Calcification on Fetal Heart

I had a Level 2 Ultrasound today at 19 weeks 2 days because my blood came back with a 1/200 risk for Downs. Everything was normal on my baby except for the small calcification on the heart, which they say can be a marker for downs. But normal healthy babies get this as well. So my chances for my baby having downs is minimal. They said based on my age alone there's a 1/1,100 risk for downs, from the Level 2 Ultrasound they gave me a 1/571 risk, and my blood work is what is causing red flags, the 1/200 risk. Even with the 1/200 risk, that's still only a 0.5% risk, which is really tiny. But did any of you other women have a baby with calcification on their heart? They said it can go away by itself or it can get bigger, if it gets bigger is when it causes a problem. Please let me know, thanks!

I don't have an answer for you for the calcification issue, I was just wanted to follow your topic.

I have an 8 1/2 mo old little girl that was born with Trisomy21 Down syndrome. We had no clues or "markers" with her. So I wanted to see what everyone had to say........

Quoting MrsH:“ I don't have an answer for you for the calcification issue, I was just wanted to follow your topic. ... [snip!] ... born with Trisomy21 Down syndrome. We had no clues or "markers" with her. So I wanted to see what everyone had to say........”

Did you do any blood screenings in your first trimester?

The only screening I had was the Triple Screen or also referred to as the AFP (Alpha-Fetal Protein) screening. It had actually come back normal.

What is even more funny (ironic funny - not ha ha funny) is that I was gestational diabetic and had to have AFI's and NST's during my last month and nothing was detected then either. (AFI's in case you don't know are ultrasounds to check the baby's size, heart and water/fluid level and the NST are non stress tests.)

Quoting MrsH:“ The only screening I had was the Triple Screen or also referred to as the AFP (Alpha-Fetal Protein) screening. ... [snip!] ... in case you don't know are ultrasounds to check the baby's size, heart and water/fluid level and the NST are non stress tests.)”

Hmm that's definitely strange. I wonder why that happened. I have heard a lot about the false-positives but not too much about false-negatives. I posted this topic in another forum, and I got a few responses on that. A few women on there said that they had babies with calcification on their babies hearts as well and their baby was born healthy, yet they still had calcification on the heart after birth but it doesn't cause any heart problems, and it's pretty harmless. So I'm going to keep on that route for now. We'll keep monitoring my little girl for growth rates and keep an eye on the calcium deposit. By the way, your little girl is beautiful!

Good to hear your getting some positive feedback.... Good thing you aren't stressing or worrying... just would not be good for you or the baby. Good Luck Momma! Hope all is well... IF, and I mean IF you do end up with some other funky results, there is more symptoms and markes and or you end up having the amnio to find out about Ds (these are HUGE HUGE IF's) and comes back positive, please feel free to seek me out on here... I would love to be of any help I can

And thanks... we are kind of partial to her ourselves... lol

Quoting MrsH:“ Good to hear your getting some positive feedback.... Good thing you aren't stressing or worrying... just ... [snip!] ... to seek me out on here... I would love to be of any help I can And thanks... we are kind of partial to her ourselves... lol”

Thank you, I have parentanked you! And I have one more question... You said that nothing showed up on the Level 2 ultrasound? Because apparently they are supposed to be able detect the nuchal skin fold on the nape of the neck, which is a characteristic of fetus' with downs. Also shorter limbs, heart defects, and facial bone structure. they said all of this was normal???

You can't tell it now since she looks like an average sized baby, but my sweet love was quite a chunker! She weighed 11 lbs, 1 oz @ birth.   I know I get that look a lot... lmbo!

Since she weighed so much, she was quite puffy and a lot of the physical features weren't evident in the ultrasounds. She didnt have the skin fold at her neck and her limbs were about the same size as typical kids.

