Where to do Down syndrome screening

For a family, the most worrying thing is that the newborn baby has some congenital diseases, which is a big blow to the family. Down syndrome is a disease that may be caused by congenital developmental deficiencies. Pregnant women can use Down screening to learn about the condition of the fetus and carry out treatment.

How to do Down syndrome screening

Down syndrome screening mainly checks the blood cell markers of pregnant women, including the concentrations of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG), free estriol (uE3) and inhibin A. The risk index of Down syndrome in the baby of the pregnant woman is assessed by combining the pregnant woman's age, weight, gestational age and other information. The general procedure is to first conduct a phase I Down syndrome screening, using ultrasound and blood tests when the expectant mother is 9-13 weeks pregnant to estimate the risk of the fetus having Down syndrome; in the second phase screening, a blood test is done at 15-20 weeks of pregnancy, and the estimate is made based on the results of the first phase.

If the risk is high, you may want to do chorionic villus sampling, which is an invasive test that requires careful communication with your doctor, or amniocentesis, which is also an invasive test but carries less risk than chorionic villus sampling.

According to the above procedure, more accurate results can usually be obtained.

How to do Down syndrome screening test

Down syndrome screening is a very important test for pregnant mothers. Perhaps some pregnant mothers may have certain doubts about this matter. Is Down syndrome screening accurate? Generally speaking, Down syndrome screening can detect 60-70% of Down syndrome patients. Down syndrome has nothing to do with genetic diseases, it is only related to gene mutations. Down syndrome screening helps identify the chance of a fetus having Down syndrome, alleviating the huge mental and financial burden on the family.

At present, Down syndrome screening is based on maternal blood indicators to infer the condition of the fetus. The biochemical indicators in the maternal blood will be affected by many factors, and the age of the pregnant woman is also an influencing factor. The older the age, the higher the risk. These factors make the results of Down syndrome screening unlikely to be very accurate. In order to determine whether the baby is Down syndrome, high-risk pregnant women also need to undergo amniocentesis.

How much does Down syndrome screening cost?

Prenatal check-ups include a series of steps. Before Down syndrome screening, a B-ultrasound is usually required to find out the specific gestational age of the fetus. Generally, there are many other tests that need to be done, not only this one, but also electrocardiogram, blood test, urine test and other items. Down syndrome screening is also necessary at this stage. The clinic prices in different regions vary greatly, ranging from approximately 150 to 200 yuan. Generally, tertiary hospitals or abortion hospitals with good reputations are relatively more expensive, have rich experience and are accompanied by other auxiliary treatments, and the services provided are also of higher quality.

What should be prepared for Down syndrome screening?

The purpose of Down syndrome screening is to identify high-risk pregnant women with congenital defects, further confirm the diagnosis, and minimize the birth rate of abnormal fetuses. The best time for Down syndrome screening is generally between 15 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. It is also divided into early pregnancy screening at 9-13 weeks and mid-pregnancy screening at 14-21 weeks. It is economical, simple and non-invasive. You do not need to fast when doing Down syndrome screening, but it is related to your menstrual cycle, height, weight, exact gestational age, and gestational age. It is best to consult your doctor for other preparations before the test.