Sunday 6 March 2011

Triple marker test...

Well, firstly the triple marker test came back all ok...which is great! We know it doesn't 100% guarantee the outcome of these tests but were pretty happy with the results...so if you don't know what the triple marker test is, here is Dr. Google's blurb....

Between the 15th and 20th weeks of pregnancy, expectant mothers usually are offered a blood test called the multiple marker test. Sometimes called a triple screen or a quad screen, depending on the number of things measured, it also might be done in combination with blood tests and an ultrasound in the first trimester.

For the multiple marker screening, a sample of blood is drawn from the mother to measure the levels of:

hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), which is made by the placenta
estriol, which is made by the placenta and the fetus
alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), which is made by the fetus
Sometimes the level of inhibin-A, which is made by the placenta, also is measured. The levels of these substances can help doctors identify a fetus at risk for certain birth defects, including neural tube defects (like spina bifida) and some chromosomal abnormalities (like Down syndrome).


We are now entering our 20th week based on our first dates given, so 19 full weeks passed so far! We're officially over half way! Hooray!!

I decided to change the blog design as been thinking about the Nationality of our child; although they will be half Indian, they will also be half British too but we will be living in Italy so all a bit confusing for the little tyke! All we know is that it will take us 10-12 weeks to get the british birth certificate and then the british passport and then we are free to live wherever we like to a degree, well as long as Michael's boss keeps him freelance!

So much is changing about Surrogacy in Hong Kong that we worry about returning, as many people are being investigated as it is still illegal to pay for surrogacy in Hong Kong, and only married straight couples can do it at the moment, we were advised to leave India, go to UK first then come back to Hong Kong, but they could still question the mother part on the birth certificate....so we are still aiming to leave in the next 6-8 weeks and set up home in Italy before picking up our baby in India. All a bit stressful and a lot to do in such little time!

Anyway...good news is BAM is fine and growing well and only about 4 more months to go :)

6 comments:

  1. That is great news about the test! Hopefully I'll be having mine done soon as well... and I love the new look of the blog!

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  2. Good luck Toban, seems we are almost at the same stage through most of this! Are you going to be in New Delhi or Mumbai? All the best ;)

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  3. Thanks :) You too guys! It is a little bit more comforting and reassuring knowing we are kind of going through this together almost at the same time!

    I will be in Mumbai... before I would have had to go to Delhi for DNA testing but it is all done for me in Mumbai now.

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  4. Congrats guys! Love ur pub coming out story! Tell more funny stories here :) love the new look and the chairs make me think Marcel Wanders.
    Cheers-
    K

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  5. seems as thought you have the move all worked out and this is great! how adventurous. can't wait.

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  6. Has it felt like the time is flying or moving at a snails pace?

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