Matter of fact, I know you can tell it in her pic that I have for my avatar, but really in person a lot of people find it hard to believe that she does have Down syndrome because she just doesn't have the strong features that a lot of other kids get. Matter of fact, her opthamologist see's a lot of kids with Ds and asked me if I was sure she has Trisomy21 (the most prevelant form) and not Mosaicism (slightly rare form and very very little physical features of Ds and higher cognitive ability)

Quoting MrsH:“ You can't tell it now since she looks like an average sized baby, but my sweet love was quite a chunker! ... [snip!] ... form) and not Mosaicism (slightly rare form and very very little physical features of Ds and higher cognitive ability)”

Yes I have noticed too. Usually it's pretty severe and you can tell immediately. Maybe she only has a slight case of it? Who knows, all that matters, she is healthy, alive, breathing, and HAPPY! Thanks for your help, I'll definitely seek you out.  

Quoting NicolaW ~ Mommy To Be!:“ I had a Level 2 Ultrasound today at 19 weeks 2 days because my blood came back with a 1/200 risk for ... [snip!] ... said it can go away by itself or it can get bigger, if it gets bigger is when it causes a problem. Please let me know, thanks!”

I refused to take the down syndrome test...I have a private nurse through my insurance company and she said that the down syndrome test is known for FALSE POSITIVES...It is just there to scare women...You shouldn't have to worry...You will most likely have a healthy happy baby...the only time you should worry is if there is down syndrome in your family somewhere...

Just had to chime in on the "markers" issue. My son has Down Syndrome and he had NO markers. Triple test was normal, U/S's showed a typical, healthy baby. We didn't know until he was born. So, I wouldn't worry about the calcification. What I've learned is we don't have control over what happens so go with the flow and enjoy.

Quoting Nicola - BG Trainer [HBC]:“ I had a Level 2 Ultrasound today at 19 weeks 2 days because my blood came back with a 1/200 risk for ... [snip!] ... said it can go away by itself or it can get bigger, if it gets bigger is when it causes a problem. Please let me know, thanks!”

Im 20 weeks and my baby has a calcifacation on his heart. my doc told me that children grow normal and healthy with them. it is a clue to chromosone defects. I have a 1% chance for a defect. My quad screen came back 1 in 4000 chance. It's hard to say. i have the option to do an amnio test, but then I think to myself that it wouldnt change how i feel about my kid, so im just gona let things fall into place where they may. I wish you the best and take care of yourself.

This is actually my 1st post on this site, but I googled "fetal heart calcification", and this thread was the very first link!

I'm high risk, and see Maternal Fetal Medicine every two weeks. It seems that, with every other visit, they find something wrong with the baby, and then, the next - it's cleared up, or disappeared! Yesterday, they told me that there's a small calcification on the baby's heart, and some in his bowels. I asked him to elaborate, and he said it indicated chromosomal abnormalities. This is my 2nd pregnancy, but the 1st ended in an unexplained stillbirth, so they're watching me very closely, and I'm still very new to all of this. I only went to 20 weeks last time - I'm at 26 now.

Of course, I'm very worried about my baby's health. I called my OB, and his nurse assured me that my quad screen had come back normal, with no indications of any problems whatsoever, so that leaves me perplexed with this current diagnosis...how could this happen now, and how accurate could an u/s diagnosis of this be? The peri that saw me gave me the worst case scenarios, and basically didn't give me any hope, then, at the last minute, he added, "then, again...I've saw women have this, and end up with perfectly healthy babies - try not too stress too much, and see me again in a week" WHAT?!?!?

Don't get me wrong - I'm going to love my child completely, regardless of any health issues - I just want to know what to expect, and the stress of this "omg, the baby's going to be 'this'", and the next week, "well, it appears everything is fine after all"...is killing me mentally, and is starting to take a toll on me emotionally and physically, as well.

As if that isn't enough - my husband has been in the hospital for the past week with cellulitis, due to staph, and the doctor explained to us last night that he could have died in his sleep from blood poisoning had we waiting 12 hrs longer before coming in!!! I haven't even celebrated my 1st anniversary yet!

I think I need a good cry...maybe that will relieve some of the tension. This can't be good for the baby...

Thanks for "listening" if you've read this far...I think I've "parent tanked" everyone in this thread...lol.