https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 08 May 2026 11:05:22 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1908407 Mon, 20 Oct 2014 21:14:19 +0000 skibobrown 1908407@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Weagle: Same thing. We had 2 soft markers at our anatomy scan. We did a repeat anatomy scan with a perinatologist, and she did not see the same markers. Even so, she revised our DS probability just in case. We opted not to do an amnio. This was in the days before the new blood tests, but our revised probabilities were still extremely low, so we weren't too worried. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1908398 Mon, 20 Oct 2014 20:57:45 +0000 winniebee 1908398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Good news! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1908395 Mon, 20 Oct 2014 20:49:03 +0000 birdofafeather 1908395@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Great news! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1908328 Mon, 20 Oct 2014 19:41:54 +0000 Raindrop 1908328@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LaughLines: Great news! Thanks for the update. I always like when threads are updated with good news. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1908318 Mon, 20 Oct 2014 19:34:06 +0000 MrsF 1908318@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Great news! Thanks for updating :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1908315 Mon, 20 Oct 2014 19:32:00 +0000 Orchid 1908315@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LaughLines: so happy to hear! I can only imagine your relief! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1908314 Mon, 20 Oct 2014 19:30:26 +0000 MrsMccarthy 1908314@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LaughLines: oh I'm so happy to read this update! Hopefully all will be cleared up at the next ultrasound. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1908308 Mon, 20 Oct 2014 19:26:22 +0000 LaughLines 1908308@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Updating this for future nervous mama's searching for info on bright bowel or soft markers. Got tests back today (day 10 after blood draw) that everything is normal!! no Down's, CF, or virus! Incredibly relieved! </p> <p>We're still doing another ultrasound at the high risk doc next month to check on the growth and see if the bright bowel went away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1899377 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 13:25:58 +0000 HLK208 1899377@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hoping for the best! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1899316 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:59:21 +0000 Weagle 1899316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had two soft markers. We were sent for another ultrasound on a different day with a specialist just to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Nothing showed up on the second ultrasound. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1899236 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:17:34 +0000 catomd00 1899236@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My sister had a soft marker for DS on her level 2 u/s. They followed up with the Harmony Test (which is a blood test and likely similar if not the same test you'll be doing) and everything was fine.</p> <p>Good luck. I'm sure everything is just fine and if it's not, it will be! Hang in there, I know it's such a nerve wracking time right now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1899073 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 10:45:21 +0000 kodybear 1899073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LaughLines: yep this happened to me and my 2 month old is perfectly healthy!! they found it at my 18 week u/s with no other markers. i got it rechecked at 21 weeks and it was still there. we decided to get the panorama testing and also testing for infections that produce the echogenic bowel (cmv and toxoplasmosis) and they all came back negative. the echogenic bowel didn't go away til my 34 week u/s!! i still don't know what caused it. it might have been ingested blood. i did bleed but all the bleeding was from the cervix so i'm not sure if that was it. anyway, i've been there so if you have any q's let me know! i'd suggest asking for the infection testing if possible since those are two common infections seen with echogenic bowels. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1899069 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 10:43:58 +0000 Mrs.Pinecone316 1899069@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm sorry for the scary news but just keep remembering that the odds are very much in your favor that everything will be ok. And no matter what online forum you go to you will read hundreds of stories from scared mommies who were told similar news and everything turned out perfectly fine! Hang in there :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1899022 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 10:18:11 +0000 LaughLines 1899022@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@autumn865: glad to hear your tests came back normal! Yes, the panorama is one of the tests we're getting, and i hope it's less than the 2 week window they gave me.... I can't stop thinking about it! </p> <p>the doc did say the brightness could just mean my little baby girl just swallowed some blood in the amniotic fluid, because apparently blood shows up brighter in the intestines, too, so it's not necessarily calcium, could just be digesting blood. He asked me if had any bleeding during this pregnancy which i haven't, but blood in the fluid isn't too unusual even if I don't actually notice bleeding myself. That plus differing ultrasound views / interpretation by doctors are what makes up the 95% when it means absolutely nothing </p> <p>We are getting another ultrasound in 4 weeks to measure growth and check the bowels again. So we'll have the tests in two weeks and ultrasound in 4 and hopefully between those two we get exclusively good news and i can stop worrying! