Greetings,

We just wanted to give everyone an update on our meeting with the pediatric cardiologist.  While the doctor and sonographer were wonderful, we did not have the outcome that we had hoped we would get today.  The fetal echocardiogram (special ultrasound of the heart) revealed that our sweet baby girl has a VSD (Ventricular Septal Defect).  A VSD is a hole in the wall separating the two lower chambers of the heart.  The cardiologist said that the hole was “moderate” in size.

As you all probably know, since we received the report from the Panorama screen – which indicated that she had a greater than 99% chance of having Trisomy 13, our baby girl has been monitored by a perinatologist via ultrasound every 4 weeks since the 12th week of pregnancy. Every single ultrasound has been absolutely perfect up until now.

Ventricular Septal Defects, occur in about 1% of live births. We understand that it is possible that these defects can close before birth, or after birth as the child grows. They are not considered life threatening, nor do they require immediate surgery when the baby is born. The cardiologist said that if the defect is present at birth, he would treat the defect with medication and follow our baby closely for about six months. At this point, depending on her progress, he will evaluate whether or not she needs surgery.

This particular defect is not as serious as other potential heart defects and does not definitely confirm that she has Trisomy 13.  Normal healthy babies have this, and had we not received the Panorama test, the doctors would not have suspected Trisomy 13 or any other chromosomal disorder.  In fact, VSD’s can be hereditary and we have seen this in one of her sisters.

Up until now, all of the ultrasounds have been “very reassuring” and we were beginning to believe that a false positive for Trisomy 13 was a very real possibility. Andy and I are very sad and scared that this could very well be be an indication that the Panorama screen – that we were praying was a false positive, might actually be correct. A very high percentage (80-90%) of babies born with Trisomy 13 have heart defects.

When the pediatric cardiologist walked into the room to give us the results of the fetal echocardiogram, I literally lost it.  Tears started flowing down my face uncontrollably. I could barely even talk, and had to excuse myself from the room because I felt physically sick.

Questions and thoughts started flooding my mind… I am 27 weeks and 3 days along and they have not found any birth defects!  How could this be happening?   In my mind, this scan was just another checkpoint that would show that nothing was wrong.  Why is this happening? I had hoped that this scan like all other scans would be perfect.  I could barely breathe.

Once I gained my composure, I returned to the room to finish the appointment.   I reminded myself of some simple truths:

• That we serve a BIG God!

• That God loves our baby girl and me, and His plans are for good and not for evil.

• That God foreknew – before the foundation of the world, the road we would be walking today. He knew that Andy and I would marry and that I would get pregnant with this baby girl. He chose us to be her parents.

• God has a purpose for us, and for our baby girl.

• God can heal our little girl’s heart and Trisomy 13. And, even if that is not a part of His plan, He still loves us.

I am choosing to be happy and enjoy every single second of this pregnancy and the time I have with my baby girl.  She kept kicking me the entire time we were having the scan and all day for that matter, and I love her with all my heart.

Andy and I thank each and everyone one of you for following our blog and ask that you please continue to pray for complete healing of our baby girl.

We have our ultrasound scheduled with the perinatologist in the next 2 weeks and will see the pediatric cardiologist in about 6 weeks.  We also have our regular OBGYN appointments scheduled, including the dreaded glucose test.  We will keep you posted as things move along.

Please let us know how we can pray for you.

Love,

Jennifer