cinema!(it gets complicated after delivery)playing with other kids! choosing clothes and toys and baby books! there are many things to enjoy, and one day you will look back and miss being pregnant!!!! Best for you!!!

mportelli,

Thanks for responding. Congrats on all three healthy babies! I love hearing that. Particularly since i think we're going to want another and of course i'll be well over the 35 mark by then. I think were making the right decision by not going ahead with the amnio. Neither my doctor of the genetic counselor said i needed it but if i needed to then it would be more for my own peace of mind if i was going to worry with stress the remainder of my pregnancy. Just wish everything was worry free but like you said ..nothing is guaranteed. I'll just keep praying for great results. Sounds like things will be alright.

Thanks again for responding. :)

Don't worry, we had a healthy baby and went through all the trouble you guys are going through for nothing. If its isolated don't worry about it, and if you doubt me ask any good doctor they will tell you to forget about it as its the biggest controversy in medical research.. Its like some DS babies are born with an echogenic foci so are normal babies. Think this way if you have ds babies that are born mostly with blue eyes that means if your baby has blue eyes that your baby is a ds baby? Non sense.. Just forget about it and enjoy your pregnancy.

Hi everyone, I just want to say once again do not worry about an isolated EIF! I now have a healthy 8 month old little boy. I was told at his 18wk ultrasound about the echogenic focus. I like many of you became consumed with worry. I asked every doctor and every medical professional I came in contact with and all said it was nothing to worry about. In fact my own obgyn told me both of his babies (healthy) had this. So listen to your doctors and try to enjoy your pregnancies! Lots of luck to you!

EIF? Chances of having a DS baby are slim…..

I am 33 years old and was told two weeks ago at my 18 week US that our baby had an EIF (spot on the heart), which is a POTENTIAL soft marker for DS and also Pyelectasis (dilated kidneys), which is also a POTENTIAL second soft marker for DS. They offered genetic counseling (which means you will meet with a genetic counselor to go over family history, concerns, and options), have a full in-depth US and meet with the doc to discuss the US results and if you choose to have an amnio you may get it at this time.

Prior to this US, I had the triple-quad blood test and my chances for a DS baby were 1 in 1,300, which is great considering for my age the chances are 1 in 500 (or so); however this test has false-positives and false-negatives. So we opted for the amnio. The main reason was how stressed out I was due to these soft markers, I could not have gone another 22 weeks not knowing if my baby had DS or not and I knew this stress could not be good for the baby.

I had the amnio last Wed and rec’d the FISH results (24 - 72 hours) Thursday afternoon and the baby does not have DS. FISH results are preliminary, the complete amnio results will come in approx 2 weeks, but these only differ less than 1% of the time.

Needless to say, I was stressed out and out of my mind for two weeks and the baby is just fine. Although the docs say not to search medical conditions online (unless it is a reputable site), I nonstop researched these DS soft markers and found only good news on these findings and each site said DO NOT WORRY, your baby is probably fine. While this is easier said than done, for us an amnio was the only option that could put my mind at ease and help me to enjoy this pregnancy.

Hope this helped.

Boy does it feel good to know that I'm not alone. I had a 20 week ultrasound last week and the doctor told me that they saw a EIF on my baby boy's heart. She said that my quad screen had come back normal and that she really didn't think I had anything to worry about. Needless to say all I have done is worry. I feel like I am on a emotional roller coaster. The reasonable side of me says that everything that I have read online points to the fact that this marker alone does not mean that my baby will have DS....but my worried irrational side says..."what if?" I am 31 years old and this is my second child. I have a healthy 3 year old boy already. I go for a Level II us on Dec 4th. I will keep each and everyone of you in my thoughts and prayers. I just want my baby to be happy and healthy.

I feel for all of you. I had my daughter back in 2006. Same thing echogenic focus seen at 20 wks sono. and at 30 wks it went away. also she had a dilated kidney that went away after birth. So I had 2 soft markers. My daughter will be 3 next month. Beautiful & healthy!!! Please try to think positive esp after reading everyones. happy endings. I kknow it is very hard. I also went for a quad ecocariagram that was perfect. Godd luck to all of you. Remmeber my daughter is a healthy almost 3 yr old. I met someone else whom I keep in touch with. her little girl is great & perfect as well. :)

I was 32 when I had I had my baby girl. This was my 3rd child. :)