My story

[ktjane31381]

Hello All -

I'm new to the site and found these stories very reassuring.  I figured I should share mine in return, though I don't know the ending quite yet, but am trying to stay positive.

My husband and I dropped our 3 year old son off at grandmas and headed out to our 21 week sonogram and OB appointment this morning.  One minute we're elated, "That's a penis alright...it's a boy!!!!!"    Then the tech started measuring ... and measuring....and measuring.  I asked, how's everything else?"  Maybe I was just being paranoid as usual.  She said, "everything looks fine" and ends with "the doctor will  follow up".   My radar goes up.

Then the doctor: "Everything looks great....(etc)." Then comes the "but".  "The only thing we're a little concerned about", she says, "is that we found a choroid plexus cyst on the sonogram". 

Then comes the explanation about how they have to tell me this even though it's probably no big deal and that I can get an amnio but the risks with that are higher than there being anything wrong at all with the baby.  So, here I am 28 years old (second pregnancy) faced with a decision to ease my own mind and get the amnio and potentially lose this baby or wait it out.  I choose to wait it out.  It's not going to affect the outcome either way, so really why would I get it?  Just to stop worrying, I suppose. 

So that's where I am in this moment.  Hopefully I'll have good news soon.  I have the odds working in my favor.  Still, any positive words or advice is welcomed.  Thank you for your stories.  I hope mine ends as positively as the ones on this board.   

[Momto3]

I just read these stories today as well.  I also just received my u/s results (followup at my Dr's) at my 20 week prenantal appt today.  He pretty much told me in the exact same way, looks like the same wording even.  Although I though he meant a cord cyst and didn't realize until I got home that it was on the brain.  Now his suggestion of an amnio test this week makes more sense, after all I'm only 32 with my 4th pregnancy...I assumed 35 was the magic age.  There are no other abnormalities on the u/s but he wants to do a followup u/s "later" and I have to decide by tomorrow if I want an amnio done or not.  DH doesn't know yet, I was hoping to be "informed" before he arrived home from work tonight so we could make a decision by tomorrow.  I'm more concerned about the Trisomy 18 than downs but I think either way, like you said, it wouldn't make a difference in the outcome.  Another thing I read was a link between a CPC and webbed toes (this runs on my DH's side) so maybe that's all it is.  The risks aren't worth it, even though I'm going to be a worrying mess until this baby is born and we know the baby's healthy.  Oh, it's a 9/10 chance that this baby is a girl.     3 girls, what will DS & DH do.  LOL

[Lavender]

Just wondering what your numbers were like for the first trimester screening tests?  These are a lot better indicator of a problem than an isolated CPC.

[Momto3]

Just wondering what your numbers were like for the first trimester screening tests? These are a lot better indicator of a problem than an isolated CPC.

I didn't have any screening tests done accept the standard bloodwork at the very beginning and the standard 20 week u/s the other day, which is where they found this cyst.  I was asked if I wanted an amnio test but because I am at the end of the time period for that testing that I would need to do that this week.  The Dr also stated that I would get another u/s to check more thoroughly later but that's all I know so far.  We decided against having an amnio test done.

[Lavender]

CPC's are not linked with down syndrome, so the only concern is Edwards (Trisomy 18).  Edwards is a very severe syndrome and is usually detected on ultrasound due to it's severity.  The bub would more than likely show severe heart abnormalities and clenched fists, to name a few issues.  It would be very unlikely that your bub would have Edwards and merely show an isolated CPC as the only indicator, as this trisomy is not compatible with life, so it would usually be very obvious on ultrasound if your bub had Edwards.

I hope that helps.  As for the amnio, if you would not terminate no matter what, then I wouldn't go ahead with the amnio, due to the risk to the bub.  Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best.

[ndechka]

Hello,

Not too sure if i'm writing in the right spot here, but hopefully I am. I am in a very similar situation as I am 24 and am on my second pregnancy. I have a 3 year old son who is very healthy! I was very lucky during my first pregnancy and it was pretty much picture perfect with no concerns at all. I recently had my 20wk sonogram and they have found a isolated cyst in baby. They found no other reasons to follow up on the cyst at all. Baby has formed normally and I raise no other red flags. So now that there will be no follow up sonogram I guess I just worry for the next 5 month?  My mind has been running a million miles a minute wondering everything, what, why, how and more. I have a wonderful midwife that took the time I needed and answered all my questians, but I can't stop thinking about it.
Guess I just wanted to say that I find your story's comforting and hopefully we all end up with positive results.

[Momto3]

CPC's are not linked with down syndrome, so the only concern is Edwards (Trisomy 18). Edwards is a very severe syndrome and is usually detected on ultrasound due to it's severity. The bub would more than likely show severe heart abnormalities and clenched fists, to name a few issues. It would be very unlikely that your bub would have Edwards and merely show an isolated CPC as the only indicator, as this trisomy is not compatible with life, so it would usually be very obvious on ultrasound if your bub had Edwards.

I hope that helps. As for the amnio, if you would not terminate no matter what, then I wouldn't go ahead with the amnio, due to the risk to the bub. Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best.

Are CPC's linked with Anencephaly?  I just found out from my mother that my grandmother once had a stillborn with no brain or partial brain.  This is not talked about and in those days, no u/s's either, they didn't show or explain why the mother had a stillborn.  It wasn't until my mother worked in medical records(obviously Patient Privacy Act wasn't what it is today) at that very hospital that she found out the real reason, convieniently kept from myself until now.  I have had 3 healthy children from a different marriage with no CPC's on previous u/s's prior to this baby.  Now I read that Anencephaly can be passed through heredity.  I decided to have the AFP test done and had blood drawn today but it'll take up to 2 weeks for results and I know this isn't 100% accurate, from what I've read and been told.  The only thing my Dr tells me is not to worry, no other abnormalities were seen on the level 1 u/s.  I assume this condition would be seen 100% of the time, even on a level 1 u/s, unless this condition has different degrees such as only a small portion missing which might be missed on a level 1 u/s?  I have no idea but I am freaking here.  Trying to stay positive!

[newterpmom]

CPCs are not associated with anencephaly. CPCs, or choroid plexus cysts, are just small, fluid filled sacs located BETWEEN the sections of the brain. That area is called the "choroid plexus," hence the name of the cysts. They are not actually located ON the brain. The choroid plexus is continually bathed in fluid, and sometimes that fluid forms into cysts. The cysts in and of themselves cause no harm to the baby. They usually dissolve on their own, but even if they do not, they are not associated with developmental problems or delays. Most doctors today believe that most babies have them at some point during their development. It is just that they are so transient, it is hard to get an accurate count from US scans. The only concern with CPCs is that in the past they have loosely linked with Trisomy 18 (NOT Trisomy 21, which is Down's syndrome). Current research is now doubting that linkage if an isolated CPC is the only thing noticed on the US. T18 almost always presents with much more serious abnormalities (clenched hands with overlapping fingers, severe growth restriction, heart defect, etc.).

Any US should be able to detect a missing or malformed brain. The brain is one of the first things checked on an US.

Best wishes.

missie

[Momto3]

Thank you for the info; this does make me feel better.  I'm sure everything will be fine.