Should i do integrated prenatal screening

Just like with Down syndrome, the chances of having a baby with trisomy 18 increases with the age of the mother. One baby in is born with trisomy A baby with an open neural tube defect NTD has an opening of the spine or of the head. The most common form of open NTD is called spina bifida, which happens when the spine does not close properly, exposing the spinal cord, which may become damaged. One baby out of every is born with an open NTD. Want to Know More? Can I get pregnant if…?

Share this post:. Share on facebook Facebook. Share on twitter Twitter. Share on linkedin LinkedIn. Share on email Email. Similar Post. The First Year. Is Green Baby Poop Normal? The screening poses no risk of miscarriage or other pregnancy complications. You don't need to do anything special to prepare for first trimester screening. You can eat and drink normally before both the blood test and the ultrasound exam. During the blood test, a member of your health care team takes a sample of blood by inserting a needle into a vein in your arm.

The blood sample is sent to a lab for analysis. You can return to your usual activities immediately. For the ultrasound exam, you'll lie on your back on an exam table. Your health care provider or an ultrasound technician will place a transducer — a small plastic device that sends and receives sound waves — over your abdomen. The reflected sound waves will be digitally converted into images on a monitor.

Your health care provider or the technician will use these images to measure the size of the clear space in the tissue at the back of your baby's neck. Your health care provider will use your age and the results of the blood test and ultrasound exam to gauge your risk of carrying a baby with Down syndrome or trisomy Other factors — such as a prior Down syndrome pregnancy — also might affect your risk. First trimester screening results are given as positive or negative and also as a probability, such as a 1 in risk of carrying a baby with Down syndrome.

First trimester screening correctly identifies about 85 percent of women who are carrying a baby with Down syndrome. About 5 percent of women have a false-positive result, meaning that the test result is positive but the baby doesn't actually have Down syndrome.

When you consider your test results, remember that first trimester screening indicates only your overall risk of carrying a baby with Down syndrome or trisomy A low-risk result doesn't guarantee that your baby won't have one of these conditions. Likewise, a high-risk result doesn't guarantee that your baby will be born with one of these conditions.

If you have a positive test result, your health care provider and a genetics professional will discuss your options, including additional testing. For example:. Your health care provider or a genetic counselor will help you understand your test results and what the results mean for your pregnancy. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.

This content does not have an English version. This fluid sample can be used to diagnose chromosome problems like Down syndrome and trisomy An amniocentesis is an invasive procedure, which means that there is a small risk of miscarriage about one in associated with it.

Results of the test for Down syndrome and trisomy 18 usually take one to two weeks. A rapid technique for the diagnosis of Down syndrome and trisomy 18, fluorescence in situ hybridization or FISH , may be available in your area. FISH results usually take two days. Results for the test for open neural tube defects usually take five to seven days. Ultrasound machines use sound waves to look at the developing baby.

This procedure, called sonography, is often used to check fetal age or whether more than one baby is present. Level II or targeted sonography will provide a detailed examination of portions of the baby's body. It cannot be used to diagnose Down syndrome or trisomy 18, but it can often identify spina bifida and various fetal abnormalities that are associated with Down syndrome or trisomy No test can guarantee that your baby is free of all birth defects, but if the result of the amniocentesis is negative, it will rule out Down syndrome or other chromosome abnormalities.

A genetic counselor will be available to discuss your baby's diagnosis in detail and the options available to you. One option would be to continue the pregnancy and make arrangements for appropriate medical services at and after delivery. Placing the infant for adoption after birth can also be considered. Another option would be the termination of pregnancy. Find A Provider. In The News Media Relations.

Site Search. Serum Integrated Test. About The Serum Integrated Test. What is the Serum Integrated Test? What is Down syndrome? What are open neural tube defects? What does the Serum Integrated Test involve? The Serum Integrated Test is performed in two stages. The first stage involves: A.

The second stage involves: A. Why wait until the second stage to have a likelihood estimate? What is the likelihood? When will the results be available? What does a screen positive result for Down syndrome mean? What does a screen positive result for open neural tube defects mean? What does a screen negative result mean?

Does the Serum Integrated Test detect all pregnancies with Down syndrome or an open neural tube defect? Why do women with screen negative results occasionally have babies with Down syndrome or an open neural tube defect?

Can any other abnormalities be identified? Why do you take my age into account? What happens if I can't come in for the second blood sample? What happens if the ultrasound examination shows that I am too late for the first stage of the test? What are the tests that will be offered if my Serum Integrated Test result is screen positive? What is amniocentesis and what will it show? What is an ultrasound and what will it show? Will these diagnostic tests guarantee that my baby is free of all birth defects?

What happens if my baby does have a birth defect? Contact Us.