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When Rachel and Rudy Fasano of New Haven, Connecticut learned they were having their first baby after three years of trying, they were overjoyed, as were their families. At Rachel’s 15-week ultrasound to learn their baby’s sex, both grandmothers were also in tow, eager to hear the news. But the visit delivered some unexpected results. …
One patient’s story: our baby’s multiple heart defects
My husband Tim and I had been unsuccessfully trying for another baby for some time. Then, right around Mother’s Day, we got the present we’d been hoping for, a positive pregnancy test. The first few months were filled with joy and anticipation, but a scheduled ultrasound during my 19th week changed everything. The sonogram showed our son had a heart defect. As an intensive care nurse married to a physician, I knew how dangerous this could be. When they administered my amniocentesis— a test for genetic disorders that may be the cause of our baby’s heart condition—I was so numb that I didn’t even feel the needle go in me. The results showed no traceable cause; a twist of fate with no scientific reason. …