Choroid Plexus Cyst- What You Need to Know
Why You Shouldn't Worry About a Choroid Plexus Cyst
What is a Choroid Plexus Cyst?
The Choroid Plexus produces fluid essential to the brain and spinal cord. A choroid plexus cyst is a fluid filled space that has formed in the choroid plexus. Between 1 and 3 percent of all ultrasounds performed between 16 and 24 weeks show a choroid plexus cyst. The choroid plexus cyst itself is harmless and will disappear by the third trimester.
When a choroid plexus cyst is seen on an ultrasound, some doctors say that the risk for trisomy 18 goes up. 1 in 300 babies who are noted to have a choroid plexus cyst during a routine ultrasound will end up having trisomy 18. This is a small risk, but still higher than the normal risk of trisomy 18, which is 1 in 3000 of all babies.
What happens next?
If a choroid plexus cyst is seen on your baby during an ultrasound, the technician will look for other markers for trisomy 18. Usually a more detailed level 2 ultrasound will be scheduled with a technician who is especially trained to look for other abnormalities. If a level 2 ultrasound is performed and no other abnormalies are found, it is said that the baby has an isolated choroid plexus cyst.
Further Testing
To be certain that a baby does not have any abnormalities besides the choroid plexus cyst, some parents choose to have an anmiocentesis. An anmiocentesis is a procedure in which a long needle is inserted into the uterus to extract some amniotic fluid for testing. Although this procedure is accurate, it does increase the risk of miscarriage. The rate of miscarriage after an amniocentesis ranges from 1 in 400 to 1 in 200.
An alpha fetal protein (AFP) test can also be done to help determine the possibility of birth defects related to the choroid plexus cyst. This involves testing the level of AFP in a mother's blood. It is very important to note that this test has a high false positive rate. If an AFP test shows normal levels, you can assume that the baby is healthy, but if it shows abnormal levels, more testing should be done to rule out abnormalities.
Try to relax.
The most important thing to know is that if your baby has a choroid plexus cyst on his brain during an ultrasound and no other abnormalities, he is probably perfectly healthy. Two of my four children have had choroid plexus cysts and both of them are perfectly healthy, happy little boys.
http://www.babyzone.com/pregnancy/health_wellness/prenatal_tests/ultrasound/article/choroid-plexus-cyst-pg2
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/prenataltesting/amniocentesis.html
Published by Kathy Wiehl
I am a homeschooling mother to four kids and a freelance writer. I write about pregnancy, birth, parenting, natural living, homeschooling, crafting and pets. I have written articles for private clients as we... View profile
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5 Comments
Post a Commentmy wife and i have just been told out daughter to be has a cpc.. it was the last thing i wanted to hear... that there is something they found that shouldnt be there.. they have set another u/s for 4 weeks and told us everything that was in this article.. my wife has a test done at 14 weeks (because she is over 30 and this if our first child) to help rule out any problems.. and then this.. it realy hit me like a ton of bricks.. all i want is for my daughter to have every chance in life.. i know that the chances of there being something wrong is still slim... but i cant stop thinking about it..
Interesting article. I had never heard of this before.
Great informative article, i never knew before. Thanks Kathy Wiehl
Before reading this article, I had never heard of a choroid plexus cyst. This is a really informative article!
This article could definitely give a mother-to-be some peace of mind if she'd had this diagnosis....nice work.