Interview 06- Antenatal Screening

Brief Outline:

Third pregnancy, after two miscarriages. Nuchal scan suggested problems; CVS ruled out Down's syndrome but heart problems identified by further scan. Baby born March 2003, successful surgery completed.

Background:

Children - First baby, 11 months old. Occupations - Mother - Home carer (formerly HR consultant), Father - HR Manager, Marital status - Married.

For more clips from this interview click here.

Used the internet to find out about the implications of their antenatal screening results. If they asked straight questions they found that the doctors were good at answering honestly.

It was difficult, but you dust yourself off, you go home, you read up your books, you read the Internet, you know. And it's great because there is so much information out there. And you know, I think about if my parents had gone through something like this, you know, where would they get the information from? 

 

I mean we're talking about thirty plus years ago. Where would they get that information from? You know, they'd have to rely on the doctors. And we're very lucky now that, you know, all of that information is literally at your finger tips, and we were able to read out - and I think you're able to then make informed choices. 

 

Because you know, “Ignorance is bliss” people say, but I just, you know, I think if you know, about what, you know, what's potentially happening to you, you're better placed to be able to make the decisions that are going to, you know, maybe affect the rest of your life.

 

Were there any points where you felt you needed more information that you didn't get at the right times?

 

I don't think so. I mean we, because we were going up to London quite a lot we were able to read up about things and ask the relevant questions to the doctors. So they were able to give us a good opinion at those particular junctures when we were having those scans, because we had the information at our finger tips. 

 

You know, I don't think, I mean I think the doctors were, if you ask them straight questions they'll give you straight answers, you know. There's nothing to be gained for them, or for us, by them hiding information from you and being soft on you. And we knew from very early on what we were dealing with - as you say, from Down's to chromosomal defects to heart disorder. 

 

We knew, and we read up about everything so we were able to go in and ask those questions. And I think if you're honest and straight with doctors they do, I mean our experience certainly shows that they were, they're very responsive and they will give you straight answers.