twins-white spot on both hearts

[hhb]

I am 36 and am 20 weeks pregnant with twins, one boy and one girl. Everything has looked great in every ultrasound we've had, until the last one at 17+ weeks (level II) where the Dr. found a bright white spot on each heart (echogenic intracardiac focus - EIF). This can be a marker for Down Syndrome, but neither baby has any other marker (nuchal fold u/s was normal; head, extremities, bladder, bowels, nasal bone, etc. all look fine). The Dr. doing the level II u/s said if my nuchal fold u/s looked normal and the blood work was fine (it was) then not to worry, but I've been told by a maternal/fetal specialist that the blood work from the integrated screen is not accurate with multiples, which I had read before. I didn't see the specialist until last week, two full weeks after the level II. In my prenatal appointment following the level II, my Ob wasn't in but I saw his partner, and she, too, said not to worry. The specialist just kept saying how my odds are increased due to my age, and even though it's HIGHLY unlikely to have fraternal twins each having DS, the risk is there that one might have it. All three Dr's said the same thing about it being unlikely that both could have DS. But, my risk of miscarriage from having an amnio is higher than my risk of having a baby with DS.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has had fraternal twins with a spot on each heart and no other markers and has either had the amnio and everything waa fine, or has delivered normal babies.

Thanks in advance-
Heidi

[kholtan]

Heidi~
I'm so sorry for the stress you are going through. This is something I know nothing about but I just wanted to encourage you that it sounds like things will be fine. It's scary to have a single marker for DS but it seems to me like they have no other markers and reagardless of how acurate the blood work is, the u/s readings showing everything to be fine should be a good sign. Perhaps the white spots will go away by the next u/s.

Try not to get too freaked out and just have faith. We will all be praying for your babies and you in the meantime. Our boy/girl twins are only about 5.5 weeks apart!

Congrats and take care of yourself!
Kimberly

[LISA@BELLASALES]

My girlfriends baby had a spot on the heart and liver and they said she was DS, and she is a beautiful healthy 2 yr old today.
I am not doing an amnio as it was offered because I am 36 also. It took me this long to get pregnant I am not chancing anything. Whatever God has in store for me will be.
Good Luck...

[wannababynow]

I have a friend who's baby also had a spot on their heart. She is 9 months now and perfectly fine. Hope that is reassuring!