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1899010 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 10:09:04 +0000 autumn865 1899010@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>OMG my husband and I JUST had this exact scenario happen to us at our anatomy scan (our doctor saw the calcium in the tummy and also a complete lack of a nasal bridge). I took the same blood test as you it sounds like (panorama it was called). We got a call last week on day 10 with the news that everything was low risk and normal. So I know exactly what you're going through and the absolute stress and anxiety you and your family are feeling right now. It brings up questions, discussions, and what ifs that you never dreamed of having to talk and think about. But hang in there and be strong and your results will come soon as possible. Can you talk to your doctor about getting a follow up ultrasound? We are seeing a high risk radiologist as a second opinion about what the first doctor saw. From what I understand a lot of times things are missed or are seen one way by one person and it is a totally a different picture with another set of eyes. Also from what I understand that the ecogenic calcium deposits in the tummy seen for you can also be something that happened completely normally and could mean nothing particularly since they were seen in the tummy and not the liver or heart etc. don't give up hope and hang in there (HUGS) you and your little baby are in my prayers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1898821 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 08:29:48 +0000 avivoca 1898821@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We were told that we had two soft markers: an echogenic foci on the heart and bilateral corneal plexus cysts on the brain. The cysts resolved within six weeks and LO is happy and healthy at one year old today. Our risk was extremely low and I opted to not do genetic testing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1898722 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 07:23:32 +0000 MrsF 1898722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We saw the same thing that @winniebee: posted on my daughter's anatomy scan (an echogenic intracardiac focus). There was no other blood test (panorama or harmony) available at that time and we refused an amnio. My OB was much less concerned than the doc who had done the ultrasound. They could tell at delivery that she didn't have downs and she's a healthy 2 year old now. I hope you get good news soon and that it doesn't cause you much worry in the meantime! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1898698 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 07:01:05 +0000 Ash 1898698@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A friend of mine was told the same information. He's now 2 months old and perfect! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1898692 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 06:52:53 +0000 blackbird 1898692@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Can they do a FSH assay for 48 hour results? I had one with my CVS with E. I know its so scary, but the odds are on your side! Especially since they saw nothing else </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1898687 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 06:46:35 +0000 nana87 1898687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My lo had a soft marker at my 20 week anatomy scan-- one kidney was larger than the other. I had done the NT and quad screenings already so they added the materniti21 test too, and all negative! They monitored the kidney w monthly ultrasounds until it looked fine at 28 weeks. And, lo is now 6 months old and in perfect health! Well, she just got her first cold yesterday, but that doesn't count :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1898685 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 06:43:12 +0000 winniebee 1898685@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p><a href="http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calcification-on-babys-heart/page/2#post-1793545" rel="nofollow">http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calcification-on-babys-heart/page/2#post-1793545</a></p> <p>Also, at my 24 week scan the ecogenic focus was gone. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1898684 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 06:40:06 +0000 winniebee 1898684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LaughLines: I posted a long thread about this a few months ago let me see if I can find it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1898683 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 06:35:19 +0000 LaughLines 1898683@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lion: I didn't do any other testing (NT, etc) because I didn't think i was high risk and didn't want the worry... so i don't have any other negative tests to point to. </p> <p>I didn't get specific odds, but 5% is 1 out of 20... that seems way high! that's not just for downs, but for any "negative result" of the bright bowel, which could be down or CF. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1898681 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 06:31:10 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1898681@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was told the same thing at my anatomy scan last week, except our marker was a bright spot on the heart (no other markers.) </p> <p>Considering my age and other testing that was negstive, our chances of downs are 1/7500. The chances in the general population are like 1/600. </p> <p>Once i started really putting that in perspective I felt a lot better. Did your doctor give you probabilities? Maybe you can call and ask if not. </p> <p>And if, despite the very low odds, this baby does have downs, I will love her just as much and will just have to take things as they come. There is nothing I can do to change it or fix it at this point, so all I can do is pray that all is well, and that if it isn't I will have the ability to be a great momma to her regardless her challenges. </p> <p>I'm sorry you are going through this. It is so very scary to hear that something could be wrong. I hope your blood test is more definitive and that everything works out ok!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/soft-markers-during-ultrasound#post-1898675 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 06:15:42 +0000 LaughLines 1898675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had my ultrasound on Friday at 19w3d - it was a level 2 ultrasound at a special doctor (not my usual OB office) because we have some family history with heart defects at birth and wanted to be careful. The heart looked good, but after the tech left the doc came in and told us we had "bright bowel" or echogenic bowel, which is a soft marker for down syndrome or cystic fibrosis. The doc stressed that most times (95%) it means nothing, but there is a 5% chance that it could be downs or CF. I have no other markers - they measured the kidneys and some flap on the head, which were all fine, and i'm 28 so i'm not high risk because of that. </p> <p>So, the doc suggested i do blood tests, didn't even bring up amniocentesis, and said the blood test they do basically pulls the babies DNA out of my blood and tests it definitively for DS, and then they do another test to see if I'm a carrier for CF and if i am then they'll test my husband to see if he's a carrier, too. </p> <p>I won't get the results back for 2 weeks. In the mean time i'm scared silly. Does anyone else have experience with bright bowel or other soft markers? </p>