Patient's question:
The child in the stomach has already been 10 weeks, the doctor recommended to do a Down syndrome screening evaluation check to see how the baby is doing. Is the Down syndrome screening a blood test?Doctor's answer:
The Down syndrome screening is to carefully check how the fetus may have Down syndrome. It is usually completed between the 16th and 20th weeks of pregnancy. Down syndrome screening involves drawing the mother's blood to test the concentration of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and hCG in the mother's serum. The screening considers factors such as the mother's expected due date, age, weight, and estimated risk factors for the birth of a Down syndrome fetus. It is recommended to fast before having blood drawn at the hospital and to provide the results of a recent ultrasound examination, which is usually available within about a week.