How long does it take to do a Down syndrome screening test?

Down syndrome screening is an examination that mothers must undergo during pregnancy. After all, no one wants their baby to have Down syndrome symptoms. Generally, pregnant women can undergo Down syndrome screening between 15 and 19 weeks of pregnancy. Down syndrome screening requires a blood test, but it does not require fasting and can be performed in general hospitals. So, how long will it take for pregnant mothers to know the results of Down syndrome screening?

Down syndrome screening is the abbreviation of prenatal screening test for Down syndrome, which is a special examination method. The purpose is to test the blood of pregnant women to detect the concentrations of alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin and free estriol in the maternal serum, and to determine the risk factor of the fetus suffering from congenital idiocy and neural tube defects based on the age, weight, gestational age of the pregnant woman.

Early pregnancy

Early pregnancy generally lasts from 7 to 13 weeks after conception. At this time, dual screening refers to a combined screening program that uses serum pregnancy-associated protein-A and human chorionic gonadotropin or free β-hCG as indicators, combined with parameters such as the age of the pregnant woman to calculate the risk of the fetus suffering from DS.

Second trimester

The second trimester is 14 to 20 weeks after pregnancy. The dual screening at this time refers to a combined screening program that uses serum alpha-fetoprotein AFP and human chorionic gonadotropin or free β-hCG as indicators, combined with parameters such as the age of the pregnant woman, to calculate the risk of the fetus suffering from DS.

Triple screening can also be performed during the second trimester. Triple screening refers to a combined screening program that uses serum AFP plus hCG (or free β-hCG) plus unconjugated estriol as indicators: combined with parameters such as the age of the pregnant woman to calculate the risk of the fetus suffering from DS.

Down syndrome screening is performed by drawing serum from pregnant women, testing the concentrations of alpha-fetoprotein, chorionic gonadotropin and free estriol in the maternal serum, and calculating the risk of giving birth to a fetus with congenital defects based on the pregnant woman's due date, age, weight and gestational age at the time of blood collection. Hospitals generally stipulate that it should be done between 14 and 20 weeks. If the results of the Down screening test show that the fetus is at a higher risk of having Down syndrome, further confirmatory tests should be carried out - amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling.

Down syndrome is a sporadic disease, so every pregnant woman has the potential to give birth to a child with Down syndrome. Although many people have questioned Down syndrome screening, and although the results of Down syndrome screening cannot accurately determine whether the baby is mentally retarded, it is the simplest and most harmless method to determine whether the fetus is mentally retarded. It is recommended that every pregnant woman pay attention to Down syndrome screening.