Patient's question:
I had prenatal screening today, 17 weeks and 4 days. I had my blood drawn after fasting, and it was 2 milliliters. I saw that some people had a Down syndrome screening where they had to drink glucose solution first and then have their blood drawn after 1 hour. What is the difference between newborn screening and Down syndrome screening?Doctor's answer:
The test for drinking glucose powder or solution is part of the glucose tolerance test for gestational diabetes. The screening for Down syndrome is the 21-trisomy and 18-trisomy syndrome screening conducted on fasting individuals between 15 to 20 weeks plus 6 days. These are two different tests with distinct purposes. Typically, pregnant women between 24 to 28 weeks, especially those with fasting blood glucose levels greater than 5.1, must undergo diabetes screening to prevent the birth of large for gestational age infants. The Down syndrome screening is a necessary test primarily aimed at preventing congenital birth defects. Under the guidance of prenatal doctors, pregnant women should regularly receive examinations and tests, including basic physical assessments.