The term Down syndrome screening is not unfamiliar to pregnant women. It is the abbreviation of prenatal screening examination for Down syndrome, mainly to check the risk level of Down syndrome in the fetus. Doctors usually recommend pregnant women to undergo this examination. So, what items will be checked in Down syndrome screening?
What are the main items that Tang Screen checks?
Pregnant women are at risk of conceiving a Down syndrome child, and the older the expectant mother, the more likely she is to conceive a Down syndrome child. In order to prevent newborns from developing Down syndrome and ensure eugenics, every expectant mother needs to undergo Down syndrome screening during pregnancy.
During the Down syndrome screening process, expectant mothers will also check for AFP in their pregnant women's serum HCG、uE3、Inhibin A， By conducting these tests, it can be determined whether the fetus has NTD, which refers to symptoms of neural tube defects, 18 trisomy, and 13 trisomy syndrome. Expectant mothers need to have blood drawn for Down syndrome screening at the hospital where they undergo prenatal check ups one week before each check-up. When they come to the hospital for prenatal check ups one week later, the results can be obtained. If the screened serum is positive, it is necessary to biopsy the villi and puncture the amniotic fluid to confirm whether they are pregnant with Down syndrome.
Down syndrome screening mainly involves the following tests, and generally only four samples need to be taken for examination to obtain results: venous blood sampling, ultrasound examination of semi transparent membrane thickness on the neck and back of expectant mothers, ultrasound examination of alpha fetoprotein, chorionic gonadotropin, free estriol, and inhibin A. The doctor determines the probability of pregnant women carrying Down syndrome by examining the indicators of these items, combined with the expectant mother's menstrual condition, weight, gestational age, height, etc. The accuracy of the examination is extremely high.
There are currently two main methods for Down syndrome screening in clinical practice: prenatal screening and non-invasive DNA testing.
Precautions for Down syndrome screening
Expectant mothers should rest early the day before preparing for Down syndrome screening, and should not drink water from midnight. On the day of the examination, they should not eat in the morning and go to the hospital on an empty stomach for the examination. Before the examination, the doctor will ask the expectant mother about her menstrual condition, weight, gestational age, height, etc. After arriving at the hospital, the expectant mother must truthfully tell the doctor.
The above are the items that need to be checked for Tang's screening that the editor will introduce to you today. Those who need it can make relevant preparations in advance, especially make sure to record their relevant information. Down syndrome screening is usually completed within 15 weeks of pregnancy, and some may be done later, but generally not exceeding 20 weeks.
