Patient's question:
What is the accuracy rate of the Down syndrome screening?Doctor's answer:
Hello, the Down syndrome screening is a method that involves drawing pregnant women's blood serum to detect the concentration of alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin in the mother's serum. It also combines factors such as the pregnant woman's due date, age, weight, and gestational age at the time of blood collection to calculate the risk coefficient of giving birth to a child with Down syndrome. Down syndrome screening is typically performed at the hospital around weeks 16 to 22 of pregnancy, and it has a very high accuracy rate! However, Down syndrome screening only provides a risk coefficient and does not necessarily mean that the baby has a problem. It is important to work with the doctor to undergo further tests to determine the actual risk of the condition, and then decide on appropriate measures. Generally, the risk of Down syndrome can be avoided through amniocentesis.