A hint of normalcy

Lil' Genghis was expected to have a 1-in-300 chance of getting one of several birth defects. The normal test to check for this has a 1-in-200 chance of causing a miscarriage. Yeah, you do the math.

So mom opted for a something-translucency-something, which mixes an ultrasound with a couple of blood tests. So, we got the results back, and the odds are now 1-in-3,000 of those kinds of problems. In other words, everything's looking fine. (If you're a Brazilian, that's not a 1-in-3 chance. Look. It's a comma, indicating a serial line of thought, much like these in this sentence. The period adds finality. Next thing we know, you guys'll be complaining that we're not using the metric system here. HA! If the metric system is such a good idea, why has no major industrial power switched to it in decades?)

Ahem. Yes. Back to the baby. So the test gives us even more hope to believe that Lil' Genghis will be normal physically. 1-in-3,000 odds is pretty good. Later this month, we'll have another ultrasound to check for missing and surplus pieces -- babies are some-assembly required, of course -- that is almost certain to be just fine.

In other words, the odds are good that baby will be good. Medically.

Given our extended family, though, dad is estimating that the odds are about 31-in-32 that the baby will be weird, simply because of the environment and genetics. We're not even sure about that 1-in-32 chance of being normal, but it seemed polite to leave some doubt.

So the odds are good, but the goods are odd.