What is Down syndrome and what are its symptoms

Patient's question:

What is Down syndrome and what are its symptoms

Doctor's answer:

Prenatal screening for Down syndrome is performed between weeks 15 and 20. The purpose of the screening is to determine the risk of the fetus having Down syndrome by testing the mother's blood. If the results of the screening indicate a high risk of the fetus having Down syndrome, further diagnostic tests such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling should be conducted.